The Republican leadership goose-stepped into the House chamber, shortly before attending to what Republicans do best: vacation. They expected easy passage on a measure in support of one of their two goals: the transfer of wealth from the poor and middle classes to billionaires. Much to their chagrin, hardly anyone showed up.
Amid the morass of Washington’s endless budget fights there was a moment of sweet revelation last week: House Republicans choked outright when they failed to muster support for the draconian dreams of Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin legislator and fabled budget hawk who last year ran for vice president on a program of unforgiving fiscal austerity that his colleagues suddenly found too politically risky.
A $44 billion measure based on the tooth-and-claw Ryan blueprint approved by the same House just three months ago had to be yanked from the floor when not enough Republicans showed up to vote yes. An embarrassed leadership was forced to concede that the size of the proposal’s cuts to transportation, housing and urban development had become intolerable even to the fiscal zealots among the rank and file, who no longer had the stomach to walk the austerity talk.
The embarrassment was deserved. The leadership offered hollow excuses about a tight legislative calendar, but the truth was more accurately explained by Harold Rogers, the Republican appropriations chairman and no slouch as a budget hawk. The frustrated lawmaker underlined the moment by noting: “The House has made its choice: sequestration — and its unrealistic and ill-conceived discretionary cuts — must be brought to an end.”
The retreat hardly settled the larger budget wars, which remain noxious. The Republicans have not abandoned their threats to bring government to a halt, to stage-manage another federal debt crisis, and, of course, to fiscally strangle the law of the land known as Obamacare… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
I disagree with the author’s contention that Harold Rogers (R-NC) explained this correctly. In my opinion, the key factor was timing. Even the "fiscal zealots among the rank and file" feared going home for summer recess and having to explain their support of 1% greed to local residents, even conservative ones, whose lives and livelihoods will be impaired by the damage the cuts would do to transportation, housing and urban development. So instead of voting, they used the Republican method, also known as the cowards’ way out. They snuck out of town.
Ryan does not care who he hurts, as he goose-steps behind Ayn Rand. He even held a budget hearing on poverty with no input from poor people, as Melissa Harris Perry explains in her open letter to him.
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When it comes to opinions, Paul Ryan, and the Republican Party, measure their value by one metric alone: the net worth of the person who has the opinion. This is true, because Republicans equate financial worth with personal worth.
So don’t think for a minute that caving-in means a change of heart. Republicans are expert at using fear to motivate their sheeple, and they spread that fear using lies. However, they are also motivated by fear. What they fear is the truth.
24 Responses to “Republicans Choked on Ryan’s Bile”
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Your last line says it all! "What they fear is the truth."
Thanks Patty.
Congratulations Tom on your #2000
2,000 articles – congratulations TC!! You are also right again when you say
"When it comes to opinions, Paul Ryan, and the Republican Party, measure their value by one metric alone: the net worth of the person who has the opinion. This is true, because Republicans equate financial worth with personal worth.
"So don’t think for a minute that caving-in means a change of heart. Republicans are expert at using fear to motivate their sheeple, and they spread that fear using lies. However, they are also motivated by fear. What they fear is the truth."
Experience has proved that they return to the same behaviour time and time again – when will their voters learn?!
Hoopefully, in 2014, 2015, and permanently!
Paul Ryan doesn't speak for the poor.
…or the middle class, or even most of the rich.
I just don't like him,he is all for his self ,and no one else.
Welcome Patsy. 🙂
I don't like him either.
It's about politics, not about governing.
It's about making sure the 1% receive their welfare, not about ensuring that the people have what they need.
Republicanus/Teabaggers are about manufacturing crises, instilling fear, gloom and doom. They understand fear from their own perspective because they are fear based. They fear being turfed out of office. They fear actually having to account for their decisions and policies to the very people who elected them.
I think if Republicanus/Teabaggers truthfully looked at themselves in the mirror, they would scare themselves silly. But then, truthfulness is anathema to them.
Very well said, Lynn!
More on this issue from Paul Krugman in the same issue of the NY Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/05/opinion/krugman-republicans-against-reality.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB
As Krugman says, Republicanus/Teabaggers are totally out of touch with reality and living in a fantasy world.
I agree soo much, that I had already written this article is already into today's Open Thread.
I'm sorry. I thought if you had one article and didn't pick another up, it would be ok to use. I bad!
No problem. That wasn't a complaint. With me researching in the morning for the next mprning's posts, I'm surprised our great minds don't fall in the same ditch more often. 🙂
Every time I see Ryan's photo, it makes me want to throw up and puke.
The people in WI must get this g o p puke, Ryan, out of office at the next election. No if's or but's, period.
The people must also make sure that the voting machines are certified by an independent group.
Jim, that's not a reasonable reaction. Try upchucking and barfing instead. 😉
Amen twice.
Hal Rogers is from Ky, and while he is a Republican, he has been known to skip the traces and vote for his constituents occasionally. Paul Ryan is such a hypocrite. He lives on a government payroll, and I guarantee, he lives much better than any Food Stamp recipient.
Congrats on your 2000th!
For sure Edie!
Tom. Congrats on your 2,000th article. Keep up the good works and informations. We need them.
Thanks to all who congratulated me on my 2,000th post. To clarify, that was just the 2,000th I've uploaded to Care2. I gave over 4,300 here.
Awesome!
Thank you both!
Absolutely stellar!