“Europe is ahead of us in being a fiscal train wreck. But we’re not that far behind.”
WASHINGTON, DC – In a speech this morning to The Ripon Society, House budget hawk Paul Ryan (WI-1) characterized the agenda being pursued by President Obama and his Democratic allies as being “Bismarckian,” saying that it has the potential to create a “fiscal train wreck” in the U.S. similar to that which has already occurred in Europe.
“The role of our government has historically been to equalize opportunity,” Ryan stated. “I think the new goal and rule of government with [the Democrats’] agenda is to have government effectively equalize the results of our lives. That is really not what we’re all about. That is the idea that has been tried in these Bismarckian, Western European countries. And the results are really, really clear.
“Lower living standards, higher unemployment, more social stagnation … Europe is ahead of us in being a fiscal train wreck. But we’re not that far behind. It’s a compounding of birthrates. It’s a compounding of aging. It’s a compounding of heath care prices and costs going up. What it all means is the social democracies of Western Europe have a huge mountain of debt that is coming.
“We have seen it starting in Greece. We see Portugal, Italy, and Spain not that far behind. The euro is just hanging on by a thread. If we don’t think it’s going to happen to us, get that thought out of your mind. It can and it actually will if we don’t change course. And if we accelerate it by throwing all this additional government on top, it will clearly accelerate a debt crisis in this country.”
Ryan is the ranking Republican of the House Budget Committee and one of the leading voices in Congress for a more rational fiscal policy in the United States. He is also the author of “A Roadmap for America’s Future,” a bill that is being recognized not only as a bold blueprint to curb the growth of government, but a serious solution from one of the rising stars of the GOP.
“This is a huge moment for our country,” Ryan stated, referring to the coming endgame of the Democratic health care bill. “It’s a pivotal time for America. It’s very important for us in the loyal opposition to oppose this, but also to offer ideas and alternatives. A lot of us have been doing that, and we’re beginning to get that message out.”
Ryan’s remarks to The Ripon Society this morning can be viewed at the below link:
The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 — Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of the Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s past success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.