Ryan-Republican budget

The House has passed the Paul Ryan budget proposal for FY 2015.   It is pretty much the same as the one Romney-Ryan ran on in 2012 -- and Democrats are elated.   It already proved to be a loser, and now they're trotting it out again.

It purports to balance the budget by FY 2024 by cutting more than $5 trillion in spending, most heavily on health care and safety net programs for the poor and working poor, with a big chunk cut from the food stamp program.

The food stamp program comes under the Department of Agriculture, whose Secretary Tom Vilsac was on the Rachel Maddow msnbc tv show Wednesday night.    He confirmed that raising the minimum wage would actually reduce the need for food stamps.   But of course Republicans are opposed to raising the minimum wage.

Unlike what most people think, a large number of those getting food stamps are actually working -- just at low paying jobs, which keeps them below the poverty level and qualifies them for food stamps.    So raising minimum wage would lift them out of poverty and reduce the need for food stamps.   What's not to like about that?

Then why don't Republicans support raising the minimum wage.   Both Maddow and Vilsac agree that it would make sense for their priorities -- but the political reality seems to be that they think cutting food stamps is a winning campaign issue, so never mind the facts or the wisdom of doing it or the people hurt by not doing it.

Isn't it telling -- and a damned shame -- that something combining compassion and common sense doesn't add up to a winning strategy?   Maybe there's something wrong with their values.   It should be a winning strategy for Democrats.

Ralph