Rep. Paul Ryan on Budget Work: 'I Sleep Well at Night'
House Budget Chairman says he feels compelled to act out of budgetary necessity.
WASHINGTON, April 30, 2011— -- When House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan unveiled his budget plan as a hard-line approach to the looming budget crisis, the Wisconsin Republican said he knew his proposal would not sit well with all Americans.
Ryan's plan, which promotes significant alterations to entitlement programs such as Medicare, has prompted some Americans fearful of reduced benefits to portray the chairman as the villain in this intense budget debate.
"This Week" anchor Christiane Amanpour joined Ryan in his home state of Wisconsin as he hosted town hall meetings to answer his constituents' questions about his budget proposal.
"How do you feel about being made the boogie man of this whole budget business?" Amanpour asked Ryan.
"I don't really think about it. I sleep well at night," Ryan said. "We know we're going to have an economic collapse if we stay on the path we are on. And so to me it's unconscionable as an elected representative of people to know that that's coming and not try to do something to prevent it from happening."
Although Ryan's plan received general support from his party, some Republicans in Congress have expressed concern over the plan's potential to anger voters leading up to the 2012 elections.
"If it's bad politics, so be it," Ryan told Amanpour. "At least I'm doing what I think is right to try and stop this country from having another economic collapse."
Christiane Amanpour's full interview with Rep. Paul Ryan will air Sunday on ABC's "This Week."