It sounds like there may be a vote in Congress on Paul Ryan's "roadmap". I personally think that it is great idea because various members of Congress can then put their vote where their mouth is. We already know that the Republican leadership in Congress has been running from Ryan's plan, stressing that it is "his" and that it does not belong to them. I can't blame them because it would be very hard to run on privatizing and slashing Social Security and Medicare. What's worse is that it fails to actually fix the deficit that Ryan and Congressional Republicans helped create. One recent analysis also points to other serious flaws in the plan, such as the fact that Ryan makes an irrational assumption that revenues will remain the same even as he gift wraps massive amounts of Bush-style tax cuts for the rich. It is no surprise that Republican leaders are afraid of this "roadmap" and lets hope that they have to commit one way or another.
Individual Republican legislators have also failed to rush to Ryan's defense. Heck, the legislation only has eight members sponsoring it and that includes Ryan! Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that neither of Ryan's two Republican colleagues from Wisconsin have signed on as a sponsor. What's the matter? Are Petri and F. Jim Sensenbrenner RINOS? Why else wouldn't they sign on to their fellow Wisconsinite's major piece of legislation? The extreme right-wing, which makes up the entirety of the Republican Party of Wisconsin loves it, so what's the hold up? If they are not going to tow the line then maybe they need a Tea Bagging challenger in their primary. For all of our sakes, let's hope that they are eventually forced to go on the record as to their support/lack of support for Ryan's legislation.
But why should we just stop with current Republican congressmen? I would suggest that the Republican candidates for Congress should also have to pipe up on this subject. They want the ability to vote in Congress, so this is the perfect chance for them to show us how they would use that power. Would you support and vote for Paul Ryan's legislation or not? I'm sure that Wisconsinites all along the political spectrum would like to know what you think about it. If you support Ryan's "roadmap" please say "Aye".
Duffy?
Kapanke?
McCormick? Ribble? Roth? Trager?
The rest?
I'm sure that the Tea Baggers that make up the Republican base would like to know where you stand on Ryan's "roadmap". If you support privatizing and slashing Social Security and Medicare - then that is something that the rest of us should also know. If you support legislation that takes these extreme measures but still fails to fix the deficit (that Ryan and Co. helped create), then by all means, please say "Aye". The rest of us are eagerly waiting.
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Any chance that any of the GOP Senate or Gubernatorial candidates will endorse handing over Medicare to the private sector?
by all means, i hope to hear what they think about those plans.
Cory, Just wondering what your fascination with acts of sexual perversion is? It is hard to take your criticism seriously when you taint the argument with such derogatory remarks.
IF however, you wish to deal in fact and logic, I have some for you. You refer repeatedly to the deficits that Republicans caused. Are you not aware that the last year of the GB II administration, Democrats held the majority in both houses of Congress? And that it is CONGRESS that approves the budget? And that one of the two biggest contributors to last year's budget deficit, the Bankster Bailout (Some $850 Billion, with pork) was passed with the votes of both Democrats AND Republicans, including McCain, Obama and yes, Paul Ryan? And that Democrats, if they had had their way, would have increased the budget even more during both the Clinton and the GB years? So you can not honestly and with full knowledge blame one party for the deficits.
If you want to engage in a discussion over how the system is slanted toward the rich, in particular the biggest banking and Wall St. firms, I would be glad to engage, and you might be surprised at how much this "right winger" agrees with you. But to wantonly attack the rich, to covet their wealth will only speed up the "race to the bottom," where government takes an ever larger piece of a shrinking economic pie, resulting in more poverty for more people. Further, the rich just might vote with their feet, and take their wealth with them. That might be something to think about with the cost of government (all taxes, direct and indirect, plus licenses, fees permits, etc, plus costs of compliance born by the private sector) very close to 2/3 of our economy.
Ken Van Doren
I'm not sure what your first comment is even about...is it about the use of the tea bagging term? I'm not the person that came up with that, as I understand it, that is how they were referring to themselves early on...maybe they have changed that since they learned that it could have a double meaning, i don't know. It is that simple, so you don't have to play the preaching psychologist with me.
I don't believe that I ever said that only GOPers own the national debt by themselves. What I am trying to do is to point out the hypocrisy of people like Ryan and his supporters who attack the Dems and the President about national debt and spending when they have a track record of doing the exact same things. That is my major point when i address those issues in this kind of context. Maybe if conservatives would police themselves on this hypocrisy, I could focus on other issues.
I am sure that we could agree on some of those issues. The problem seems to be getting past the partisanship (on both sides) long enough to find workable and common solutions. Sadly that seems to be a dying art.
Corey, now that you know the meaning of "teabagger," why don't you agree to no longer use the term in reference to the most potent grassroots political movement in decades?
It's easy to point to a specific Republican vote as increasing the deficit, but a look at the broader picture is more instructive. According to the CCAGW, which tabulates how each member of Congress votes on a broad range of key economic issues in each session of the Congress, Wisconsin's Republicans Petri, Ryan, and Sensenbrenner have lifetime scores of 83%, 91%, and 93% respectively, all scores earning the rating Taxpayer Hero. Wisconsin's Democrats had scores ranging from 7% (Kagan) to 23% (Kind). Who is friend and who is enemy of the taxpayer is obvious.
Frankly, I'm suprised that you folks are so sensitive to this teabagger thing...given what i've seen coming out of the tea parties. I think that your time would be better served if you would police your own people and some of the crazed rhetoric/signs/comments coming out of some of these events.
So some conservative org says something good about conservatives and that is supposed to convince me of something? Isn't this one of the same conservative groups that allegedlysold their influence to Jack Abramoff?
Ryan's hypocrisy-DULY noted. And yes, at least a few "conservatives" and all the libertarians I know are aware of it. I consider the Bankster Bailout vote to be a poison pill that should disqualify ANYONE, Dem or Rep, from further holding office.
Quite a few of us would LOVE to see a primary challenge of all 3 WI Republicans.
Ken Van Doren
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