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One of the key problems with Paul Ryan's role on Mitt Romney's ticket is the scope of appeal -- Romney is running on the most right-wing platform Americans have seen in a generation, and then he picked the most right-wing running mate in modern history.
At the very moment one might expect the Republican candidate to expand his appeal to center and American mainstream, Romney is doing the opposite.
To address the problem, the former governor is apparently going to pretend his VP nominee has broad appeal. Indeed, in the introductory speech on Saturday morning, Romney said, "In a city that's far too often characterized by pettiness and personal attacks, Paul Ryan is a shining exception. He doesn't demonize his opponents. He understands that honorable people can have honest differences. He appeals to the better angels of our nature. There are a lot of people in the other party who might disagree with Paul Ryan; I don't know of anyone who doesn't respect his character and judgment."
Watching this, I kept thinking, is there some other Paul Ryan in Congress?
Sahil Kapur had a good item on this yesterday.
Mitt Romney has been talking up Rep. Paul Ryan's bipartisan credentials since he unveiled the congressman as his running mate early Saturday. But the mild-mannered Wisconsinite's record reveals a near-total absence of Democratic support for his many ambitious proposals, very few of which have won enough support to become law. [...]
On the campaign trail in Florida Monday, Romney again praised Ryan for "working across the aisle" to find solutions to the nation's problems.
The argument belies Ryan's storied record as a no-compromise conservative ideologue, an approach that has become more rigid during the Obama administration. He has become his party's visionary on sweeping proposals to remake the federal budget, wedding nearly all Republicans to a blueprint that has failed to win over a single Democrat.
After seven terms in Congress, the grand total of important bills Ryan passed into law with the help of members from both parties is, quite literally, zero. His voting record is so extreme, Ryan's roughly as far to the right as Michele Bachmann.
Paul Ryan takes cheap shots; he questions his rivals' motives; he says things that aren't true. Paul Ryan is easily one of Congress' most bitter, rigid partisans.
Some are prepared to argue that's not a bad thing. Fox News' Steve Doocy asked yesterday morning, "What's the matter with being an ideologue?" Soon after, Fox News' Gregg Jarrett said it might be a "compliment" to call Ryan a right-wing ideologue.
We can at least have an honest debate about Ryan's record if Republicans see him as he is, but to pretend he reaches across the aisle to get things done, working in a bipartisan fashion, is absurd.
Update: In 2011, Ryan killed a $4 trillion debt-reduction plan because he "was concerned that a deal would pave the way for Mr. Obama’s easy re-election." He cared more, in other words, about campaign politics than his own stated policy goals.
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Our democratic body-politic is in a bared knuckled fight against wealth and privilege so insulated from the 24/7 issues facing a 40 hr. double wage work week for middle class parents with 1 to 4 children trying to put food on the table, gas in the tank and little Johnny to the next paid-for organized exercise regimen.
Hey Romney/Ryan and even Obama/Biden here's one for you:
How does one know if one is in the new American middle class?
We're the ones with no disposable income!
How do you know you're from the working class?
Little Johnny's bedroom is the back seat! =Kevo
Indeed, is there another Paul Ryan in Congress because Romney's words either are about *that guy* or utterly delusional.
I AM OFF TOPIC HERE GUYS,BUT I THOUGHT OF POSTING THIS AFTER EAT THE PRESS ON SUNDAY.
DEMOCRATS AND LIBERAL LEANING THINKERS,ARE HAVING A NOT AN EASY TIME EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SAID CUTS.
Lets go back to pre-medicare system,keep In mind the medicare program was structured as it is(gov't run) because private insurance companies did not want to take seniors,so they charged very high premiums—most of them could not afford these premiums anyway.Over the past 10 years, health insurance premiums for people in the private insurance market have increased 113 percent — this is by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
So there's a clear problem that need fixing, since the costs are growing faster than the inflation rate.
I am pasting this here,because i saw Rachel on Meet the Press and frankly, i thought she didn't do a good job at explaining what the differences are between Obama's $700 billion [cut] to Medicare and Mr. Ryan's,who just cut to give tax breaks to the wealthy.
