Paul Ryan's Remarkable, Personal Demand For Becoming Speaker

[UCmeNdc]

He won't take the job unless Republicans agree he won't sacrifice time with his wife and kids.


Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) made clear on Tuesday evening, in a meeting with fellow House Republicans, he would run for the post of House speaker if he gets a few assurances. Among those were that the conservatives in the party would support his candidacy now, seek unity during his tenure, and give up a main procedural mechanism for forcing a vote to vacate the position in the future.

And then there was a fourth demand. Ryan told fellow Republicans he would only take the position if they respected his desire to spend time with his wife and kids.

"I cannot and will not give up my family time,” he said following the meeting


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paul-ryan-speaker-family_5626e133e4b08589ef49a6f7


Try telling that to your boss or fellow workers at your job.

[hatrack]

1. Good thing! That grueling 137-day annual working schedule is TOUGH!

[peacebird]

2. He also said he would take arrows in the chest but not in the back...

And he demanded that the party fall in declaring support and fealty to him now, before the vote.

[CTyankee]

6. whatta baby he is. Stabs in the back are common where he works...

[CTyankee]

3. Mika was a bit skeptical on Morning Joe today...

she sez that the women in the House should try the same thing...

[Renew Deal]

5. I wonder if it's a bigger play on the overall efficiency of the House.

[CTyankee]

8. he seems to be saying the House would be better off if it did LESS...

less that what, Paulie?

Less standing in the way of Dems would be helpful.

I think he should just up and quit. He's making a bigger mess...

[Renew Deal]

4. Good for him

Maybe he'll support a FMLA expansion.

Yeah right. But I don't think there is anything wrong with him setting that standard. I just wonder how many missed votes he has this term.

[femmocrat]

7. They will "promise" him anything right now...

but forget about them the minute he is sworn in. He is a fool if he trusts the "Freedom" caucus.

[Boomer]

9. Where is this animus coming from?

I'm really curious why people across DU (and elsewhere) are sniping so much about Ryan's conditions, especially the one concerning family.

First off, the average worker has no leverage for making conditions; this isn't news, we all know this. But high-level executives are commonly sought after and have the leverage to negotiate the terms of their contract. Ryan isn't job seeking, he is being asked to fill a job and that gives him leverage. When you've got it, use it!

Ryan standing up for more family time is a good thing. Women are constrained from doing this too obviously, so all the better that a guy is finally doing it. Yes, it's a double-standard that he has fewer constraints for making this a priority, but one way to tear down the gender divide is to build support for family-time among male congressmen. If only women do it, it will remain a dividing line for gender discrimination.

[justhanginon]

12. First of all, he is not a high paid executive. He is an extremely well compensated

public servant whose salary is paid by the American taxpayers.
Secondly, even the $175,000 annual salary is not chump change given the number of actual working days members of Congress actually put in much less the $223,000 the Speaker is paid. As a taxpayer, I would like him to put in the hours required for the job like everyone else does or seek other employment rather than change the job to suit "his family values". He cares not a whit about the people who pay his salary and their "family values" as they struggle in this economy and in many ways actively acts to do harm to them.
He is by any measure a POS!

[RandySF]

10. What a f-ing hypocrite.

He thinks it is "character building" when parents need two jobs in order to feed their kids.

[UTUSN]

11. So will he & his Repukes expand child care & family leave for all?!1 n/t

[1939]

13. Try telling that to your boss or fellow workers at your job.

It depends on just how badly your boss needs you. If your skills or knowledge are unique and valuable enough, you can demand a sedan chair with four carriers to meet you at your car each morning and carry you into the office and you will get it. If you do not have unique skills you can't get away with it because you are easily replaceable. When you are considered a "rain maker" you can demand luxurious office appointments, extra vacation days, company car with driver, etc.

It all depends on how bad the caucus needs Ryan. He made his demands and they either accept those demands or tell him to go pound sand.