Ellison rips cuts to Medicare in proposed 2012 budget

by Brett Neely, Minnesota Public Radio

Washington — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are weighing in on the federal budget road map laid out by Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan.

The plan Ryan released Tuesday includes replacing Medicare with a voucher system and lowering tax rates for individuals and corporations.

Standing outside of the Congressional hearing room where Ryan's committee was considering next year's budget bill, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., denounced the GOP budget plan.

"Our seniors who have cut a path for all of us to walk behind, have got to have dignity in their lives as they are in their golden years, which is something that the Ryan roadmap to ruin just obliterates," Ellison said.

Ellison and other Democrats plan to unveil their own budget plan in the coming days. Their budget will include tax hikes on the wealthy and more spending for social programs and infrastructure. Neither plan is expected to receive support from the Senate.