The
GOP's new House speaker says he "trusts the American people," but his
budget takes direct aim at them.
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| DonkeyHotey / Flickr |
Paul Ryan paints himself as a champion of “the people” over
“Washington.”
But the “people” the new House speaker defends are corporations.
And the “Washington” he attacks is the one that does deliver for real people.
For the past five years, Ryan has authored the budget passed by
the House of Representatives. His imprint is so great that each document is
commonly known as the “Ryan budget.”
Every year, those budgets reliably propose sharp cuts to social
services alongside steep tax discounts for the rich. His caucus demands these
cuts, Ryan claims, because “we trust the American people.” After
all, he adds, “Who knows better? The people or Washington?”
But when you look beyond these sound-bite politics at the actual
choices Ryan makes in his budget, it’s easy to see whom he really trusts — and
whom he really works for.
How, for example, does cutting $89 billion in Pell grants for college — as his
budget last year did — put more trust in working families who are struggling to
give their children a college education?
Ryan pretends that the heroes in his story are “the people,” but
his budget takes direct aim at them. And when he makes “Washington” the
villain, he’s covering up for the super-rich campaign contributors bankrolling
the assault.
Ryan’s latest budget would slash $759 billion from infrastructure, medical research, and
virtually every other service and investment ordinary people rely on to help
provide security and opportunity. Are there any real people who don’t need good
roads, bridges, and health care?
On health care, Ryan’s proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act would end
regulations that stop insurance companies from denying care because of
pre-existing conditions. Are “the people” that Ryan puts his trust in health
insurance executives?
On taxes, Ryan would eliminate tax credits for 13 million
working families, including 25 million children, by an average of $1,073 a
year. At the same time, instead of ending tax breaks for corporations that ship
profits overseas, he’d make them permanent.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There actually are
representatives in Congress who do work for working families, not CEOs. This
past May, 96 House lawmakers voted for the People’s Budget — and against Ryan’s
proposal.
Developed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the People’s Budget invests in infrastructure, renewable
energy, and schools to create 8 million jobs in the next three years.
Instead of cutting back on vital services for families, it helps
families secure debt-free college, child nutrition, and affordable housing.
Instead of more money for Pentagon contractors and less for veterans, it
reduces spending for outdated weapons and increases support for vets.
It ends
tax giveaways for corporations that ship jobs and profits overseas, and it
taxes Wall Street speculation.
The People’s Budget also includes a small-donor campaign finance
system, so members of Congress could run for office without taking any large
contributions from the super-rich or corporations. That might help
put real people back in charge of “the people’s house.”
The real conflict isn’t Washington vs. the people. It’s the
super-rich vs. the rest of us. And Republicans are rallying behind a House
speaker who’s built his career representing the rich and powerful.
Americans need to rally behind a different kind of politician —
the folks who will really stand up for people.
Richard
Kirsch is a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, the author of Fighting
for Our Health: The Epic Battle to Make Health Care a Right in the United
States, and a senior adviser to USAction. USAction.org. Distributed by OtherWords.org.
