GOP Senate candidates open door to cutting entitlements like health care, welfare programs

Jason Stein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - With $1.5 trillion in tax cuts signed into law last week, Wisconsin Republicans like U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and the party's two U.S. Senate candidates face a question: Should the GOP move on to overhauling entitlements?

In 2018, Republicans could use their control of the federal government to prioritize an infrastructure bill, a rewrite to immigration law or changes to entitlement programs such as Medicaid health programs for the needy and Medicare coverage for seniors.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has argued against cuts to these social programs while her GOP challengers in next year's election — state Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) and Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson — are opening the door to that. 

Vukmir spokeswoman Jess Ward said the nation needs to tackle its deficits and debt by addressing "the root of the problem, our spending." 

"Leah agrees with Speaker Ryan, America’s debt is a threat to future generations and we must reform these programs," Ward said in an email. "In Wisconsin, we are living within our means, having passed one policy reform after the other, and Leah intends to do the same when she gets to Washington." 

As the leader of House Republicans, Ryan has argued in recent weeks for following up the tax cut bill — which is projected to increase the federal deficit — with difficult to pass spending restraints on entitlements such as Medicaid, Medicare and welfare programs. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has balked at that, saying that GOP senators shouldn't try to push through those limits over the objections of Democrats. 

Nicholson's campaign didn't say directly that the GOP business consultant favored Ryan's goal, but adviser Brandon Moody said Nicholson intended to "deal with our nation's toughest challenges."

"Too many typical career politicians give lip service to the American people about the massive amount of debt and risk created by our nation’s entitlements," Moody said in a statement. "It’s not ethical for them to make empty promises to beneficiaries that the federal government can’t keep, and it’s not sustainable to generations of Americans who’ve not yet been born."

For her part, Baldwin said in a statement that entitlement programs were crucial to protecting the nation's most vulnerable, citing how Medicaid cares for both the elderly in nursing homes as well as disabled children. She said state residents had "already sent Washington a clear message" by opposing a repeal of Obamacare, which could have included Medicaid cuts.

"The Republicans then passed a tax plan that will hike taxes on millions of middle-class families and increase health care premiums, all while providing giveaways to the wealthiest few and big corporations. Using this massive gift to the top 1% as an excuse to now cut Wisconsinites' Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security is downright sickening," Baldwin said. 

A range of projections — from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation to the Tax Foundation — have found that the tax cuts would add significantly to the federal deficit even after accounting for the economic growth they generate. That could pressure Congress to hold down spending in the future. 

Cuts to Social Security, however, seem out of reach for Republicans next year because of the procedural rules of the Senate. The GOP would need to use the process known as budget reconciliation to avoid a Democratic filibuster of Social Security cuts, but reconciliation can't be used to change Social Security. 

Ryan has argued, however, for taking steps to hold down spending in other entitlements — a long-held goal of his and of many House conservatives.  

"We have to address entitlements, otherwise we can't really get our handle on our future debt," Ryan said Dec. 20 on CBS This Morning. "There are two things you need to do to get the debt under control so that our kids and our grandkids get a debt-free nation — number one: grow the economy, this tax cut bill will help do that; number two: reform entitlement programs."

McConnell pushed back the next day, arguing that it would prove too difficult to overcome Democratic objections in the Senate. Instead, McConnell said, Republicans ought to work on proposals that might win some Democratic support, such as an infrastructure bill. 

Speaking at a WisPolitics luncheon on Dec. 19, Vukmir said voters had been talking to her about Republicans rewriting immigration law and trying again to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Baldwin has urged Congress in 2018 to protect private-sector pension funds for workers, fight the epidemic of addiction to heroin and prescription painkillers and fund the Children's Health Insurance Program, which covers nearly 118,000 children in Wisconsin. 

Honer the Flag Like a Patriot

All this noise about sitting or keeling during the national anthem, how stupid!  Someone has way too much time on their hands.  It is NOT disrespectful!

Is the person without legs disrespectful by not standing during the national anthem?

Is a person confined to a wheel chair disrespectful by not standing?

How about the person who is so sick they cannot get out of bed?

When did The United States of America change to a country where only specific actions are aloud?  When did we become a nation where peaceful protest is disrespectful? 

Answer:  We are NOT that Country.  Call attention to a cause has always been the back bone of our freedom.  Those who would oppress such actions are just looking to make everyone like them.  (You know who you are)  We are a diverse society and I will not live in a Country that is not diverse.

Freedom of speech. 

So, if my employer is okay with me championing a cause or charity, is that not okay? Why would the NFL be any different?

I guess some people are so intolerant of others that unless a person is exactly like them and believe in exactly what they believe in, they must be bad.

