“Paul Ryan was quoted as saying, “My 10 year plan balances the budget by 2040.”
You are trying to make Ryan look stupid which he is not.
If you implement his 10 year plan of graduated changes and make no more changes after 10 years, then by 2040, the budget balances.
If you put 1000 dollar a year into an IRA invest at 8 percent return, then after 10 years you have about 15000 in your IRA after ten years (ten year plan) and then you let it grow with interest only for 20 more years (2044) you will have 60,000 dollars.
The Ryan plan is that after 10 years of gradual reform, growth in the economy will balance the budget by 2040.
I'm supposed to applaud a plan that doesn't balance the budget until my grandson is 30 years old?
"10 years of gradual reform"? Ryan may not be stupid, but we are if we think that "gradual reform" is going to save this country.
Using your math and optimistic projections, what does the federal debt equal at 2040: $75 Trillion? At 5% interest, the service on that debt is nearly $4 Trillion.
I can just imagine what my grandson would say, and it sure as heck won't be, "Thanks Opa!"