Politics

Ryan repackages his plan to end Medicare; tries to resuscitate his dying idea

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

David Dayen at Firedog Lake:

 Paul Ryan is desperately trying to resuscitate his failed plan to end Medicare by offering it as the replacement element in the long-sought “repeal and replace” strategy for the Affordable Care Act. [The one the GOP calls Obamacare - Xoff.]

“Giving patients and consumers control over healthcare resources would make all Americans less dependent on big business and big government for our health security; give us more control over the care we get; and force health care providers to compete for our business,” Ryan said.

Ryan argued that a tax credit in lieu of Medicare, Medicaid and government-credited employer-sponsored healthcare would commoditize healthcare costs, enabling individuals to choose their coverage and allowing the free market to drive down prices and make care more affordable — and generous — for all.

GAB releases report on Waukesha vote counting

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

You may remember the investigation that was started into the vote count in Waukesha County for the Kloppenburg election for Supreme Court.  The GAB has just released their report on the investigation on their web site.

The quick gist -

As a result of the investigation, the G.A.B. has issued an order requiring Clerk Nickolaus to conform her conduct to law and take certain steps to ensure accountability and transparency in her Election Night reporting practices prior to the February 2012 spring primary.  Those steps include releasing detailed results on Election Night, instead of only county-wide figures.  Had Clerk Nickolaus reported all results separately on Election Night, her failure to include numbers from the City of Brookfield would have been apparent immediately, rather than the next morning when she discovered the problem.

Mark Neumann's "truthful" math: Facts are pesky, pesky things

September 28, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

NeumannThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Politifact (I like to call it Politifactoid) feature today examined a statement by former GOP congressman and current US Senate candidate Mark Neumann and judged it "truthful." His statement:

Did you know that if the federal government spent $30,000 on behalf of every family of four or group of four in America, that the federal budget would be balanced today? They’re spending $46,000 on behalf of every family of four in America today, every year."

Which is the logical equivalent of saying this: If you trimmed the human population of Earth back down from the current seven billion to two billion, you'd balance the eco-system and save the planet. That may be true, just as Neumann's comment about the federal budget deficit may be true, but the devil, as usual, is in the details.