Romney Ryan

-- of good news. What counts feed. On Boston's talks vision stadiums the treaty. WRKO. This bus -- -- 680 WRKO. So that was fascinating stuff with. With Dinesh D'Souza he's always a fascinating guy with Panama before and you know that the books. The books get. More dramatic and more. Upsetting for some people. And more insightful at the same time and you know maybe he's making stuff up but. We're all making stuff up when it comes to the president and politicians in general under try to figure out what their vote. And we cling on to little phrases or sentences or actions and and tried to put together as best weekend. What the what their motives are because they don't tell us right nobody thinks we're being told the truth. And will talk more about that a few minutes but I forgot -- -- we have cal abortion is coming on from the Boston Globe to talk about. Paul Ryan in the nomination and he's he's been doing some research on and on Ryan and the nomination so we thought would bring them on to talk about a cal welcome to WRKO. So what have you been actually part of a team it sounded like. The globe has sent investigators. Out to really. Plow through tons of background information on Paul Ryan is that -- Europe to. I've just been some of that but wonderful experience for me it's been look at this Medicare debate -- you know it's really blown up the last. Couple days and it is still it's. Leading going on both sides. I would say -- -- one important thing to understand about Orion. -- for Medicare which is changed by the way since its original proposal that the last couple years. It's a it's a so called voucher program has now optional so the Obama camp has really been hammering this this notion that. This seniors citizens in about ten years are gonna be brought not that. It tender mercies -- an Axelrod put it of of the private insurance system and that's not entirely. Accurate because they will balance current plan retain rights to stay within the existing fee for service Medicare system. But in terms of deception. The whole thing is it chicken or egg argument isn't it that when you enter into an environment with a serious well let's put it this way if you make the mistake. Of actually having a plan. That has specifics attached to it that you set yourself up to be demagogued. And the demagoguery is gonna come the misrepresentation. Of what you have suggested. And then you've got a demagogue back. To try to have been -- get destroyed for having actually offered public policy. It's unfortunate political reality and it. And indeed you can sort of see it other public in ticket where Paul Ryan has been more specific with its outlines. Even in the top the ticket in in -- grounded. -- -- actually in congress is yet to be more specific. Which are right you know Iran to get criticized for not being specific about. Ryan's -- about Medicare it's. You know barely specific and and that those details can -- apart so as you say it's. Sort of what you -- So what are you learn diving into the Medicare thing are you an expert now on the Paul Ryan proposals. I did that not be overstated slightly but and here's one thing to. But I have discovered -- and if it really comes down Q now with with this important change. Bit. The -- Medicare plan can work only if the root cause. I'm Medicare costs is resolved and that ultimately is the -- administering health care of course that's much larger. Problem the reason I think that is because under the original plan when seniors were going to be. Forced to go out the voucher program -- it very easy way for the government control their costs right if -- was going to be a cap. On how much those out -- -- going to be -- every year the government could then easily predict what it was gonna cost and it could cost less than before. But how you haven't shifted that risk to seniors now you've given them the option to stay and so what's gonna happen as seniors would look at the program and they would sit. This voucher isn't keeping up with the rising cost of health insurance anymore I'm not gonna use the -- political back into regular old fee for service Medicare. And that is that the government isn't going to achieve the same savings that it originally projected. So the way that it pastoral or that if it's somewhat -- to solve this problem ever rising health care -- Well if you if if you're looking at a specific program -- you're looking at Medicare and you're saying this program is too expensive. Then you need to look at ways to restructure and anything you look at gets attacked for. Whining to destroy. Medicare destroy it as we know any improvement would basically get I mean we needs incrementally increase the age -- obvious things of eligibility. But but also part of the problem is if you put something on the table then. That gets ravaged as if that's the end result of electing you into office that this thing where where is that's not the nature of power process works. So how about the whole discussion to seems so stupid that's not your responsibility I just. I don't know how to even get my hands around having a conversation he's proposed doing something to lower the cost. And when you put together all Paul Ryan's revisions to federal spending which is viewed as being radical dangerous extreme proposal. In mainstream conversation. That would balance a budget and about thirty years that's does a radical to me other than it's a radical lack of action. On the fact that we have we erratically overspending by 40% every year so is there something in there that. Would actually tackle costs and meaningful way that's the part of the conversation I haven't heard. That's right I think that is the big east it's next outlook I think it's a lot closer look at it and say well it's step in the right direction. But but no there's nothing specifically in the bill that would address the rising cost of health care but you know your point about the optics submitted. Did not you know there's there's this great. -- -- -- from C -- about two years ago there are getting congressman a retreat. It Baltimore and the president came down to speak and this was -- all right it's sort of it does is its first bird and -- budget in there had been it's really remarkably civil discourse the president talks specifically about Medicare proposal. Is this January 20 tenure Sacramento and. January that's right in my mind this is get -- -- and you know it says this this is you know from her the legitimate proposal but. You know cure the