Ryan in Ohio: Your Payroll Taxes Should Go to Medicare and Social Security, Not Obamacare

Oxford, Ohio
During a campaign event Wednesday night at Miami University of Ohio, vice presidential candidate and Miami U. alumnus Paul Ryan reminisced about the fond memories of his alma mater. "I spent a lot of formative years here," Ryan said. "I like my Skyline 5-way [chili], turkey gobblers, cheese fries, stickers.” He mentioned the time he got hurt at the local ice rink. “That’s why I have a cleft chin—14 stiches playing hockey here."

Then he got serious. “The president, I’m told, is talking about Medicare today," Ryan said. "We want this debate. We need this debate. And we will win this debate."

Ryan criticized President Obama for "raiding" $716 billion from Medicare to pay for Obamacare. "The president’s campaign says this raid of Medicare to pay for Obamacare, which leads to fewer services for current seniors, is an achievement."

Ryan slightly reframed the attack by arguing that Obamacare is effectively taking hundreds of billions from payroll taxes. “Take a look at your paycheck next time. Look at that line on your paycheck that [reads] payroll taxes," Ryan said. "You see our payroll taxes from our paychecks are supposed to go to two programs--Social Security and Medicare period. Now because of Obamacare they’re also going to pay for Obamacare." The crowd booed. 

"It’s not right. He knows it. He can’t defend it," Ryan said. "And that is why he’s resorting to this kind of distraction and an election based on anger and division.”