#JustMyBleepingOpinion

Religion: This is My God

I was raised Catholic and taught it was a mortal sin if you didn’t go to church every Sunday.  For those who are not familiar with types of sin in the Catholic Church, Wikipedia defines mortal sin as “…wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death if un-forgiven.  These sins are considered ‘mortal’ because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes ‘dead’, not merely weakened. A mortal sin does not usually mean a sin that cannot be repented; even after a mortal sin there is a chance for repentance.”  Basically, you must confess these sins and be forgiven or you’re going to Hell. 

Venial Sins, on the other hand, are defined as being less serious.  A venial sin meets at least one of the following criteria:

1.      It does not concern a "grave matter",

2.      It is not committed with full knowledge, or

3.      It is not committed with both deliberate and complete consent.

As the above criteria are the three criteria for mortal sin stated negatively, a sin which met none of these extenuating conditions would necessarily be considered mortal.

Venial Sins not confessed and forgiven send you to purgatory when you die.  Wikipedia defines it as “…the state or place of purification or temporary punishment by which those who die with non-mortal sins and so in the state of grace are made ready for the Beatific Vision in Heaven…”

I admit I have not practiced Catholicism for many years, actually since I was a young boy.  I couldn’t understand why not going to church on Sunday was such a grave sin.  After all, I could pray wherever I was and whenever I wanted.  Go to Hell because I didn’t punch in at the local Catholic Church on Sunday?  No way!  Actually, Saturday night was okay too and was added so it would be more convenient.  Attending Mass was the event. 

So when I went to Mass, and tried to stay awake, I could only receive Holy Communion if I confessed my sins.  Mortal Sins, to a Priest in “Confession”, venial sins could be confessed at the time, directly to God.  Remember, if I had missed Mass last Sunday, I couldn’t receive Holy Communion.  Just didn’t make sense to me.

There were many other rituals I was taught, some which made sense, some not so much.  I guess some people need this type of religion and structure in their lives.  It is a good thing for them.

Now I’m not saying religion is bad or unnecessary. Quite to contrary, everyone needs to believe in some greater power, even if that belief is that there is no greater power.  See, you can’t escape religion.  What I’m saying is religion is a personal experience.  On a human level, it doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, or follow some other type of religion.  You need to believe in something.

I believe it is unnecessary to go to a building where a person dresses in expensive robes and performs a ceremony with golden artifacts.  I believe a good sermon can be head from any number of sources, not only a Priest, Rabbi or Minister, but from a friend, mentor or book.  I believe religion is who we are at the core and should be practiced every waking moment.  It is a way of life.  It is what we do.

In today’s world, religion is a business.  It takes money and members to survive.  What is wrong in some cases is manipulating its members to make the religion a stronger business, using human weaknesses to install fear to serve a select few or advance a political agenda.  Because the business is run by humans, just as any other business, personal agendas and corruption is possible.

Religion is not something to force down the throat of others.  Yes, share you message, but be respectful or others’ beliefs and know when to back off.  Everyone has their own religion and it may not be yours.

I my mind, God is not some being to be feared or worshipped. After all, if this being created us in his or her image, I would think they being would want us to be the best we can.  I liken it somewhat to having children.  I don’t want my kids to fear or worship me.  Just take what I teach them and make the best of it, then pass it on to their own kids.

Of course church is so much more than a ceremony or a place to worship.  It brings a community together and helps those less fortunate. 

So I ask, “What is your God?”.

Oh No - Another New Blog

Well, here it is; my new blog.  My only hope is that readers will either hate it or love it.  If I ruffle some feather, mission accomplished.  This blog is somewhat anonymous since I don’t plan to hold back.  Who I am is not important.  My mission is to get you thinking about your passions and please, do respond.  Tell me your views on the subject and don’t hold back either.  Constructive comments are always welcome.

I intend to talk about some sensitive subjects like religion and politics for example.  Homosexuality, incest, rape, love, the 1% etc. are not off the table.  Yep, let the conversations begin. 

I was born and raised Catholic, however, I haven’t practices for many, many years.  Your right, that will be a topic of another posting very soon.  Don’t need to upset the apple cart day one.  I’ve live in the USA and have called Ohio, California, Florida and Georgia home.  I’m not a Republican or a Democrat.  I believe in a society where everyone can express their strengths, regardless of financial implications.  The value of what we do may not be appreciated until a future time.  Making money is not the only measure of personal success.  Some lofty goals?  Yes, however, perfection is something to strive for knowing you can only get so close.  Why try?  Why not?  Why not strive to make life in this corner of the universe a better place for everyone?

Check back soon for more articles.