Paul Ryan Reveals His Plan to Balance the Budget in 10 Years Includes Repealing Obamacare


9:19 am ETMarch 10, 2013


This week, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is expected to lay out a plan to balance the budget in 10 years. On Fox News Sunday, Ryan explained, “The reason we do a balanced budget is not to simply make the numbers add up. It leads to a healthy, growing economy that creates jobs.”

The congressman says Republicans don’t want to reopen the fight over the fiscal cliff and are also proposing pro-growth tax reform. “No more crony politics, stop picking winners and losers, pro-growth tax reform — those things are still achievable and we achieve them in this budget.”

Instead of absolute spending cuts, Ryan is proposing cuts in the rate of growth. He said his plan promotes Medicare reform which includes the repeal of Obamacare. Chris Wallace pointedly asked, “Are you saying that as a part of your budget […] you assume the repeal of Obamacare?”

“Yes,” Ryan simply answered.

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Wallace said.

“We believe it should. That’s the point. This is what budgeting is all about,” said Ryan. He went to say that they’d replace it with patient-centered health care instead of a “rationing board” system like Obamacare.

Will Republicans in Congress and the president reach a compromise? President Obama had lunch with Republicans including Ryan on Thursday and will go to Capitol Hill next week to meet with Senate Republicans for the first time in almost three years. Ryan blamed the stalemate on President Obama, slamming his plan for raising taxes as one that aims to fuel more spending rather than reducing the deficit. “Tax reform to us is an economic growth generating exercise. Tax reform to the president so far seems to be a spending growth exercise.”

Wallace asked Ryan if he has plans on seeking House speakership or possibly the presidency. Ryan didn’t rule it out but said that until he figures out how to close the budget gap, he won’t be thinking about running for president just yet.

Despite having a positive experience as the GOP vice presidential candidate, he said, “I’ve always believed a better place for me is in policy leadership, like being a chairman. […] I shouldn’t be clouding my judgment today by thinking about some political thing four years from now.”

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