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SEQUESTER: The Horror!
March 1, 2013 | 4 comments
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SOTU Preview: Human Props, Budget Fights, and Wedge Issues
February 12, 2013 | 0 comments
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Hello, I Must Be Going
August 14, 2012 | 18 comments
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Weekend Political Wrap-Up, Paul Ryan Edition
August 12, 2012 | 16 comments
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Esquire Blogger Sees Paul Ryan, Shreds His Safety Net
August 11, 2012 | 13 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Paul Ryan opened his budget talk at AEI today by making three points. Congress has a legal obligation to pass a federal budget. Legislators have a moral obligation to address a predictable debt crisis, and since Republicans disapprove of the country’s current fiscal path they have a specific obligation to propose an alternative. Finally, Republicans should seek an “affirming election” that validates their positive agenda rather than simply running against Barack Obama.
Judging from some quotes appearing in the media, some Republicans disagree with those points. The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza is out with a story headlined, “Paul Ryan’s budget is bad politics. Just ask Republicans.” After one quote from a Republican consultant on the record about how it is easier for Democrats to “spook seniors” than for the GOP to propose “responsible solutions,” an anonymous Republican source is exasperated.
Another senior GOP strategist was far more blunt. “Didn’t they learn their lesson?” the source asked. “House Republicans are still under the mistaken impression they have to lead. It’s a presidential election year; they’re along for the ride.”
The Atlantic’s Molly Ball tweeted an email reaction from an unnamed Republican staffer: “The GOP budget is a great tool to further divide our caucus & provide fodder for Dem attack ads. Thank you Paul Ryan.” Not every Republican, even anonymous ones, feels this way. Chris Stirewalt quotes one as saying, “What would it say about us if we didn’t even try to govern?” But even Stirewalt concludes, “Ryan won’t win many friends in his own caucus with his plan and his PR push this week.”
Among Republicans who look no further than the next election, the “right-wing social engineering” impulse remains alive and well.
Calvin| 3.20.12 @ 1:16PM
Name names. Without them this story is useless. We can't purge the nameless.
W. James Antle III | 3.20.12 @ 1:39PM
The quotes were given to the MSM reporters, not me.
Chuck| 3.20.12 @ 1:51PM
This has been the same GOP pattern dating back to 1967. In 1966 the Republican Party made a dramatic comeback after the '64 Goldwater debacle. Joining up with Southern Democrats Republicans made some cuts in Great Society programs but "Among Republicans who look no further than the next election" some of them however viewed opposition to the Great Society would harm them in the '68 campaign. Sound familiar? You conservative voters better wake up real fast otherwise you will have a disastrous repeat of history several times other and led this time by their worst candidate ever Willard Milton Romney.
Drek| 3.20.12 @ 2:49PM
Paul Ryan tries to answer the question: "How are we going to pay for this?"
But he doesn't even try to answer the question: "WHERE is the GROWTH going to come from in our economy that will enable us to pay for this, AND resolve all debt we've already assumed?"
Ryan isn't the answer.
The answer comes from Gingrich, and that is America robustly, imaginatively, creatively and safely availing herself of her natural resources, and resolving all debt, all the debt of the federal government, all the debt of the several states.
Gingrich's plan reverses trade imbalance, shores up a wildly inflating currency, reverses dollar outflow and ensures a massive windfall in foreign investment in this country.
Gingrich's plan involves en passant a return of American steel and American rail.
Ryan, for all of his budgetary manipulations, isn't imaginative enough for the crisis we're in.
AND CRISIS we are in!
Rick| 3.20.12 @ 3:10PM
Newt Gingrich opposes reform. So does Romney.
Drek| 3.20.12 @ 7:30PM
"[O]pposes "reform?"
Come again?
The only guy out there pushing for an overhaul of the civil service, and you think that guy "opposes reform."
MS| 3.20.12 @ 3:18PM
People need to get over the misconception that we have "three co-equal branches" of government. That is a myth. Congress is meant to be the pre-eminent branch, which is why all funding bills must originate in the House of Representatives. The House SHOULD be leading, and anyone who suggests otherwise is a fool, at best.
MS| 3.20.12 @ 3:23PM
However, if the Republicans were actually serious about cutting spending and restoring the constitutional republic, they could've simply refused to raise the debt ceiling last year and begun the process of dismantling all of the unconstitutional departments and programs. Most of these arguments are distractions and political sideshows.
Conservative Bob| 3.20.12 @ 4:12PM
Oooooo but if they did that the evil press wouldn't be their friend any more and they woudln't get invited to any cool parties.
David W| 3.20.12 @ 4:11PM
The unnamed GOP sources crawl out from under their rock, support the "almost democratic position" to derail the GOP momentum, and then crawl back to see how their snide little comments destroy any chance of real change. Way to go (must be the same people that McCain hired to run his 2008 campaign).
C Bowen | 3.20.12 @ 4:27PM
The Ryan Budget doesn't balance the budget until 2040--it's a joke and a scam.
Senator Rand Paul, endorsed by Senator DeMint have put forth a plan to eliminate Departments (among other points) and balance the budget in 5 years.
Should Republicans take the Presidency, Paul Ryan will look like the raving big government hack that he is--and Mitt Romney will be happy to compromise with Ryan and balance the budget by 2045.
Clint| 3.20.12 @ 6:13PM
Dr. Ron Paul -- says Ryan's budget doesn't actually go far enough. Paul, whose budget plan would make $1 trillion in cuts in one year, said in a statement that Ryan's plan is "essentially playing the same game the Washington establishment has played for years with our hard-earned money."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Quartermaster| 3.20.12 @ 6:38PM
The Reptiles that run the GOP are as much part of the problem as the Dimocrats are. We need an Operation Whig to send those characters to the dustbin of history where they belong, right beside the Soviets.
Either we get some one willing to shove FedGov back into its constitutional cage, or the country will break apart.
darcy| 3.20.12 @ 11:07PM
I'm beginning to suspect that mass mayhem of one sort or another is the goal. I have never in my long life been witness to such a parade of moral degenerates in public office. Lie to our face they do, and behind the scenes plot to wrest every last bit of freedom from us.
I feel like the decent, working Americans, raising families -- at whatever income level -- are seen to them as a pig who needs killing with a thousand knives. Now we discover that not only is the cost of contraception for strangers going to come out of our pockets, but also sterilizations. This is bizzaro-land -- and it gets uglier with each passing day.
Mike Rogers | 3.21.12 @ 9:27AM
That is possible, but the path to sanity comes from the bottom, not the top.
We can elect good people as selectmen, sheriffs, state legislators and governors, who will balance budgets, and tell the Federal government what they cannot do to us. 50% of states can nullify any federal action; 75% can change the landscape forever.
Especially if the goal is mayhem, the states need to stand up, defend themselves and their people, and refuse to fund the beast in DC.
If you live within reach of Philadelphia, check out: http://www.nullifynow.com/philadelphia/