Moving the Debate Forward

With the release of the Ryan budget, liberals and the MSM will work hard to turn the document into a cudgel with which to beat Republicans. And there's a lot at stake here. America's receptiveness to the bold measures proposed by Ryan have some predictive value about whether we right ourselves and put our fiscal house in order, or whether we slide down the slippery slope toward insolvency (and chaos) in the manner of Greece, Portugal and Ireland.

Anyone who is committed to a strong, free and prosperous America had better be ready to make a case for what Paul Ryan is trying to do.

First, read Jennifer Rubin's excellent "refudiation" of the "Top Ten Dumb Arguments Against Paul Ryan's Budget."

Second, point out that one need not agree with every particular contained in the budget to acknowledge that it's an impressive, serious attempt to grapple with issues that President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have largely been ignoring -- to the nation's grave detriment.

Third, note that if many of the measures set forth by Ryan are adopted, America can move forward without horrible pain to anyone. The only way that the predictions of Nancy Pelosi and other liberals -- about a cataclysm being visited on the most vulnerable among us -- will certainly come true in the future is, ironically, if we do what she and her followers apparently advocate: Nothing.

There is a crisis brewing, and resorting to scare tactics and hyperbole isn't really an option here. The issue is too serious and too important. There's a choice for America: Either we do what needs to be done, a la Ryan, and move on strong and free -- or we allow a crisis not of their own making to engulf our children.