Blue Dog Budget Reform Plan

Ed Lorenzen

The budget reform package introduced by the House Blue Dog Coalition is a credible, balanced package that offers the potential for bipartisan agreement on meaningful reforms. Many of the proposals in the package have bipartisan support or have received bipartisan support in the past.

The Blue Dogs' “Twelve point plan for restoring fiscal sanity” is a package of three legislative proposals: A Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, legislation reinstating and strengthening statutory budget enforcement rules and changes in the rules of the House of Representatives to improve the transparency and accountability of the legislative process.

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Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid and the Medically Underserved

Ed Lorenzen

Senators Gordon Smith and Jeff Bingaman introduced bipartisan legislation that calls for the creation of a Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid and the Medically Underserved. The bill provides a constructive and responsible approach the challenges facing Medicaid as an alternative to the budget-driven proposals in the President's budget. The Commission could help achieve a key goal of centrists: Hold down costs of entitlements, but strengthen and preserve the safety net for vulnerable populations.

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The Kolbe-Boyd Social Security Reform Bill

Ed Lorenzen

Earlier this week Reps. Jim Kolbe and Allen Boyd announced the introduction of their new Social Security reform proposal. The Kolbe-Boyd bill is a model of centrist legislation.

The proposal combines fiscal responsibility with progressive benefit changes that improve the safety net functions of the system and the wealth-building potential of personal Social Security retirement accounts.

The Kolbe-Boyd approach does a better job of limiting and "paying for" its transition costs than other reform plans with personal accounts, which is extremely important as U.S. budget problems worsen....

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