Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Ricochet's buddies on the staff of Congressman Paul Ryan know what happened when I put up a Ryan video a couple of days ago: Instead of saying, "Bless you, Paul, for putting together another brilliant GOP budget," the Ricochetoise said, "Curse you, Paul, for refusing to run for president." (Our own Paul Rahe put up a post explaining that the Ricochet code of conduct prevented him from saying quite what he felt.) As I say, our buddies in Ryan's office know all that. They read Ricochet all the time.
Below, the newest Ryan video.
If he keeps at it, Paul Ryan and our buddies on his staff are hoping, then sooner or later we'll all forgive him for declining to run for president--and help him in the campaign he has taken on. Which is--and who among us believes the good Congressman is overstating this?--the campaign to save the country.
Sign me up, Congressman. Whether our nominee is Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum, the day after he gives his acceptance speech he's going to find himself scratch his head, trying to figure out what to do next. And there your budget will be, sitting right there on his desk.
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Mar '11
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
No the even bigger problem is that even when in the position of putting forward a budget he knows has no chance of passing he is still timid beyond belief.
This budget does not achieve balance until 2040! That is pure fantasy, it only looks "tough" because every other budget proposal being put forward is even more insane. The budget still drives the nation over a cliff, it just changes gear a bit.
Apr '11
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Politically, Paul Ryan is galactically stupid- thanks to him, we could now lose this year based on Mediscare alone. The "GOP political professionals" who said that this year Republicans didn't have to lead and are just along for the ride were exactly correct.
Dec '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Your complaint appears to be not only that Ryan is stupid, but that the electorate is too.
I disagree on both counts.
Edited on March 20, 2012 at 9:04pmApr '11
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Jerry Broaddus
Your complaint appears to be not only that Ryan is stupid, but that the electorate is too.
I disagree on both counts. · 25 minutes ago
Edited 24 minutes ago
I said that Paul Ryan is "politically stupid." But yes, the public is just stupid, period.
Sep '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Does no one actually read Mr Ryan's proposals? It is clear it is timid at best and this years proposal is more timid than last years. I guess Ryan thinks things have improved so less radical action is called for. Now he is talking about reducing the growth in spending by 5.3 T instead of the 6+T. of last year. According to Ryan after 10 recession free years the Feds will still be spending more than they take in, but when a career GOP politician says this it is a good thing. Once again he states the obvious entitlements must be changed and he is called a hero for doing so.
Granted compared to Bonehead, Cantor and the rest of mush that passes for leaders in the House he looks fairly good. That hardly makes him heroic.
Dec '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Yes, much better to lie our asses off and "win" so that our guys can be in charge when things collapse.
There is a lot of stupid here, but I'm not sure you're assigning properly . . .
Dec '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
wmartin
Jerry Broaddus
Your complaint appears to be not only that Ryan is stupid, but that the electorate is too.
I disagree on both counts.
I said that Paul Ryan is "politically stupid." But yes, the public is just stupid, period.
Welcome to the public, wmartin. May your august presence elevate our collective intelligence quotient to the level of an air conditioned room.
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
This is exactly wrong. First, the man transitioned from a virtually unknown Congressman to the GOP point man against the administration's fiscal fecklessness in a two year period. Second, he did it while addressing an actual, but boring, problem rather than pitching some make-work, media & anecdotally driven legislation to stop children from making fun of one another, or similar nonsense. Third he did it without emitting even a hint of the crazy scent that often accompanies a meteoric rise.
This is a guy who can play the game at a high level.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
While I agree that the Ryan proposal goes nowhere near far enough, I view it as an important first step. As with Ryan 1, if the political leadership was acting in the best interests of the country, it would largely pass and the entire national debate would change dramatically. That is not a small thing. It would also buy us time to make additional changes to perhaps avoid or prolong the time when our interest rates go to traditional levels or beyond.
I still do not understand why he/leadership is not pushing for Govt. budget process reform required, bringing it in line with business practice and household reality. An honest accounting would significantly enhance the power of his message. A zero based system would make it much more difficult to repeat the current insanity.
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
I'll also note that Ryan's position in the GOP is significant enough that an attack against him set Newt Gingrich's campaign back about three months.
