Gray Panthers Opposes Outrageous House Budget Proposal

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 22, 2012 -
On behalf of Republicans in the U.S. House, Rep. Paul Ryan recently unveiled a budget proposal that makes deep cuts in domestic spending for jobs, health and human services while protecting military spending and reducing tax rates for the wealthy and corporations. Gray Panthers is outraged that this legislation’s provisions are inhumane and violate the best interests of the American people.  

Judy Lear, National Chair of Gray Panthers, said that the Ryan bill gives huge tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy and protects wasteful military spending.  At the same time, this plan privatizes Medicare, slashes Medicaid funding, and makes deep cuts in safety net programs that provide jobs, training, food, education and protect our environment.   Lear said, “This plan is a classic scheme to rob the poor and middle class to protect the rich.”

Gray Panthers opposes Ryan’s proposal to partially privatize Medicare by offering vouchers to purchase private health care. This plan would shift the burden of controlling health care costs from health care providers onto Medicare patients.  Medicaid, under the Ryan plan, would be put into block grants. This move would drastically reduces access to health care for elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as low income children and their families.   The plan also eliminates funding for Affordable Care Act of 2010 that provides new consumer protections, regulates health insurance companies and expands access to affordable health care.

Gray Panthers is particularly incensed that the Ryan plan would give $3 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations and would make the Bush era tax breaks permanent.  “Americans believe that we all must sacrifice for the good of our country. This means that the 1% need to pay their fair share,” Ms. Lear said.

Gray Panthers, which has long advocated for peace and against war, are angered that the Ryan plan would protect the military budget from the automatic cuts that were put in place last fall.  Several bi-partisan commissions, including the Deficit Reduction Commission, have detailed plans to cut $1 trillion in defense spending without harming national security.

Gray Panthers is an intergenerational, multi-issue advocacy organization with members through out the nation working for social and economic justice and peace for ALL people. It is our vision to create a society that puts the needs of people over profit, responsibility over power and democracy over institutions.

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