"A National Embarrassment"

In one of those columns one might wish for every American to read, Washington Post columnist Robert Samuelson argues that neither Democrats nor Republicans are acquitting themselves well on a great issue of apocalyptic import -- runaway deficits. One exception to the lack of seriousness about that serious issue is Republican congressman Paul Ryan. While Mr. Samuelson does not agree with all of Rep. Ryan's prescriptions, he urges that those disagreeing with the congressman need to come with solutions of their own:

But the larger point is that Ryan is trying to start a conversation on the desirable role and limits of government. He's trying to make it possible to talk about sensitive issues -- mainly Social Security and Medicare -- without being vilified. President Obama recognized that when he called Ryan's plan a "serious proposal." But since then, Democrats have resorted to ritualistic denunciations of him as pillaging Social Security and Medicare. Legitimate debate becomes impossible. If Democrats don't like Ryan's vision, the proper response is to design and defend their own plan. The fact that they don't have one is a national embarrassment.