Viewpoints: Romney in WSJ column offers lessons from Bain; Ryan's ideological vote against curbing the deficit

Aug 26 2012

The Wall Street Journal: What I Learned At Bain Capital
My presidency would make it easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses to get the investment dollars they need to grow, by reducing and simplifying taxes; replacing Obamacare with real health-care reform that contains costs and improves care; and by stemming the flood of new regulations that are tying small businesses in knots (Mitt Romney, 8/23). 

The New York Times: Ryan's Biggest Mistake
The Simpson-Bowles plan would have simplified the tax code and lowered rates. It would have capped the size of government. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, it would have brought the federal debt down from 73 percent of the nation's gross domestic product today, to 67 percent of G.D.P. in 2022. Ryan voted no for intellectually coherent reasons. He argued that the single biggest contributing factor to public debt is the unsustainable growth of Medicare. Yet the Simpson-Bowles plan did nothing to restructure Medicare. ... Ryan said that it was silly to come up with a debt-reduction proposal that didn't fix the single biggest driver of the nation's debt. ... In other words, Ryan was willing to sacrifice the good for the sake of the ultimate (David Brooks, 8/23).

The New York Times: Galt, Gold And God
So far, most of the discussion of Paul Ryan, the presumptive Republican nominee for vice president, has focused on his budget proposals. But Mr. Ryan is a man of many ideas, which would ordinarily be a good thing. … But he is deadly serious about cutting taxes on the rich and slashing aid to the poor, very much in line with (Ayn) Rand's worship of the successful and contempt for "moochers." This last point is important. In pushing for draconian cuts in Medicaid, … Mr. Ryan isn't just looking for ways to save money. He's also, quite explicitly, trying to make life harder for the poor -; for their own good (Paul Krugman, 8/23).

The New York Times' Economix: Evidence Vs. Ideology In The Medicare Debate
When formulating public policy, evidence should be accorded more weight than ideology, and facts should matter more than shibboleths. The Romney-Ryan plan for Medicare reform depends on assertions that are ideologically consistent. But the Republicans plan is not supported by the evidence and does not survive serious scrutiny (Laura D'Andrea Tyson, 8/24). 

The Washington Post: Five Myths About Paul Ryan's Budget
Ryan says his plan would reduce health-care spending by increasing competition, but reality doesn't remotely match his rhetoric. The CBO analyzed Ryan's 2011 budget proposal, which would over time move Medicare entirely to private plans, and found that it would significantly increase total health-care spending (that is, spending by the government and Medicare beneficiaries) (Peter Orszag, 8/23).

Journal of the American Medical Association: A Tale Of 2 Plans
Let's consider 2 plans for health coverage. In plan No. 1, the approach is to help everyone under the age of 65 years who doesn't have insurance coverage. Everyone who is really poor is offered Medicaid. Everyone else will be put into a regulated market. In plan No. 2, the approach is to change the way everyone over the age of 65 years gets health insurance. Everyone who is really poor is offered Medicaid. They-;along with everyone else-;will also be put into a regulated market (Dr. Aaron E. Carroll, 8/23).

Bloomberg: Obama Is Lucky That Medicare Is Out Of Control
If U.S. President Barack Obama wins re-election, let him thank his lucky stars that entitlements are out of control. If Medicare was capped and couldn't shoot up automatically, unemployment would probably be in double digits. Out-of-control health-care spending is the only stimulus the Republicans can't stop. What else is there? (Thomas Geoghegan, 8/23).

The Washington Post: A Storm The GOP Didn't Expect
Who would have imagined that Topic A, in the days before GOP delegates gather in Tampa, would be abortion? ... Presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who once was pro-choice, now says he is against abortion except in cases of rape or incest or when the mother's life is endangered. But his party claims to believe, as Akin does, that there should be no exceptions. Romney's running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), agrees with Akin but has switched into "whatever Mitt says" mode. There is no way to tidy up these contradictions (Eugene Robinson, 8/23).

Chicago Sun-Times: Akin's Comment Highlights Difference Between Dems, GOP On Abortion
It's a relief to have abortion back at the center of the nation's political discussion. Seriously. The economy and jobs are the No. 1 issues, on this we can all agree. But as voters contemplate whom to support come November, as they consider what's at stake in our national elections, abortion and the health-care rights of women are no third-tier issue (8/24).

Kansas City Star: A Deserved Win For Women's Health
Phill Kline's quest to prove that Kansas abortion providers were breaking the law began in 2003 and outlasted his political career and that of the two attorneys general who succeeded him. The tortuous path threaded its way through myriad courtrooms. It burned its way into political races and was a backdrop to the 2009 murder of abortion doctor George Tiller in Wichita. Now, thankfully, it is over (8/23).

The Washington Post's Post Partisan: Elizabeth Warren On Health Care And Religion
In my column today, I noted that I had interviewed Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. In the course of the interview, Warren offered what I thought were particularly interesting thoughts about the Affordable Care Act, and also about the role of her religious faith in her public engagement. I share a partial transcript of the interview here (E.J. Dionne, 8/23).

USA Today: Curbing Killer Bacteria Isn't Rocket Science
Bailey Quishenberry, 14, had come through delicate brain surgery last year, and her family believed she was on her way to recovery at a Loma Linda, Calif., hospital. That's when Bailey contracted a sometimes-lethal infection that thrives in hospitals. ... None of this had to happen. According to a USA TODAY investigation, C. diff -; a bacteria linked to more than a half-million illnesses and 30,000 deaths a year in the U.S.-; can be dramatically reduced with reasonable precautions (8/24).

The New York Times' Doctor And Patient: The Widespread Problem Of Doctor Burnout
Research over the last 10 years has shown that burnout – the particular constellation of emotional exhaustion, detachment and a low sense of accomplishment – is widespread among medical students and doctors-in-training. Nearly half of these aspiring doctors end up becoming burned out over the course of their schooling, quickly losing their sense of empathy for others and succumbing to unprofessional behavior like lying and cheating (Dr. Pauline Chen, 8/23).