PAUL RYAN, POLITICAL HACK

8-30-12

What with the hoopla about Romney's choice for VP, it is worth looking at Mr. Ryan to discern the reality behind the hype. A superficial examination of his credentials makes clear he is less qualified than the last, sterling VP candidate, you know who. She ran a city and she ran her state whereas Mr. Ryan, remaining in his safe district sat and did nothing much more than vote. Yes, to be fair he proposed bills related to thinning the budget and eliminating abortion, but not finding sufficient support for such. Oh yes, two of his bills, no more, did find support, one renamed a post office and one reduced the excise tax on arrows. Now, some might consider that an excellent legislative record, but some others might perhaps, possibly   disagree. Honorable men and woman can have differing opinions, but we can wonder what he brings to the campaign table.

Mr. Romney has not opted for his budget bill. Once made public, it produced instant hostility because it adds to the Medicare burden of the elderly and reduces taxes on the wealthy. You figure it out, the proposed medical voucher system would increase the cost to individuals, nicely balancing the reduction for the rich. So, in spite of the talk, Mr. Ryan's budget is not an asset.

Does he find bipartisan support for his budgetary and pregnancy values? Clearly not. He does not provide a way to bridge the gap between his ideas and the Democratic ideas. There is no compromise in his universe, he knows the truth and it shall prevail. Except, of course, it has not. No, he cannot claim credibility for getting things passed.

What about foreign policy experience? Well, Governor Palin could see Russia from her window; he lives too far inland for that enlightening experience. This is another zero for strengthening the Republican claim on the oval office.

Still, he is a beacon of conservative philosophy standing firmly for fiscal responsibility and smaller government. Apparently, he learned these ideas from Ayn Rand, a woman who once relied on welfare, and had little use for perhaps 90% of all humanity. She dreamed of government by the wealthy; apparently voting could not be tolerated. And, those of lesser fiscal ability could reasonably expect to be crushed under the new morality. We note that during the last decade middle class income dropped by thousands of dollars. Ryan would never raise taxes on the wealthy, the burden of running the government would fall on the middle class, I mean you and me. What an honor.

But, I digress. About Ryan, what can we say about a man who railed against and voted against the stimulus package and yet asked for stimulus money for some Wisconsin conservative groups? “They would create jobs,” was the justification. After publicly denying the truth, Mr. Ryan now phumphers about how it really was his staff even though he signed the letters. It is always convenient to have an incompetent staff on to which one can shift responsibility. Mr. Ryan, if you sign it, you did it. But, wait. Before Mr. Obama’s election, he very much favored a stimulus bill, but after that signal event, he vociferously opposed it. What a guy.

Mr. Ryan voted in support of the Bush spending bills, bills that left the country with considerable red ink. Of course, it is impolite to bring that up in mixed company, better to play hush hush with the truth. Keep in mind, the beacon of fiscal responsibility votes with the political wind, a spender under Bush and a miser under Obama.

So, what other asset does he bring? His absolute rejection of any justification for abortion. As he put it, paraphrased, it how the pregnancy occurred, abortion is never acceptable. Uh, that is not Mr. Romney’s position, so obligingly Mr. Ryan became willing to accept rape or incest pregnancies.  Clearly, consistent high values is an asset unless it weakens the campaign. 

In the world of politics, we expect candidates and their supporters to accentuate the positive and totally ignore anything else. If some lies sneak in, lying in order to perpetuate the truth is no sin. As some religionists believe, lying to support the faith is every true believer’s moral obligation. They all justify their ugly behavior with declarations that the world would be a better place if they are given control so anything goes. Think of Nixon's break-in and his statement that if the president does it, it is legal.

Our system sometimes results in junk in the legislature and in the oval office. We ought not to take any of them seriously or have hurt feelings, as many felt about Bush, when they act true to form in office. The latest wisdom comes from a senatorial candidate who said there is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate rape; women's bodies can tell the difference and suppress pregnancy. Oh yes, he and Mister Ryan collaborated upon a bill that would redefine rape. It must be forced and a judge must give permission.

There once was a fellow name Ryan

Who, to Ayn Rand's philosophy did buy in.

With Republican kitsch

He won't tax the rich

Leaving the middle class behind, just acryin.