problems. Departures may not keep up with the rising cost of health care as we discussed. And you said what you said which is that you know in the unfortunate political reality is that what you do anything with Medicare you're going to be attacked. Fortunate destroying Medicare as we know it and so -- and that really solve the problem we need to avoid. That's sort of politics of fear. And unfortunately. You know with only for Moscow for Election Day it doesn't appear that we are going to be able to avoid the politics the bureau Adidas. Cal -- -- -- from the Boston Globe so what's your are you done a reporting and I haven't really given you which cancer report on that. What what should people know do you think. About Medicare and the Ryan proposal. Well -- couple things I don't want to like I said there's little bit -- -- on both sides these seniors are not going to be forced out of the voucher program on the line at. I expect you not want to go that direction. On the flip side all right as -- times suggested that Medicare is going bankrupt. That it could go bankrupt as early as 28 at that's a slight exaggeration that no question the Medicare. Is in financial straits. Up but the actual projection is and without getting too complicated the director to. Trusts that -- the different parts of Medicare. One of the -- it is expected to be salt and it'll into the foreseeable future. The second crossed. Is expected to it no longer be able on the 100% -- liabilities. Are beginning in 20/20 four. And that after that about it that it's supposed to be able to on to about 87%. It's liability so acts. Not great but it's not exactly back. As a program -- but you know what what what people say is that you have to look at ten years says a few minutes. That because he need to make the changes now. In order to not get crushed by it later the more you kick the can down the road the more trouble you're gonna be and when you get down there so right. I'm sorry to get a response that. Well -- -- I would edit beat the other thing is they would in the right budget. That cities or other grandfather clause in the other important thing to remember. Which is -- when -- and you'd hear anybody extra trying to alarm current Medicare recipients. About reforms to Medicare it's important to put that on a moments in all the what he's proposing would kick in until 2020. Free so -- anybody it was already people met. We'll be grandfathered it would not. Touchdown so that's that's one. On the stock but. I -- -- -- tell you break it up on us a little bit did you just you're on a cellphone. I guess we lost -- I that was cal -- sure from the Boston Globe I did help -- -- -- form that's too bad because it -- -- I don't get is Ari what we just heard and then this is all true. And it's good to get it recount. We know that this plan doesn't involve anybody who's over the age of 55. So no seniors are brought nothing for seniors should be scared about in terms of their personal. Use of this program and it will be optional if the Ryan proposal were to become law if you have a choice of whether you wanna be in the old style plan. Or than the style plan. Now that's sounds to me like the most. Acceptable but nine non threatening for proposing you could ever. You'd ever grabbed put forth. And so there are Cal's back let's ask him that socal given that it doesn't involve seniors this proposal. They have right you're right if you're under 5555. And under it doesn't involve you and you have an option. If the plan were to become law the way it's proposed you'd get to choose whether you wanna be on the old Medicare the new Medicare. This would seem to be the most benign thing that's ever been proposed. Yet and the problem that it's not that you liked the question becomes too but I'd actually be effective because that is -- the epic. The costs it originally won the idea that every senior after point point three was -- have to go to the voucher program real quick way it would work is. I think you would have beat by insurance companies new -- that you proved by the Medicare system and it would have to offer benefits packages that were at least equal. For the current Medicare benefits packages and they would be it you know in a competitive sort of apple away for customers and and that the government. It would look at the least expensive and so if that's the value of the culture. And if you'd like to buy imports as -- and that's what you have to make a different. So isn't a remarkably like or Romney care Massachusetts. In some way this is your -- especially you have pay in Medicare exchanged the same way that we have -- the actor change here at the right. Where they government is sort of a conduit this sort of like the middle -- not actually government. Sure you could -- you go to a government store. In which government has designed the insurance plans but they're offered by private insurers. And you get to pick which one you want and you could be they'll. I mean -- why are you guys who want a front page story. Saying that Paul Ryan's Medicare proposal is sold the nine it may not be enough to save Medicare. And and perhaps we will did an excellent question because that's that's the real question is -- It it it in the -- compromise of giving seniors the option has gone. The point where you're not going to be able to save the might do expect that's why -- say that the bottom line will come down to controlling. Health care costs because. Originally the way it worked was you know no matter how much those health care cost rose. You at least out on how much the vouchers were going to cost the government. And so you the and the people who -- -- risk we're going to be those -- seniors who would have had to continually make the difference between about what their voucher. And the cost of their insurance premium. -- because that's no longer the case the government has retained the risk. And so the question will become if those health insurance costs continue to rise. You know indefinitely. And perhaps it will be much cockpit at all. Well that is the 64000 dollar question cal tortures thanks for being here. -- he's from the Boston Globe done some reporting on Medicare and there -- there's a little recap Paul Ryan from the Boston will be heard it. Paul Ryan's proposal is so Mel. It might not be enough. That's just on by -- -- to tell you what -- thanks. That's not what you'd think from no liberal media though is that. Are we got a -- ten minutes left call would talk about anything 16172666860. Were.