143 Seconds
Romney’s Medicare Madness Explained in 143 Seconds
Earlier today, Mitt Romney held a surprise press conference and, even more surprisingly, busted out a white board and attempted to explain his tortured position on Medicare.
We decided to pull out our own whiteboard and give you the facts. Watch ThinkProgress’ Igor Volsky break things down:
And here’s a handy infographic showing how the Romney campaign has been all over the map on Medicare since naming Paul Ryan as Romney’s running mate:
The changing rhetoric also presents serious policy problems. Romney’s implied policy of steering clear of Medicare reductions would greatly complicate his goal of reducing all federal spending from 24 percent of the GDP to 20 percent by 2016, which would require unsustainable cuts to other government programs. His specific promise to restore the $716 billion will also backfire and shorten the life of the Medicare trust fund “toward the end of what would be his first term in office.” The campaign has not yet specified how it would extend its solvency.
BOTTOM LINE: No matter how hard they tried, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan can’t wipe away their plan to turn Medicare into a voucher plan that will increase seniors’ health care costs by thousands of dollars each year.
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed
Seven tax return questions Mitt Romney left unanswered today.
Paul Ryan was caught lying (twice) about his multiple requests for stimulus funds.
The Bush tax cuts saved 57 CEOs more than $1 million each last year.
College degrees cost 1,120 percent more than they did 30 years ago.
Paul Ryan talked tough on China today, but he was in a small minority of House Members who voted against cracking down on China’s currency manipulation.
Extreme Iowa Rep. Steve King (R) says he’ll be a big player in a Romney-Ryan White House.
A new Republican Swift Boat-style group has emerged.
Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State restricted early voting even further.
The Lily-White Emmy’s.
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