Apr '11
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Palaeologus
First, the man transitioned from a virtually unknown Congressman to the GOP point man against the administration's fiscal fecklessness in a two year period. Second, he did it while addressing an actual, but boring, problem rather than pitching some make-work, media & anecdotally driven legislation to stop children from making fun of one another, or similar nonsense. Third he did it without emitting even a hint of the crazy scent that often accompanies a meteoric rise.
Well, I have never said that Ryan was wrong on substance, and he has done well for himself in becoming a big name. But last year we lost what should have been a slam dunk house seat because of Paul Ryan. I just don't see why this couldn't wait 8 months until after we have actually won the Presidential race.
Especially since Barack Obama is back up to 49% in both Gallup and Rasmussen, and has held that level for several days (I am not sure how this can be, since Paul Rahe absolutely assures us that Obama has terrified the public into "rethinking the relationship between the citizen and the state" and all that jazz. Strange days indeed).
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
I hear you wmartin; I'm a worrywart myself. But there is much to be said for energizing the base in an off year election, which Ryan did. Not only with his plan but also his SOTU response. Setting tone and mood matters, and I'm confident that Ryan was a net plus for us last cycle.
For instance, the district next door to mine (Prof. Rahe's in fact) returned Tim Walberg to the seat he had lost in 2008. He had been demagogued over having called SS a "ponzi scheme" in the previous cycle. By toning down the rhetoric a bit while running against crazy waste he garnered a 5 point win. It is a "leans red" district, but he is definitely more of a tea time, rather than a tee time, type so this was not only a win for the GOP, but conservatives.
Obama will be tough to beat. Mostly we should go after his record. But if we don't offer any counter-proposals we won't be taken seriously. Ryan targeted Obama's flaws, on substance, without exposing our nominee. A Congressman growing in stature by doing so is a political win-win-win.
Dec '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
wmartin
Well, I have never said that Ryan was wrong on substance, and he has done well for himself in becoming a big name. But last year we lost what should have been a slam dunk house seat because of Paul Ryan. I just don't see why this couldn't wait 8 months until after we have actually won the Presidential race.
Especially since Barack Obama is back up to 49% in both Gallup and Rasmussen, and has held that level for several days (I am not sure how this can be, since Paul Rahe absolutely assures us that Obama has terrified the public into "rethinking the relationship between the citizen and the state" and all that jazz. Strange days indeed).
So, one may be "galactically stupid" in a political way, and yet not be wrong on substance.
This leads me to believe that you might be more than a tad conflicted. You understand the difference between right and wrong and recognize that Ryan does as well, yet you would have him act in a way to disguise this knowledge in order to make headway with those who are stupid, period.
What seat did Ryan lose?
Apr '11
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
Jerry Broaddus
So, one may be "galactically stupid" in a political way, and yet not be wrong on substance.
This leads me to believe that you might be more than a tad conflicted. You understand the difference between right and wrong and recognize that Ryan does as well, yet you would have him act in a way to disguise this knowledge in order to make headway with those who are stupid, period.
What seat did Ryan lose? · 45 minutes ago
Of course you can be politically stupid and right on policy...I don't think that's a particularly controversial idea. It's a shame, maybe, but pretty well known. We have bumped up against a limit of democracy; only Republicans can reform entitlements, but they cannot get elected talking about that because of the stupidity of the American people.
The seat I was talking about was NY-26. Exit polls showed that we lost a safe republican house seat in the special election because of Paul Ryan and his entitlement reform plan. "Mediscare" worked, and I believe it will work again.
As the great John Derbyshire says, "We Are Doomed."
Edited on March 21, 2012 at 5:53amDec '10
Re: Paul Ryan: He May Not be Fighting That Fight, But He's Certainly Fighting This One
wmartin
Of course you can be politically stupid and right on policy...I don't think that's a particularly controversial idea. It's a shame, maybe, but pretty well known. We have bumped up against a limit of democracy; only Republicans can reform entitlements, but they cannot get elected talking about that because of the stupidity of the American people.
The seat I was talking about was NY-26. Exit polls showed that we lost a safe republican house seat in the special election because of Paul Ryan and his entitlement reform plan. "Mediscare" worked, and I believe it will work again.
As the great John Derbyshire says, "We Are Doomed." · 11 hours ago
Edited 11 hours ago
So, in your world there's 1) no such thing as an honest politician, and 2) all planning must take place in smoke filled rooms with no duty to inform the public of what is coming, and in fact, severe penalties if those plans leak out.
You live in a dark, dark world. Why aren't you a Democrat?