Paul Ryan's Grudges

[H2O Man]

One of the most interesting dynamics of the “State of the Union” address was watching Paul Ryan’s face, as he listened to President Obama speak. As I explained to others in my living room, Ryan holds a grudge against the president, dating back to early 2011. The roots of that very personal animosity is something that should be of interest to everyone, as we approach the 2016 presidential election.

In April of 2011, the ambitious Representative Ryan produced a proposed budget that was so harsh that even Newt Gingrich referred to it as “radical right-wing social engineering.” Think about that: the Ryan proposal was so extreme, that even Newt -- a man who willingly stooped to disgraceful lows to appeal to both the deficit hawk and neoconservative wings of the republican party -- recognized it as an attempt to brutally change the social fabric.

Ryan’s proposal would have tattered the social safety net that allows the poor to survive; ended the middle class as we know it; and rewarded the 1% with “generous” tax-cuts. Had it been instituted, the Ryan budget would have made a balanced budget impossible for more than a generation.

Shortly after Ryan’s proposal was made public, President Obama spoke at George Washington University. During his speech, he noted the Ryan plan was not “serious,” and ‘would lead to a fundamentally different America than the one we’ve known.” As fate would have it, unknown to the president, Paul Ryan was in the audience. And he was furious with President Obama’s dismissing him as a serious player in Washington.

It was the combination of Ryan’s cruel budget propsal, and his growing hatred for Barack Obama, that resulted in Willard Romney’s selecting him as the republican vice presidential candidate in 2012. And the results of that election explains why Speaker Ryan attempted to ignore VP Joe Biden last night -- the near total lack of communication between the two demonstrates how Ryan clings to grudges.

I think that all of this shows how inaccurate the media was last year, in portraying Ryan as a “compromise” candidate for Speaker of the House. Indeed, Paul Ryan is the poster child for the rabid right-wing of the republican party. Just the thought of him serving as Speaker, under a republican president, should be enough to unite the Democratic Party.

Peace,
H2O Man

[Ms. Yertle]

1. Well,

I would disagree that the President didn't know that Ryan was in the audience, since he was sitting in the front row. Other than that, you are spot on about how much Ryan hates this President.

[2naSalit]

2. And furthermore,

I think all that hoopla about him not wanting to be speaker was a carefully scripted show to gain him a smidgen of acceptance until he was sworn in.

[Gregorian]

3. Watching him was very frightening for me

I had forgotten the budget episode. That would explain part of it.

What I saw last night was a neighborhood thug. It might have been just me, but I saw a Nazi SS officer up there. What I felt watching him was just how close to fascism we are. A small invisible distance from Obama to that man behind him. I guess I wasn't the only one seeing the representative of conservative America's hatred.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. From what we have learned about Ryan,

the fellow knows how to carry grudges. Believe his personal issues have been covered a few years back by local News in Wisconsin. Do remember a old DU er posting something about him and how he reminded him of Nixon. Ryan is a bought and paid for Koch Brothers tool.

[Faux pas]

5. Just another thin skinned

a**hole.

[tblue37]

6. It seemed that Biden and Ryan were unusually chatty during the speech. In fact, I

was surprised. I don't remember ever seeing the VP and speaker talking behind the president during a SOTU speech, though I admit that I usually don't watch the whole thing as I did last night but rather watch part of it and then read the transcript and watch highlights the next day. Maybe that chattiness has happened in past SOTU addresses but I missed it because I didn't watch the whole thing in past years.

I do agree, though, that the media falsely portray Ryan as a serious policy guy and as someone willing to actually participate in the responsibility of governance. He is a self-serving ideologue and an intellectual lightweight. Last night I posted in someone else's thread a hilarious compilation video of Biden laughing repeatedly at the nonsense Ryan blathered during their VP debate in 2008. I think Ryan probably holds a deep grudge against Biden for treating him as a wet-behind-the-ears fool during that debate.

[Martin Eden]

7. I liked Bill Clinton's put-down of Ryan's budget at the 2012 Democratic convention

Bill said when he was asked how he had managed to balance the budget, his simple one word reply was "arithmetic."

I saw that as a very succinct and effective repudiation of Ryan's budget, delivered with humor.

[HughBeaumont]

8. K & R.

Every time I hear the name "Paul Ryan", I think of this gem of a thread.

[GeorgeGist]

9. Thanks for the memories.

[beac]

10. A true DU classic!

Paul Ryan is not many things, but he sure is an endless source of comedy gold.

[malaise]

11. Indeed, Paul Ryan is the poster child for the rabid right-wing of the republican party.

^THIS^

Perfect