Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Ryan: Mad Slasher or Timid Reformer?

Liberals are gleefully pointing out what a big spender Paul Ryan has been, and it’s true.  They also scream about how he will dismantle government, brick by brick, all in service to his goddess Ayn Rand.

This presents a problem for the incoherent liberals: They’re talking out of both sides of their mouth.  He cannot be both a radical slasher and a big spender. Which is it? They can’t have it both ways.

Libertarian Gene Healy leads us out of the woods: Ryan does have a big spending history, and his roadmap to fiscal sanity is weak tea.

Ryan's spending history:
Ryan was a loyal soldier throughout the free-spending George W. Bush years, voting for No Child Left Behind and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, among other debacles. At the dawn of the Tea Party, Ryan lent his support to the auto and bank bailouts. He voted for TARP and gave "one of the most hysterical speeches" demanding others do the same, as Michelle Malkin observed in 2009.
[...] in 2003, Ryan voted for Bush's prescription-drug entitlement, adding over $16 trillion in unfunded liabilities to the national tab. (Ryan Hype)
Ryan's plan:
In May, FreedomWorks' Dean Clancy usefully compared Ryan's budget to the much bolder plan introduced by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Ryan's budget "would achieve balance in 26 years;" Paul's, "in five." Ryan's plan is short on specific cuts, whereas "Mr. Paul eliminates four Cabinet agencies -- Commerce, HUD, Energy and Education." Tellingly, "Mr. Ryan increases defense spending. Mr. Paul does not spare the Pentagon from scrutiny."
I bring this up not to damn Ryan, but rather to lay out the facts and put them in context. Senator Rand Paul’s spending reduction plan is much better and puts us back on firm fiscal footing much faster, but it is not politically viable at this time. Unfortunately, Ryan’s plan is about as radical as a plan can be while still having a a ghost of a chance to ever see the political light of day.

More importantly, Ryan’s plan beats no plan, which is all Big Empty Obama’s got.

23 comments:

Fuzzy Slippers said...

Once again, you've put my thoughts into words. I do think that Ryan's plan doesn't go anywhere near far enough, but I also recognize that it's about the best we're going to get. For now.

We have a lot of work to do in our local and state elections, as well as at the federal level, to get to a place where we can do more. This, though, is better than continuing down the same path to ruin.

Anonymous said...

I agree that Ryan's plan is timid but is as much as can be expected to pass in these days of denial. Sadly, it may be too little, too late.

-FJ the Dangerous and Extreme MAGA Jew said...

Too Little, Too Late?

What REAL Change Looks Like.

Anonymous said...

And what may Biden's plan be?

FreeThinke said...

Oh, and have you heard yet about Paul Ryan's EX black girlfriend?

Some lib dimbulb thought the nation ought to address the question: Does Paul Ryan's ex-black girlfriend matter?

QUESTION:

What possible chance does a society who would permit such a question to enter the arena of political discourse have of surviving?

ANSWER:

Slim to none.

Sign me,

Disgusted and discouraged,

~ FT

Just a conservative girl said...

Yeah, Ryan wasn't my first or even second choice.

But like you said it is what it is. More importantly, it will have to be done slowly. It will be done with a sledge hammer as I would prefer.

Jersey McJones said...

"He cannot be both a radical slasher and a big spender. Which is it? They can’t have it both ways."

Are you serious?

Look, that would be true of our government spent all the money on one thing, but it doesn't. SO, of course, one could support drastic cuts and yet more spending at the time. I don't know how that eludes you.

JMJ

Silverfiddle said...

I see, Jersey. Like Obama blowing a trillion more than we have a year while also slashing medicare funding.

Jersey McJones said...

Well, you're lying. Obama didn't slash Medicare funding. That's a lie. You shouldn't lie, as it reflects poorly on you.

As for the increased spending, look on what it's been for. You cons stupidly voted for a GOP one-party state that wrecked the nation and now we have to pay the bills that came from that. Obama had nothing whatsoever do to with any of that. He's dealing with the aftermath, of what you psychotics want to bring back!

JMJ

Ducky's here said...

Too bad, Silver. Akin has assured nothing of this gets discussed.

Silverfiddle said...

It came from Obama's own mouth, Jersey. You should try to stay up on current events.

