Are the Republicans really so high on their own fumes they think they won’t pay for this radical end-Medicare-bust-unions-coddle-the-rich nonsense in the next election? Or do they have enough of the nation’s election apparatus in their backpocket that they just don’t care — they’ll keep winning narrow 51-49 percent victories, perhaps with the occasional aid of votes conveniently ‘discovered’ right after the first count is completed, and their friends in the corporate Big Media will compliantly look the other way. I guess we’ll find out in 2012 — if there is anything left of the GOP by then.

How the GOP Is Committing Political Suicide With Ryan’s Extremist Budget Plan

Believing their own spin, the GOP appears to have over-reached since the last election, alienating swing voters as it pursues a profoundly reactionary agenda.

Joshua Holland
AlterNet.org
April 18, 2011

At first blush, it’s difficult to grasp why all but four Republicans in the House would go on record endorsing a budget plan that would cost the economy millions of jobs, effectively end Medicare and result in deep cuts to Social Security, roll back new regulations on Wall Street and raise taxes on the middle class while slashing the rates paid by big business and the wealthy. It’s especially tough to understand given that we’re entering the 2012 campaign season, and their budget has no chance of becoming law.

But that’s what happened last week when the GOP-controlled House passed a budget outline based on the radical plan hatched by Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin.

A poll conducted last week found that, “when voters learn almost anything about [the Ryan plan], they turn sharply and intensely against it.” And why wouldn’t they? According to an analysis by the non-partisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), the Republicans’ “roadmap” would “end most of government other than Social Security, health care, and defense by 2050,” while providing the “largest tax cuts in history” for the wealthy.

Not wealthy yourself? Well that’s too bad, because the plan would also “place a new consumption tax on most goods and services, a measure that would increase taxes on most low- and middle-income families.” According to the Tax Policy Center, about three-quarters of Americans — people who earn between $20,000 and $200,000 per year — would face tax increases if the GOP’s scheme became law.

To check the links and read the rest, go here.