House GOP to propose budget with significant tax code changes; Dems ready to take on its efforts to reshape Medicare

News report suggest that the budget plan being unveiled today by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., will cut tax rates sharply. But Democrats opposed to its expected overhaul of Medicare are already lining up.

The Washington Post: House Republicans To Propose Dramatic Changes To Tax Code
Democrats have been gearing up to tackle other aspects of Ryan's budget proposal -; notably efforts to reshape Medicare and to slash federal agency spending beneath the $1.047 trillion level agreed to during the summer's hard-fought battle over raising the debt ceiling (Helderman and O'Keefe, 3/19).

The Wall Street Journal: GOP's Budget Targets Taxes
The proposal, to be offered by Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), who has become the Republicans' leading figure on budget issues, has little chance of becoming law soon. It is likely to be welcomed by House and Senate Republicans, and rejected by the Democratic-controlled Senate. … Democrats see the tax proposal as an attempt to deflect attention from the more controversial parts of Mr. Ryan's budget, such as a Medicare overhaul and a decision to set lower 2013 spending levels than those agreed to in the debt-limit deal in August (Bendavid, 3/19).

The Associated Press: House GOP To Unveil Budget Blueprint
Conservative Republicans controlling the House unveiled a budget blueprint Tuesday that combines slashing cuts to safety net programs for the poor with sharply lower tax rates in an election-year manifesto painting clear campaign differences with President Barack Obama. The GOP plan released by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan would, if enacted into law, wrestle the deficit to a manageable size in short order, but only by cutting Medicaid, food stamps, Pell Grants and a host of other programs that Obama has promised to protect (Taylor, 3/20).

Reuters/Chicago Tribune: Republican Budget Plan Seeks To Play Up Tax Reform
A much-anticipated budget plan due on Tuesday from Republicans in the House of Representatives includes sweeping tax reforms that cut rates and pare down individual income tax brackets from six to two - 10 percent and 25 percent. The plan, which aims to deflect potential fallout from controversial Medicare reforms ahead of November elections, also would nearly eliminate taxes on overseas profits and reduce the domestic corporate tax rate to 25 percent (3/19).

The Fiscal Times: Ryan's New Budget Already Roiling the Waters
Ryan, a rising star within the Republican ranks, roiled the waters a year ago when he introduced a budget calling for deep spending cuts and a proposal to privatize Medicare. The highly controversial Medicare plan got his party into political hot water and became a campaign rallying cry for Democrats who claimed the Republicans were attempting to destroy the federal health care system for the elderly (Pianin, 3/19). 

Modern Healthcare: Democrats Vow To Fight Medicare Revamp Plan
A day before House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is scheduled to release a budget blueprint that's once again expected to include considerable changes to Medicare, his Democrat counterparts in the lower chamber emphasized they won't support any plan that leads to the end of the Medicare guarantee. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), chairman of the House Democrat Caucus, hosted a conference call Monday with fellow members Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) to tout the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which will celebrate its second anniversary later this week (Zigmond, 3/19).

The Hill: Wyden 'Can't Imagine' Voting For Ryan Budget, Despite Partnership On Medicare
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) says he probably wouldn't vote for House Republicans' budget proposal even if includes the Medicare plan he helped craft. Wyden angered many Democrats and liberals by partnering with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on a Medicare plan that will likely be included in the budget Ryan is set to release Tuesday. Wyden's involvement has allowed Republicans to argue that there is bipartisan support for at least partially privatizing Medicare (Baker, 3/19).