David Brooks On Paul Ryan's Mistake

David Brooks argues that Paul Ryan should not have voted against the Simpson-Bowles plan to reduce budget deficits.  He accuses Ryan of giving up the good for the sake of the ultimate.  His major point is obvious.  Governing in a two party system requires compromise.  The GOP proved this by an unprecedented misuse of the filibuster after the Democrats won the presidency and both houses of Congress.  I do not agree with him, however, that Paul Ryan's plan for Medicare is the ultimate solution for Medicare.  His plan does nothing to control the rising cost of healthcare.  His plan shifts the cost of healthcare price inflation to senior citizens.  Moreover, Ryan's plan does not reduce budget deficits according to the CBO.  His tax cuts, that go primarily to the super-rich, create a burden that his plan does not overcome with cuts to government spending.  Paul Ryan is a fraud.  He is not an idealist who resists compromise because of his fiscal concerns.  He voted for the Bush tax cuts, and for Bush's expensive addition of the drug benefit to Medicare.