Rep. Frank: Ryan budget 'ideological,' not 'fiscal'

Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget is an "ideological document, not a fiscal one," according to Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

The ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee set his sights on the House Budget Committee chairman's proposal in a terse statement Tuesday. In particular, the lawmaker criticized the proposal for expanding funds for the "swollen military budget."

Frank, a longtime critic of profligate spending on the defense sector, argued it is impossible to seriously pursue deficit reduction without making cuts to the nation's military budget.

Ryan's budget, which would cut $5.3 trillion in spending over the next decade, would increase defense spending compared to President Obama's budget proposal, and would avoid the automatic spending cuts set to trigger next year thanks to the failure of the congressional deficit supercommittee.

Ryan's plan would trim $4 trillion in government revenue, and shrink the income tax from six brackets to two at rates of 25 and 10 percent.

"The House Republican budget has given too little attention to one central fact: part of what it does is to repudiate last year's decision to reduce defense spending and it makes up for that by mandating deeper cuts in Medicare and Medicaid," said Frank.

Ryan's plan would overhaul the two entitlement programs, converting Medicaid into a federal block grant program. It would keep traditional Medicare as an option, but also offer a competing plan in which individuals seek private coverage with the help of government subsidies.

Democrats, both this year and last, have been quick to pounce on that aspect of Ryan's proposal, accusing Republicans of wanting to end Medicare.

Republicans contend entitlement programs are on an unsustainable path, and must be reformed to be salvaged.

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