Democrats Attack GOP Budget That Favors the Rich

Representative Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) harsh austerity budget is back in action, and Democrats are slamming it.  Ryan’s budget is similar to his past proposals: it would repeal Obamacare; effectively privatize Medicare; cut other social programs; and increase military spending.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid quickly saw an opportunity for scoring electoral points.  As Talking Points Memo reports, Reid, the leader of a party trying to hold onto control of the Senate, said the budget is a “blueprint for a modern Koch -- how would we say this -- Koch-topia. We might as well call it the Koch Budget.”

Reid was referring to the Koch brothers, the wealthy duo that pours cash into the GOP.  He has been tying the Kochs to the Republicans for months.

Ryan’s budget slashes spending on Medicaid and Medicare and also turns Medicare into a private voucher program.  It would decrease taxes on the wealthy and corporations. And it would cut spending on other important safety net programs like Pell grants for low-income college students.

Democrats see an opportunity to strike a stark contrast with Ryan’s blueprint.  “We can make this a referendum about whose side are you on and remind people that Republicans have consistently chosen special interests over the middle class,” Rep. Steve Israel, (D-NY) told Politico. “We can win big on the contrasts.”