Romney Ryan

Now that Romney has chosen Ryan, the discussion will shift from menial things like Obama’s grades and Romney’s tax return to Medicare and Medicaid. This means we will be deciding the future of the country in a meaningful way. Everyone knows that Entitlements (Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security), represent the real crux of the huge deficit we now have and one that will blow up in our face in the near future, if we do not take action, to control the growth of these entitlements. It is a courageous act to take on this problem openly and honestly but will likely result in the re-election of Obama. I say this because you generally cannot educate people during a campaign. If people really understood the danger in not taking on entitlements, Romney would win going away but they do not understand and the Obama campaign will do everything possible, to muddy the waters by saying that the Ryan plan will throw Grandma off the cliff. Just what is the Ryan plan for Medicare and Medicaid? 1. Starting in 2022 all people born after 1956 will move from the current Medicare program to new plan called a voucher plan. 2. Starting in 2022 the age for starting Medicare will increase by 2 months per year ending at age 67 in 2033. 3. Medicare beneficiaries will receive money from the government (vouchers) to purchase insurance from private companies. The initial payment will be $8,000 per person per year which is the current cost to government. Each year the voucher amount would increase based on the cost of living. The richest 2% will receive only $2,400 per year and the next richest 6% will receive $4,000 and the remaining 92% will get the full $8,000. 4. Nothing changes for all people who are currently 56 or older. Medicaid. Starting in 2013 all current federal money spent on Medicaid will be block granted to the states and will increase based on population and cost of living. Starting in 2022 money will no longer be allocated for acute care services for elderly Medicaid beneficiaries, the so call death panels. These death panels have been around for years but no one has ever talked publically about them as this plan does. Another reason why Obama will win re-election. The reason why spending on entitlements has spiraled out of control is that no elected official has demonstrated the courage to take them on, that is, until now and the American people will likely punish Romney for trying to tackle this issue. If that happens then we will just continue spending until the coming disaster strikes and then the cure will be much more painful. It will be felt by my grandchildren. In other words we will get the government we deserve. It reminds me of the old comic strip, “Pogo” when he said regarding the government, “We have met the enemy and they is us”.