tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post9193971097274025224..comments2023-07-06T03:24:58.768-04:00Comments on Your Big Girl Pants: 7 Fun (And Not-So-Fun) Facts About Paul RyanEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11713092722965430212noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post-47544338199717169762012-08-24T18:00:20.196-04:002012-08-24T18:00:20.196-04:001) I think the problem is in complaining, as many ...1) I think the problem is in complaining, as many conservatives do, about career politicians, and then becoming them. Conservatives generally act like private experience is more useful than public in governance. That's probably not true, as far as effectiveness goes. Jimmy Carter was far less effective than LBJ, for example. You could argue that the only way W was effective in getting his agenda passed was because he had Cheney and a ton of his father's people who all had extensive government experience. I certainly don't think anybody should stay out of government, but I think it's hypocritical to argue that private experience is so much better and then spend all your time gaining public experience.<br /><br />2) Just like Obamacare is a radical left-wing idea conceived by the Heritage Foundation and openly advocated as a federal program by Romney? But importantly, Obama doesn't support it, and none of those Democrats advanced the idea when they had the opportunity. Unlike Romney and Romneycare/Obamacare.<br /><br />3) Me too. Just not as VP or President.<br /><br />4) Try reading it sometime, then come back to me.<br /><br />5) He's against social security, too. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-marans/ryan-budget-fasttracks-so_b_845775.html<br /><br />6) The nuns know that public programs aren't the only way to help the poor, it's a lot of what they themselves do. I'm sure they go to confession, so any negative thoughts they have should be something they work out.<br /><br />7) Pragmatism :-) That said, he's pretty right-of-center on abortion, as this week has shown everybody.<br />Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713092722965430212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post-76656608019634360972012-08-21T00:57:07.622-04:002012-08-21T00:57:07.622-04:00A couple of responses here:
1) So for someone wh...A couple of responses here:<br /><br />1) So for someone who believes in small government and wants to advance those beliefs and put them into practice, how should one go about doing so? You seem to imply that there is some irreconcilable conflict between a belief in small government and actually working in government to put those beliefs into practice. That small government conservatives, if they want to be really pure, should just stay out of government altogether. Which would of course result in big government liberals actually running the government. I'm sure you would like that, but it's a completely self-defeating strategy for a small government conservative.<br /><br />2) Ah yes, premium support. That radical right-wing idea that was endorsed by Jimmy Carter's deregulation czar Alfred Kahn, former Democratic House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, researchers at the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, and Bill Clinton's Medicare Commission led by Democrat John Breaux. Oh, and did I mention that Ryan's most recent Medicare proposal was put together in collaboration with respected Democratic Senator Ron Wyden? Democrats like to point to past Republican/conservative support for the individual mandate, but don't like to talk too much about the Democratic "heritage" (pun intended) of premium support. <br /><br />3) I sincerely hope that Ryan lives well past his 50's. 'Nuff said.<br /><br />4) I have never read anything by Ayn Rand, but I know many smart, sensible people who are neither emotionally stunted nor socially crippled who have and were influenced by her work. I have no idea who Kung Fu Monkey is, but based on my own personal experience the fact that someone read Atlas Shrugged and really liked it is not enough to make me worried about their mental well-being or fitness for public service. <br /><br />5) So Ryan is being disingenuous by wanting to cut Pell Grants because he received Social Security death benefits? This argument would make more sense if he received Pell Grants to go to college.<br /><br />6) Nuns hate him for being anti-Christian? Hmmm, I would have thought that hating someone for being a conservative is itself pretty anti-Christian. Maybe the nuns need to brush up on their Catechism. As I've mentioned elsewhere, the nuns also fail to recognize that government programs are not the only way to help the poor. They should know, seeing as the Church runs Catholic Charities and all.<br /><br />7) This is my favorite one. Nuns disagree with his spending policies! Followed by, OMG Ryan believes life begins at conception. Which of course is (presumably) the exact position of the nuns that hate him. So, listen to the nuns on the budget! On abortion - huh, what nuns? Why should we listen to them? Separation of church and state!! Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11696682095648266404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post-34172134274714683092012-08-15T14:03:51.774-04:002012-08-15T14:03:51.774-04:00I don't remember the Dirty Dancing character, ...I don't remember the Dirty Dancing character, but that fact tells me everything I need to know about him. For more, delete the spaces after http: //nymag.com/thecut/2012/08/paul-ryan-is-your-bad-libertarian-ex-boyfriend.htmlSara S.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post-79253445581786642762012-08-14T12:50:04.541-04:002012-08-14T12:50:04.541-04:00And if you have a burning need to know more about ...And if you have a burning need to know more about Paul Ryan (or just really like to count things) there's a great piece on 5 "radical" policies in his budget plan: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/paul-ryan-roadmap-most-radical-ideas.php?ref=fpaEmilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713092722965430212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5308923185697655557.post-40197488474982140882012-08-14T11:59:41.991-04:002012-08-14T11:59:41.991-04:00Hey do you remember how the jerk who seduces the s...Hey do you remember how the jerk who seduces the sister in Dirty Dancing tries to give Baby a copy of The Fountainhead? That was my formative introduction to Ayn Rand.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713092722965430212noreply@blogger.com