Thank You, Paul Ryan. Your budget is a gift.

Paul Ryan's budget plan was rolled out over the past few days with two slick video trailers -- Pretty unusual for a Congressional budget committee chairman. Seriously!

The videos had music and beautiful shots and lots of Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan walking down the halls of Congress. Paul Ryan earnestly talking to the camera. Long on Paul but short on details.

On the other hand, Paul Ryan's budget unveiled today was clear. It presented a choice.

I so love it when choices are clear! He has done us a great favor by putting it all on the table.

So, here is your choice, America:

• Guaranteed health care benefits for seniors, or tax cuts for the wealthy?
• Food for poor children, or no taxes on offshore profits for multinational corporations?
• Increases in defense spending, or 48 million Americans keeping health care?

The trade-offs are very straightforward. Mitt Romney, of course, has endorsed, full-throated, the Ryan plan.

So let me be the first one to say, Paul Ryan: Thank you so much!

Now for the reality check: this budget has absolutely no chance of becoming law. Everyone knows it will never see the light of day in the Senate.

So, Mr. Ryan, remind me: why you did this again?

Oh, of course, silly me, I forgot: you want to be on the Republican ticket as vice president!
Well, call me crazy, but I'm just not sure that putting the GOP nominee in the position of supporting huge cuts to medicare is the way to help your chances.

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a gal who's grateful for the right to choose.

Cross-posted at "The War Room" blog. Follow "The War Room" on Twitter and Facebook. "The War Room with Jennifer Granholm" airs live weeknights at 9/8c on Current TV.

 

 

 

Follow Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JenGranholm

Comments

[radicalcentrist44]

05:32 PM on 03/23/2012

I want to know why Granlon left Michigan almost the second her term expired and why she decided to go to Berkeley instead of staying in Michigan.

[miket23]

02:42 PM on 03/22/2012

Now that the peanuts have been thrown down from the gallery, what is your budget plan, Jennifer? Those who offer criticism, especially those in political circles, are obligated to pose an alternative if they are to criticize another's proposal.

With that being said, I agree with your assessment of Ryan's budget proposal, but for different reasons. There are no REAL cuts being made! Our budget has more than doubled in 10 years (nominally) and we can't cut anything?? It's amazing the fantasy land that both parties reside thinking we can balance our budget 10 or 20 years out (surely, when they are all out of office and can't be blamed) and offer no real cuts now. The only budget that matters is this year's budget. Fix that first! You can cut $1trillion out of the budget without even touching SS or Medicare. If it's too politically difficult... then mandate 10% budget cuts across every federal department. Then let the bureacrats figure out how to do more with less... just like the rest of us.

[ennis438]

11:39 AM on 03/22/2012

The GOP keeps sending these good looking spokespeople out to media outlets to lie for them on the make up of this legislation. However, their lies about this helping anyone except their fat cat friends are catching on to some degree. The Ryan plan is just more of the same. Giveaways to fatcats in exchange for more coming from the elderly and middle class has been , and still is GOP policy.

[oilfield]

11:43 PM on 03/21/2012

you can never be a failure if you throw your hat into the ring......

[DeanWormer]

10:15 PM on 03/21/2012

It's easy to criticize when you have no plan of your own to address the looming debt crisis. Thanks for voting "present".

[iirm]

09:31 PM on 03/21/2012

Love you Governor! Your comments were right on. Hope it makes some people sit up and take notice.
However, that's a two step process...I'm not sure republicans can do to things at once!

[JSPuskar]

06:49 PM on 03/21/2012

Once again, Ryan and the Repubs would rather play politics than work with the Dems to solve our nation's problems. Once again, they're trying to play 'gotcha' against the administration by throwing up an unrealistic budget document that not only has no chance of passing, but is a direct affront to the hard-won compromise that was reached at the end of 2011. It's clear that their only goal is beating Obama - the country be damned.

[oilfield]

11:43 PM on 03/21/2012

the budget with no chance of passing is the presidents...

[DenverRight]

06:45 PM on 03/21/2012

"So, Mr. Ryan, remind me: why you did this again?"

Ummm...ma'am... because it is the Constitutional duty of the House of Representatives to do so?

Perhaps someone could wake up the Senate and remind them of the same thing?

Because the Senate has not passed a unified budget since 2009.

I know a lot of Michiganders (including family) that are overjoyed to see Ms Granholm working OUTSIDE the state.

[Repo 105]

10:16 PM on 03/21/2012

You're right, when are the Republicans going to pass a budget? So irrespoonsible.

[DenverRight]

12:37 PM on 03/22/2012

The Republicans only control the House. And the House passes a budget every year.

It's the Democrat-controlled Senate that won't even write a bill this year (according to Reid). The Senate hasn't found a middle ground for passing a budget resolution since 2009.

Some people do pay attention.

[mienemutti]

06:10 PM on 03/21/2012

I LOVE this woman!

[Robert SF]

05:37 PM on 03/21/2012

Obama told a group of bankers in a meeting right around the time of the big crash that his administration was the only thing standing between them and the pitchforks. But it's just as true that the government -- not just Obama's administration -- is the only thing that has stood between a total corporate takeover of our lives. They'd work us just like Foxconn if it weren't for those pesky laws. Even so, the government is losing the battle, largely because our protections against corporate predation, meager that they are, we laid down long ago, and have been under withering assault the last 30 years.