The biggest difference between the two 'cuts' is this.
President Obama's cuts too Medicare. Are not cuts in benefits. But cuts to the insurance companies and drug companies. For a system that was designed to save money. But in actuality ended up costing the program more. So the 700 Billion is redirected into the ACA, And helps fund getting more people insured for one.
The cuts in the Ryan plan. Cuts 700 Billion from Medicare. In the form of benefits. And redistributes that money in the form of Tax Cuts for the Upper Class. Which he says are paid for by closing loop holes. But even The CBO says closing every loop hole in the tax code. It's still mathematically impossible to retain all the revenue that's being given away in tax cuts. Thus his plan actually adds to the deficit. Not reduce it.
So yes The President cut 700 Billion form Medicare. In the form of waste to make it more efficient. And actually retains benefits and provides better health care and insures more people. While the Ryan Plan. Just cuts 700 Billion from the program. And Does nothing to make it better. And it will result in almost 50 million more people, not having health insurance.
I just do not see why it is so hard for the Dems to explain that? The difference in the two plans is simple. And it's Does it cut benefits and where is the money going? They should really stop over thinking it. And just keep it simple.
Good post, Calvin - but as we see even from your post, the truth behind Romney's lie(s) still needs to be Twitter-ized into 140 throat-grabbing characters or less in order for people to "get it."
Calvin Lundy,
I agree with you,it just reminds me of the Healthcare debate,they did a really poor job at explaining and selling the policy. The crazy Republicans just stoke fear and lies into peoples minds.
The Republicans have started again,this time hoping to nullify the advantage that the Obama camp might have on this issue.Whether they'll succeed is one thing,but i wish the Democrats and Liberals will just do a better job this time.
It was really painful to see Jared Bernstein not being able to explain this last night on TRMS.
140 Characters or less
Obama 700 Billion, waste & millions of jobs. Ryan 700 Billion no jobs & more uninsured.
Heh! Like it Calvin - but it maybe it could be construed that it's saying Obama's cuts are a waste and cost millions of jobs? But it's all well and good for me to "judge" from the sidelines - here's my contributions:
Follow the money-Ryan plan embraces Obama $700B Medicare cuts-uses them for add'l tax cuts for 1%; Obama pours savings back into Medicare
Fact about $700B Medicare cuts - with "middlemen" out - Obama pours savings back into Medicare
Romney's lying – Obama pours $700B savings back into Medicare; R/R pours Medicare savings into "deficit reduction" aka tax cuts for 1%
Ask Romney/Ryan where Ryan's same $700B cuts to Medicare go; hint: into their own pockets
Romney/Ryan divert same $700B Medicare cuts to 1%; Obama pours savings back into Medicare
Prez Obama's 700 bil placed rightly - Romney's 700 bil placed in his "people's" pockets!
Pass it on! -Kevo
It occurs to me that there is a strong parallel between the savings achieved in the student loan program ($61 billion in ten years) and the parallel savings achieved in Medicare Advantage programs ($145 billion in ten years). In both instances the government had been persuaded by industry bleating that the task they were assigned: to administer government benefits, was so onerous that they had to be persuaded to do it by tossing in a very generous sweetener. Mind you this was banks being asked to function like banks, and insurance companies being asked to function like insurance companies. But no, they wouldn't do it unless they got baksheesh. Well all this sweetening was widely regarded as completely unnecessary gifts to industry. The media had no trouble communicating this in the case of the student loans, and the savings were applied to making more student loans. The Medicare Advantage situation is directly comparable, (the actual benefits flowing to seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage were negligible at best) which is why these sweeteners were stripped away in Obamacare, and the savings applied to medical care. Which would you rather have, seniors with a dental plan or fewer uninsured? Having fewer uninsured directly benefits all insured people, and all taxpayers.
The Romney campaign says that Ryan is someone who works across the aisle, and it is so. Because, of course, mentioning any facts that contradict that narrative would be partisan. Worse, it would be left-wing partisan and above all else the liberal media must protect their credibility.
Inherit yours now before it's too late. Don't wait for grandmaw to die. Take what she has left now and go on a cruse before she wastes it on food, clothing, shelter and medicine. Medicine only prolongs you getting what you got coming.
