Paul Ryan, tapped by Mitt Romney in his presidential bid to serve as vice president, has presented budget policies that are proving controversial for some and could possibly impact Latino groups.
Ryan’s plan, or “The Path to Prosperity: A Blueprint for American Renewal” is also the Republican party’s blueprint for 2013, according to a recent article in Univision news. As House Budget Committee Chairman, Ryan is the main author of the report, which has been heralded by conservatives for its spending cuts.
After some dissection, however, the Ryan budget shows sharp cuts to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which will affect Latino families that rely on these services – and non-Hispanic whites are hit worse. The VP hopeful’s budget also doubles the interest rate on federal student loans to 6.8 percent and caps funding for Pell grants at $5,550 per year. President Obama’s plan increases the rate along with inflation. The cap would force more reliance on loans and more debt would result, according to the article.
Ryan’s plan proposes $5.3 trillion fewer dollars spent over the next decade than Obama’s plan – including about $3.1 trillion less on Medicare and Medicaid.
Latino Decisions found that Latinos oppose cuts to Medicare by a 51-point gap, according to some polls. Other heavily-impacted parts under the plan include food stamps, earned income tax credit, Medicaid, Medicare, Pell grants or federal spending on highways, bridges, air traffic control and public schools, according to the article.