Don't be fooled by the hysterics over the public debt. It's true that it's at 100% of GDP, but it's also true that it was engineered mostly by the people that today act so horrified. The real reason people like Paul Ryan want to shrink the government is to give the corporate world more power over us.

[iirm]

09:35 PM on 03/21/2012

Please let people know one very important fact: China owns only about 8% of our debt. Japan owns about 8%. The bulk of public debt is owned by us...the American people in the form of treasuries sold to pension plans, private funds and regular everyday people. (Think series E bonds and Tbills). So how willing do you thing the American people will be to call in their debt?
I'm thinking this deficit crap is all just another republican lie. After all where was their fiscal restraint when they were funding illegal wars, tax cuts and prescription drug bills? Ah, how quickly republicans hope we will forget their games.

[mamaeagale]

10:46 PM on 03/21/2012

AMEN!

[oilfield]

11:44 PM on 03/21/2012

you like lots of inflation...

[RomeoMD25]

05:24 PM on 03/21/2012

If government spending is the solution and jobs is the only concern, why doesn't the government just manufacture out of thin air a job for every single American, no matter how useless it is!? Then we'd have ZERO unemployment!

That's the thinking of the left. Unfortunately, they don't understand the concept of wealth creation. And government could spend 26 quadrillion dollars for all they care, because they don't live in the real world.

[image18301]

09:27 PM on 03/21/2012

You may have missed the part where good ol' GW added tons of federal jobs under his care and Obama lessened the federal job numbers by over 600,000 - so far. At some point, you'll have to tear yourself away from FOX and start to question things - and try something new - like looking at cold, hard facts as opposed to bumper-sticker punchlines. Trust me, you'll be very surprised at what you'll find. Very surprised.

[iirm]

09:39 PM on 03/21/2012

No, that is not what liberals believe. If you ever studied economics you would know that there are some things that only government can and should do in times of crisis. Hey, but don't worry, keep fighting improving our electric grid, our roads and bridges, our rail and tunnel systems.
Maybe you will get lucky...you'll be on the bridge that collapses during a massive blackout and since your crowd would have cut police and emergency responders to the barest minimum, no one will be able to help you. But, you can enjoy the peace and quiet falling off a bridge in total darkness can bring.
Sorry, don't really mean to wish evil on anyone but frankly sometimes I just get so frustrated by these crazies and their ideas.

[mamaeagale]

10:54 PM on 03/21/2012

So true! Our city's leaders went from left to right in the last 5 years. City services have plummeted. We now have only 1x a week trash collection. We live where it rarely freezes. You can only imagine the consequences for homeowners, apartment complexes, and the overall appearance of our city. Of course, there is also the consequences of illnesses due to increased pests, such as rats, mice, roaches, ants, and other vermin, and what they carry (fleas and diseases). This is only one area of "COST SAVINGS". In reality, it raises the costs for individuals dramatically in all areas, while slowing the economy further through pink slips and the resulting cycle of unemployment. And this is not the only area of cost savings.

[rtx47]

05:07 PM on 03/21/2012

The Republican majority in the House can show some leadership in controlling the growth of US deficit and debt.

Easy steps that do not involve a tax hike (and thus meets restrictions of the Norquist pledge):

Close tax loopholes for rich individuals and corporations.
End subsidies to corporations, including the price supports for agricultural sectors.
Reduce military spending.
Reduce foreign aid and 'military assistance" to foreign countries.
End the war in Afghanistan and
Close some of the overseas military bases.

How difficult is that?

[image18301]

09:29 PM on 03/21/2012

They will do nothing of the sort. Ever. They're getting too much money to keep things just as they are, thank you very much.

[davegstein]

01:07 PM on 04/01/2012

..but..but,won't that cut into the profits of the war profiteers? What about all those lobbyists? are we going to force a few of them into legitimate lines of work?

[davegstein]

04:56 PM on 03/21/2012

Yes,very clever..indeed,diabolical.We(well Myself) was gladdened when I saw all the wacky half crazy right-wing legislation working its way around the nation.Stuff like Anti-Sharia law,English as official language,bills stating that every bit of law will have to be justified by some part of the Constitution(one by the way the GOP held on to for about...2 days)..
And then,we had an influx of various anti-Immigrant laws.I'm thinking "okay,there goes the Hispanic vote"..
But Oops,then they had the voter-suppression laws,which would basically negate the gains made by all the people they managed to disenfranchise.Simple math: Piss off a bunch of people,then make sure a bunch of people cannot vote.
And then,they decided to go after woman.Yup..can't make this stuff up folks.I'm thinking Bingo!! Payday!! This will surely make up for all those good folks who lost their ability to vote.
The righties however seem unconcerned.Do they know something we do not? do they know for example,that much of the voting public is either totally stupid,misinformed,or brainwashed as to not matter?
I am curios to the point of being concerned....
And then,a miracle.The right-wing comes forth with the previously unpopular and toxic Ryan budget they tried before.Sure,a slight name change,a few decimal points moved,but hey,the same con-job.Repacked and marketed with that same boyish charm and deceiving eyes that only Paul Ryan can deliver.....

[CaitlinO]

04:51 PM on 03/21/2012

Thank you, Governor, love the post. How can any thinking American look at Ryan's budget and not see it for what it is? The blueprint for how the GOP would love to destroy what's left of the US working and middle class.

Shame on them.

[luapmi2]

03:42 PM on 03/21/2012

Jennifer Granholm talking about bad leadership....THAT IS ASTOUNDINGLY FUNNY.

$10 says Jimmy Carter was her mentor...