A week ago, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan said the GOP had a plan to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits...but that he wouldn't reveal what it is until sometime later this year.
Now he's invited CNN to get an "exclusive" and "behind-the-scenes" look at his efforts to build support for the GOP's secret plan.
CNN was given exclusive access to Ryan's session, one of about 15 closed-door meetings he and House Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-California, have organized this year, with more sessions to come after the GOP budget for 2012 is released early next month.
My oh my, how transparent of Ryan to allow CNN cameras into his briefings. Maybe we'll even find out what his secret plan is. Except:
CNN was allowed in the private meeting to watch Ryan's presentation but was not permitted to stay during the question-and-answer session with House Republicans in attendance, where ideas for reform were discussed.
Translation: Paul Ryan didn't want reporters to see the fiasco of House Republicans trying to ask or answer meaningful questions about a budget.
But even though we'll never know what went on behind closed doors, one thing I'll guarantee that they didn't discuss was dropping their opposition to President Obama's health care reform bill, even though it brings down Medicare costs without sacrificing the quality of care. And they won't discuss dropping their opposition to comparative effectiveness research, or allowing Medicare to negotiate for prescription drug prices. And they certainly won't talk about raising the cap on payroll taxes.
If they were really serious about sound fiscal policy, these things would be on the table. But they aren't, because they have an ideological agenda, not a pragmatic one.
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