Krugman: Brave, Honest Paul Ryan - Isn't.

[pampango]

Many people, e.g., Jonathan Chait, are noting that when Paul Ryan, deeply offended by the inaugural speech, declared that

No one is suggesting that what we call our earned entitlements — entitlements you pay for, like payroll taxes for Medicare and Social Security — are putting you in a ‘taker’ category. No one would suggest that whatsoever

.
the category “no one” includes one Paul Ryan, who declared back in 2010 that

Right now about 60 percent of the American people get more benefits in dollar value from the federal government than they pay back in taxes. So we’re going to a majority of takers versus makers.

But while everyone has noted Ryan’s raw dishonesty here, let’s not let the cowardice pass unmentioned. If you’re a Randian conservative, as Ryan claims to be, then you should consider Social Security and Medicare every bit as much a part of the moocher conspiracy as Medicaid and food stamps. And don’t say that you pay for what you get: Social Security benefits aren’t proportional to payment, so that the system is somewhat redistributionist, and Medicare benefits don’t depend at all on how much you pay in, so that the system is strongly redistributionist. (You might even say that Medicare takes from each according to his ability, and gives to each according to his needs).

All of this is fine with me, but it should be anathema to Ryan. But he knows that Social Security and Medicare are popular, so he pretends that his radical philosophy has nothing bad to say about these programs, and that we can massively downsize government on the backs of the undeserving poor.

But remember, he’s a Brave, Honest Conservative. Everyone says so.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/23/brave-honest-paul-ryan/

I knew, as we all do, that Social Security is "redistributionist" but I had never thought of Medicare as vaguely communistic "from each according to his ability, and gives to each according to his needs". That train of thought would make a tea bagger ("Keep the government out of my Medicare&quot a little nauseous.

[malaise]

1. Call them out Krugman

Destroy these lying scumbag ReTHUGs (how's that for rhetoric?)

[Fumesucker]

2. "Train of thought" and "teabagger" just don't belong in the same sentence

"Handcar Hoverround of thought" maybe.

[dballance]

11. De-Railed Train of Thought maybe /eom

[lunatica]

3. I hope Paul Ryan keeps talking and talking and talking

I hope he insists on being in the public spotlight all the time. I hope he speaks as often as he can and into a microphone and a camera.

[tartan2]

6. As much as I hate this chauvinist pig,

I do agree with you. The more Paul Ryan talks the more people will be reminded of his dish washing fiasco!! Every chance I get I remind people of Paul Ryan's disdain for women and his perpetual belief that "personhood begins at conception"! I hate this guy, I mean I really really hate this guy. In general I am not the kind of person that even uses the word hate but I make a exception with Paulie boy!!!

[lunatica]

7. I know what you mean

I'm 64 years old and he reminds me of the mind set of the men back when women were fighting the male dominated society. He's the type of man that goaded women on to fight for our rights and to fight for equality. He's exactly what we meant when we said 'male chauvinist pig'. He's a sad and disgusting throwback to a time that is long dead, as it should be.

I feel a deep revulsion when he talks, and when I even think of him. That's why I hope he stays in the spotlight as much as he can. To elicit that exact response from younger women who have no idea how bad it was.

Paul Ryan, without changing one iota of his language or thinking fits perfectly into the pre-Feminist era. Those of us who are old enough recognize him instantly.

[Myrina]

8. I want him to keep talking until he tangles himself up in the lies & flip flops

so badly that even his staunch Faux supporters have to scratch their empty heads and ponder WTF he really stands for (besides his own self-promotion).

[alfie]

4. All insurance represents the closest thing to communism in America

For years I paid house, car and health insurance "according to my ability". I could have opted for smaller premiums with bigger deductions and/or co-pays. For all that time, I never had the" need" to file a claim against my car or house insurance and only minor ones against my health insurance.

[SnowCritter]

5. I was going to post something along those lines

but you beat me to it.

Oh, welcome to DU!

[bigapple1963]

9. but

your premiums don't go up just because someone is richer.

[wryter2000]

10. Welcome to DU

[BlancheSplanchnik]

12. well that's only fair....

Since teabaggies make me a little nauseous.

[jsr]

13. Paul Ryan has been on the government payroll since when?