Latest Conservative Buzz Phrase: "Tipping Point"

Ayn Rand isn't the only author Rep. Paul Ryan reads -- turns out he's also a fan of raging communist hippie (seriously, just look at that hair) Malcolm Gladwell.

Expect to see the phrase "tipping point" used liberally by Wisconsin conservatives in the near future thanks to Ryan's speech in Oklahoma. Here's an example. And another. And another ... I have to give conservatives some credit on this detail: they do thoughtlessly regurgitate talking points better than anybody.

Conservatives want to argue complain that the country is headed toward financial peril because of the health care bill, but the facts are against them. For one thing taxes in America are nothing like they are in Europe, no matter what Jonah Goldberg tells you.

More importantly, Health Care Reform is actually paid for, unlike the absurd Medicare Part D legislation that Republicans scammed their way through Congress in 2003. Here's Bruce Bartlett on the GOP's "fiscal responsibility":

Just to be clear, the Medicare drug benefit was a pure giveaway with a gross cost greater than either the House or Senate health reform bills how being considered. Together, the new bills would cost about $900 billion over the next 10 years, while Medicare Part D will cost $1 trillion.

Moreover, there is a critical distinction -- the drug benefit had no dedicated financing, no offsets and no revenue-raisers; 100% of the cost simply added to the federal budget deficit, whereas the health reform measures now being debated will be paid for with a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, adding nothing to the deficit over the next 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Just a reminder: Ryan voted for Medicare Part D.

I'm sure his office will spin a yarn about how he didn't want to raise taxes yadda yadda yadda, but at the end of the day Ryan still voted to give people something for "nothing" -- a deal he rather vocally contends is not possible today. Well, it wasn't possible back when he thought it was a good idea either.