Ross Kaminsky Show, Paul Ryan, December 06, 2017
Station: KHOW, 630 am
Show: Ross Kaminsky Show
Guests: Ryan, Paul
Link: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/The-Ross-Kaminsky-Show-20710514/
Date: December 06, 2017
Topics:
SPEAKER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESNTATIVES, PAUL RYAN: You look at the tax foundation — I think that’s a pretty darn good think tank with a good economic model. It says the growth that comes from this bill will produce over a $1 trillion in additional revenue, that we’re not forecasting right now. So, you have got to have economic growth, but then you have got to get at entitlement reform. Look, the House passed our entitlement reform bill – our healthcare bill– back in May. It was the biggest entitlement reform bill ever passed by Congress. Unfortunately, John McCain put his thumb down instead of up and the Senate didn’t pass it. So we’re going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform, which is how you tackle the debt and the deficit. But you have two things you have got to do: reform entitlement programs, grow the economy. Tax reform grows the economy. So, we basically planned in this term, three big budget bills: two entitlement reform bills, [and] one economic tax reform bill. The first one passed the House, failed [in] the Senate. This one — both tax bills have passed the House and the Senate. We’re on track with that. And then next year, we’re going to have to get back at entitlement reform.
HOST, ROSS KAMINSKY: So, when you talk about entitlement reform, I think it’s pretty clear that at least one of the things you’re talking about is Obamacare, right?
RYAN: Yeah, and then welfare reform, too. We think it’s important to get people from welfare to work. We have a welfare system that’s basically trapping people in poverty and effectively paying people not to work. And we have got to get to work on that.
KAMINSKY: And are you thinking about trying to do any reforms with Social Security or Medicare at this point, or do we –? You know, President Trump hasn’t seemed interested in those things.
RYAN: Yeah, he has not shown as much interest. And so, we’re working with the President on the entitlements that he wants to reform, that he is supportive of. You cannot use what we call “budget reconciliation” for Social Security. It is exempt from those rules. Um, and frankly, it’s the healthcare entitlements that are the big drivers of our debt. So, we spend more of our time on the healthcare entitlements, because that’s really where the problem lies, fiscally speaking.
KAMINSKY: In your private conversations with President Trump — to whatever extent you are willing to talk about him – do you–?
RYAN: [inaudible] “private!”
KAMINSKY: Right – “private”. Do you get the sense that you’re making a little bit of an impact on him when you talk to him about the importance of Medicare reform?
RYAN: I do. As you know, Ross – because you and I have known each other for years — this has been my big thing for many, many years.
KAMINSKY: Yeah.
RYAN: I think it’s the biggest entitlement that has got to have reform. I do. And really, what it is is, we need to convert our healthcare system to a patient-centered system, so that people have more choices, we have more competition. Choice and competition brings down prices, improves quality. Government in healthcare is the opposite of that. So I think these reforms that we been talking about – that we’re still going to keep pushing — that will help not just make Medicaid less expensive and healthcare itself, but it will help Medicare, as well. And I think the President is understanding choice and competition works everywhere in healthcare, especially in Medicare.