D. C. Sessions
You need to learn to translate what Romney says into english. What he meant was that Ryan works both sides of the street.
Romney says he has a plan different from the Ryan plan that strengthens medicare. What he really said is "medicare stinks and when I get done with it the smell will be a lot stronger [and then you'll want to get rid of it like week old fish]."
He's young, handsome, and white. What the H more do you whiners want?
(Help! DAY has been possessed! Emergency exorcism required!)
Leaving it very difficult to explain how this bitter extreme right wing partisan voted for TARP, Medicare prescription drugs, the auto bailout several times, etc.
Every bitter right wing partisan in Congress voted for those things when Bush was for them, just as Ryan did. You seem not to be grasping the not at all subtle difference between "bitter right wing partisan" and "bitter right wing ideologue."
Bachmann did not vote the same way as Ryan, nor did some of the other hard core conservatives, in fact the debate over the Prescription Drug benefit was so rancorous that the time limit for voting had to be extended several times for more arm twisting on the GOP side.
the weird thing for me is, if you compare their actual voting records, rather than their rhetoric, they are complete opposites Romney has been a social moderate but a fiscal conservative, and Ryan is definitely a social conservative but a fiscal moderate.
Steve,
bb doesn't want to admit it, that's all. That, or he is being willfully ignorant about it.
"Update: In 2011, Ryan killed a $4 trillion debt-reduction plan because he "was concerned that a deal would pave the way for Mr. Obama’s easy re-election." He cared more, in other words, about campaign politics than his own stated policy goals."
Shades of Harry Reid:
Another report that no one is actually admitting to saying but that some people told other people about.
Here's the quote from the link:
"Mr. Ryan’s enormous influence was apparent last summer when Representative Eric Cantor, the second most powerful House Republican, told Mr. Obama during negotiations over an attempted bipartisan “grand bargain” that Mr. Ryan disliked its policy and was concerned that a deal would pave the way for Mr. Obama’s easy re-election, according to a Democrat and a Republican who were briefed on the conversation."
So look at the above and ask who is actually doing the speaking, Cantor, no, Obama, no, "Two people who were briefed on the conversation".
Do we know who the two people were, no. Do we know who briefed them, no.
No doubt one of them was an anonymous Bain investor who had reason to know
Wow, you're even trolling your own troll posts. A new record of urination on fire hydrants!
typical, I write about the topic of the piece, you write about me
TC,
Did you expect anything else from this troll?
For Romney to refer to Ryan as one of the better angels is insane. Angels don't try and hurt people or throw our parents and grandparents under the bus. Angels do not prostitute themselves in order to make their friends richer. Who decided to make life on Earth a battle of the fittest or the richest. Not I said the fly. Let them be the Kings of Nothing, since they have a want it all or nothing attitude.
If you believe the Bible, angels are stone cold killers, God's shock troops not cute little cherubs. Luckily for me, I don't.
I actually think it's rather perfect to be honest. In an Old Testament sort of way. Because all through the OT. Every time God wanted some destruction or a major lesson to be learned. God sent an Angel to do it. God's Wrath was almost always delivered by an Angel.
"In a city that's far too often characterized by pettiness and personal attacks, Paul Ryan is a shining exception. He doesn't demonize his opponents. He understands that honorable people can have honest differences."
Unless you're a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Ryan is being labeled bi-partisan because of his work across the isle, re: Medicare, with Sen. Ron Wyden from my precinct in Oregon. This will be poison for Wyden who is much loved in Oregon due to his commitment to Environmental Protection. However, after Wyden's smack down of the CWA here, I am not the only one who is beginning to question Wyden's allegiances.
You know, Sal - what the GOP today tells us over and over again is that one must assume that if you work with them in good faith, they will seek to viciously use it against you (eg. the waiver Pres. Obama gave to GOP governors, at their request, which Romney then used to launch a vicious attack.)
We are truly dealing here with a vicious opposition party that has no integrity whatsoever. And the more the truth is told about them, the more vicious they get.
I saw you Rachael getting a little neck action