Paul Ryan: Democrats leading U.S. "straight into a debt crisis"

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., accused Democrats of leading America "straight into a debt crisis" with their recently unveiled budget, and he urged the president during the weekly GOP address on Saturday to work with the congressional Republicans on a balanced budget.

"President Obama and Senate Democrats say they want a 'balanced approach' to our fiscal issues," said Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee. "But their budgets never balance - ever. Instead, they want to raise taxes to fuel more spending."

"We know where this path leads - straight into a debt crisis," he warned. "The debt will overwhelm our economy. Our finances will collapse."

"We don't accept that future - not for our children, not for our country," Ryan said. "So today we invite President Obama to do what President Clinton did - to work with Republicans in Congress to balance the budget. He can join in the effort, or he can choose the status quo. But he must choose."

The House GOP's own budget, authored chiefly by Ryan himself, would balance the budget in 10 years, Ryan said, by not "spending money we don't have."

His plan would restrict annual increases in spending and cut deeply into the discretionary budget. Perhaps most controversially, it would also restructure the health care entitlement programs that are the chief drivers of America's long-term debt problem, block-granting Medicaid back to the states and replacing the guaranteed benefits of Medicare with a private insurance subsidy.

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"We're not balancing the budget as an accounting exercise," said Ryan. "We're not trying to simply make numbers add up. We're trying to improve people's lives."

"If we take these steps, our economy will grow. Our country will regain confidence. And we will reignite the American dream," he promised. "All we need is leadership."

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Obama calls to shift cars, trucks off oil "for good"

President Obama, for his part, delivered his weekly address from Argonne National Laboratory, where he traveled on Friday to promote renewable energy technology. In the address on Saturday, he continued beating the energy independence drum, calling for a plan to "shift our cars and trucks off of oil for good."

Despite the ample progress the country has made on green energy during the last few years, Mr. Obama said, the nation is still vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices that feel "like getting hit with a new tax coming right out of your pocket."

"So I'm proposing that we take some of our oil and gas revenues from public lands and put it towards research that will benefit the public," Mr. Obama said, describing an "energy security trust" that could fund new green energy research. "We can support scientists who are designing new engines that are more energy efficient, developing cheaper batteries that go farther on a single charge, and devising new ways to fuel our cars and trucks with new sources of clean energy - like advanced biofuels and natural gas - so drivers can one day go coast-to-coast without using a drop of oil."

[StrayberrySeraph]

I can't read these comments without wanting to bash my face on my desk. This man has a brain and uses it,at least he is trying to make a difference, unlike you lot. If you people have a problem with this, don't sit on your butts and complain, get up and do something. Words of the little people aren't heard, you have to take action! I respect your opinions, however I don't respect your useless, meaningless words.

[UnHueMan]

Paul Ryan's budget balances the budget by taxing the majority of Americans and taxing the elderly by an additional $6500.00 a year on a fixed income and then accuses Dems of increasing taxes. Hey Ryan. When was the last time a GOP President balanced the budget. HMMMMMMMMM.

[UnHueMan]

Funny. He must have forgotten that he and the Republican Party took a surplus, doubled the debt, and added a 1.4 trillion dollar annual deficit, but the GOP are the fiscally responsible ones. Paul Ryan must have been smoking some bath salts.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

I suggest you hateful heartless right wing republican heathens watch the documentary AMERICAN WINTER tonight at 9 ET on HBO. Maybe just maybe you will become more empathetic toward others

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

You'll see what unyielding, unrelenting, sabotaging obstruction by republicans has done to America and our populace.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

"Life isn't fair but government should be"

Ann Richards Former Texas Governor and Democrat

[antoniof123]

What is cracking me up is this clown Ryan seems to forget that Iraq has wasted over a $1 trillion dollars or more. Now include the lost life well that number is out of site.

I mean does he realize that his party lost notice the word lost Billions and I mean it was lost misplaced over in Iraq. And of course thanks to the GOP they love us so much in Iraq.

Listen to those clowns this week they want to start another war with Iran. I have a feeling it is going to be a long time before they see power in the White House again.

[retiredanmad]

What cracks me up is folks who forget that the DEMOCRATS voted for going to war when they were in power in the House and the Senate, yet now the "truth" is somewhat different? Same principles apparently apply with suggesting how to fix the budget.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

RETIREDANMAD get your facts straight. Republicans controlled Congress and the sentae was split 50 -50 with Cheney being the deciding vote.

[TJphoto]

Democrats leading U.S. "straight into a debt crisis". OK Lying Ryan, Let me prove you wrong with a thing called the U.S. Constitution. Article 1, Section 8, The Powers of Congress, states that only Congress can spend, borrow, and print money. It's really that simple. Since Nov 2010 the Republicans have controlled the House. That being said, Where's the money coming from for this debt crisis you're talking about?

[retiredanmad]

Hey sport, have you always been clueless? The GOP House has passed a budget EVERY year since they took contorl, that would have slowed stupid spending. The DEMOCRATIC controlled Senate has yest to pass any budget and we have been spending recklessly on a continuing resolution (CR) so we don't close the government completely...even though we should.

[jow09248]

There's a BIG difference in debt that RUINS the economy via 2 unnecessary wars and debt used to jump start the economy.

Republicans pretend they don't get this - but they do. Their real objective is to get as rich as they possibly can. And they don't care if they turn the middle class in to a Senior Slave Nation.

Get those 85 years out their in the cold with their oxygen tanks strapped to their backs working - So Paul Ryan and his rich puppet masters can be rich.

If Paul Ryan isn't going to hell, nobody will.

[jow09248]

There's a BIG difference in debt that RUINS the economy via 2 unnecessary wars and debt used to jump start the economy.

Republicans pretend they don't get this - but they do. Their real objective is to get as rich as they possibly can. And they don't care if they turn the middle class in to a Senior Slave Nation.

Get those 85 years out their in the cold with their oxygen tanks strapped to their backs working - So Paul Ryan and his rich puppet masters can be rich.

If Paul Ryan isn't going to hell, nobody will.

[jow09248]

There's a BIG difference in debt that RUINS the economy via 2 unnecessary wars and debt used to jump start the economy.

Republicans are idiots about this. Their real objective is to get as rich as they possibly can. And they don't care if they turn the middle class in to a Senior Slave Nation.

Get those 85 years out their in the cold with their oxygen tanks strapped to their backs working - So Paul Ryan and his rich puppet masters can be rich.

If Paul Ryan isn't going to hell, nobody will.