He robbed medicare to pay for Obamacare.

One party state? You mean 2009-2010, when the dems rammed obamacare up our wazoos and exploded spending. There's your one party state, only it was a liberal one, and the dems payed for it in the midterms.

But keep going, it's entertaining to watch you hopium-smokers babble on in you Obama-induced ecstasies.

Unknown said...

Biden uses a race baiting comment and the MSM hardly says anything. Akins says something stupid, and the MSM is all over the comment.
Lets keepour eyes on the prize. Obama has failed America's economic recovery

Has everybody already forgotten about Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky, Kathleen Willey, Elizabeth Gracen, Juanita Broderick, Sally Perdue, and all the other women that Democrats have abused!
Let's face it. If the Democratic party were serious about women's rights, would they have a rapist giving the keynote speech at the Democratic convention?
If they were serious about ethics, would they have a keynote speaker who had to surrender his law license because he committed perjury? If they were serious about anything would they have a keynote speaker whose name is synonymous with lying?
I guess that now that Joe Biden made another idiotic remark they need another distraction!

Jersey McJones said...

Silver, please top lying.

The ACA cuts the pay out to Medicare ADVANTAGE, the privatizing program sleazy cons added to Medicare that has NEVER been cost efficient compared to MEDICARE fee for service.

You really don't know any of this, do you? You're not lying. You just don't understand.

As for the brief Democrat one-party state you are equivocating. "Obamacare" is NOTHING compared to two unfunded, mismanaged wars, an unregulated mortgage securities market, and huge tax cuts for the wealthy, when it comes to fiscal management.

JMJ

Silverfiddle said...

It is a cut to Medicare, Jersey. I linked to the actuarial's report, so stuff it.

And all the supposed republican sins you list do not add up to all your messiah Obama has blown, so stuff it again.

Trekkie4Ever said...

Ryan over Obama any day! The MSM and liberals in general, including Obama, want to shed negative light of course on any Republican candidate.

That's how they operate.

Ducky's here said...

Come on Silver, Medicare Advantage is another "for profit" con that just fattened private insurers.

People care about cuts to benefits not cuts to crooked insurers profits.

Z said...

FT, are you KIDDING ME? That's a story the media wants to use to ...what...make Ryan LOOK BAD?
They vote for a guy because he's Black and then they slam a Republican for dating a Black woman?

Ducky's right about Akin...but it's the Left which promoted that scandal in the press everywhere we looked.

Meanwhile, Laura Lopez, (D) says the troops can "go f*** themselves" and is anybody hearing THAT in the media? Oh, and "stupid f***s", too. (sorry SF..)

Ducky's here said...

z, did you know that Akin is on the House Committee on Science?

Maybe that's where he learned that if a rape victim gets pregnant she liked it.

John Carey said...

I understand the conservative shortcomings of Paul Ryan. But right now we have to stop the bleeding and the first step is a budget. You can't begin to get spending under control without a budget and Ryan has been on the front lines when it comes to forcing this discussion.

Les Carpenter said...

The fact is Ryan is a rEpublican statist and proud of it.

The facts are the only differences between the rEpublicans and democrats is how the big government pork hounds spend the taxpayer's money.

The fact is whether Obama/Biden or Romney/Ryan ain't a hell of a lot is going to change.

If you want change vote Gary Johnson.

Ducky's here said...

Hey John, you're full of crap.

The Progressive Caucus had a budget proposal out long before John Galt.

It's a serious budget that the "liberal"(LMFAO) media didn't much publicize.

You should check it out.

Les Carpenter said...

The Ryan budget balances the books in 26 years. A lot can happen in 26 years John.

A real John Galt budget would look nothing like the Ryan proposal Ducky. And the Progressive Caucus proposal is a wet dream.

Z said...

Ducky "Maybe that's where he learned that if a rape victim gets pregnant she liked it."
of course, that's not what he said, but you go ahead...
And, what's this have to do with my comment? Obfuscation to get off Lopez again?

By the way, what was that BUDGET that even liberals admit Obama's never presented in FOUR YEARS? Isn't it ODD that he had a Democrat Congress for two years and they didn't pass it?
Maybe, if it was a complete budget, they didn't agree with most of it and couldn't pass it? Is that your story?