Boehner: Ryan budget ‘vision’ of what GOP would do if in control

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday afternoon that the budget proposal put forward by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is a “real vision” of how Republicans would govern if they had more control of Washington.

“So I applaud my colleagues,” he said of those who worked on the Ryan budget, “for the tough decisions they’ve made, to try to do the right thing for the country, to lay out a real vision of what we were to do if we get more control here in this town. It’s still a Democrat-run town.”

{mosads}Several Democrats have made the same point over the last few days, but in arguments against the Ryan budget, which they say would turn Medicare into a voucher program and cut too much from federal spending at a time when millions of people need these programs. But Boehner rejected the various Democratic alternatives that the House has shot down over the last two days.

“You look at all the proposals we’ve seen in this debate, it’s all more of the same,” Boehner said. “Two things that are prevalent: let’s raise taxes on the American people once again, and secondly, let’s kick the can down the road as if no one knows that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are going broke.”

And like other Republicans, Boehner slammed the Democratic Senate for failing to take up a budget for the last three years.

“While we did a budget last year, we’re doing another budget this year, we’re making tough decisions to help preserve Social Security and preserve Medicare, the United States Senate… it’s been 1,065 days since they passed a budget,” he said. “Almost three years since they’ve had the courage to show the American people what their solutions are.

“I think it’s high time that if we’re serious about solving America’s fiscal problems, the first step is actually doing a budget.”

Boehner spoke as the House debated a final Democratic budget alternative, after which members were expected to pass the Ryan budget plan.