Newsmax magazine posted a terrific video interview with Wisconsin’s U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan a couple of weeks ago that is worth ten or eleven minutes of your time. The post is titled:
“Paul Ryan: Obama Leading America on ‘Dangerous Path’ to Welfare State”
It opens with this:
“Rep. Paul Ryan tells Newsmax that America is at a ‘tipping point’ and could be headed down a ‘very dangerous’ path toward a social welfare state.
But the Wisconsin Republican insists it’s not too late to change course, and offers a plan he says will balance the budget and erase the huge deficit looming in the country’s future.”
Here is a quote from Rep. Ryan:
“If you look at the budget [the Democrats] want to pass, the one the president sent us, it’s got $2 trillion in higher taxes, doubles the debt in five years, triples the debt in 10 years. That’s a budget they know is not going to sit right with the American people.”
Ryan mentioned that the Democrats “just passed the largest entitlement in 35 years, after having passed a trillion dollars of borrowing and spending for stimulus…”
“I would argue that we’re reaching a tipping point in this country, after which the majority of Americans are more dependent on the government than they are upon themselves. And this budget accelerates that tipping point.”
Paul Ryan is one of the many national rising stars in the GOP, though this column has taken him to task for some of his past foolish statements (here). He’s young, though, and he has plenty of time to learn.
His government website outlining his “Roadmap for America’s Future” is impressive – and it can serve as a model for our state-level Republicans if they can muster the will.
Ryan’s comments about the nation’s budget is exactly applicable to Illinois’ budget: It is “economically destructive,” “politically inequitable,” and “unsustainable.”
There has never been a better time for our state house and senate Republicans to lay out a positive reform agenda and to get serious about presenting it to Illinois voters. If given a choice, my guess is that informed Illinois citizen will vote for hope and change Republican style. But they can’t choose what they’re not offered.
Click here to read the Newsmax article and to watch the video with Rep. Paul Ryan.
