45 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 8 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Paul Ryan; Mascot or Running Mate?

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   No comments
         I was initially going to take a summer hiatus from blogging and return just in time for the party conventions. That was until Mitt Romney announced he was selecting Paul Ryan as his running mate. Ryan's selection is nothing short of embarrassing, yet fitting at the same time. Nobody embodies the hypocrisy or lack of principles of the mainstream of the Republican Party more than Paul Ryan. In fact, he's the perfect mascot for the GOP. 
The post-2009 ( Democrat in White House ) Paul Ryan says many of the right things. He rails against big government, crony capitalism, debt, deficits, entitlements, overregulation, runaway monetary policy, and Washington picking winners and losers. Sounds great, right?

That is until you look at how the pre-2009 ( Republican in White House ) Paul Ryan actually governed and see that he is cut from exactly the same cloth as Barack Obama, only ten times worse. 
When George W. Bush was President it seems Paul Ryan didn't have any problem with any of the things he rightfully excoriates Barack Obama for. In fact, Congressman Ryan voted for No Child Left Behind, the Medicare Prescription Drug Entitlement, the Bridge to Nowhere, the TARP bank bailout, the Iraq War, and the auto bailouts. He voted in favor of every budget the Bush Administration proposed, taking government spending from 1.9 trillion dollars to 3.5 trillion dollars. This constituted an eighty-five percent increase in the size of government. Not to excuse him, but Barack Obama's first budget actually spent less than Bush's final budget and his budget for next year brings federal spending to 3.8 trillion dollars, a mere eight percent increase in the size of government since he took office.

It is this hypocrisy that makes me embarrassed to be a Republican right now. In the upside down world of most mainstream Republicans, the white guy who grew government by EIGHTY-FIVE percent is a solid conservative but the black guy who has grown government by a mere eight percent ( that's ninety percent less for those of you who don't believe in evolution or basic math ) is the reincarnation of Chairman Mao. Remember earlier when I said Paul Ryan was ten times worse than Barack Obama, well there's the math. For the record, I can't stand Barack Obama's governing philosophy but if the Republican Party wants to credibly oppose him they can't do it by having big government phonies like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan be the face of the party. 

From a policy and governing standpoint there has been no difference between the Bush and Obama administrations and if anyone can inform me otherwise I would love to hear from them. The only real difference between the two is the color of their skin. However, since January of 2009 Republican rhetoric has turned 180 degrees. Policies and decisions they supported under George W. Bush all of sudden became "socialism" and were characterized as the willful destruction of this country. 
The whole point of politics is supposed to be about policy, it's even the root of the word. You can't start complaining about big government in January after you voted for it in December. Otherwise you are just a partisan hack and sadly it makes the majority of Republicans seem like little more than racists.

The reason I became a Republican was because I believe in a government that does less but costs less. 
However, the current GOP model is to massively grow government while diverting the cost to someone else. It is time Republican voters start supporting people who govern in accordance with what the party is supposed stand for, not those who just talk about it or have been labeled the "most electable" by the media. However, if all you care about is that an individual with an R next to their name wins, regardless of whether or not they will govern according to what the party is supposed to stand for, then you are no better than the Democrats you claim to oppose. In fact, you're worse. At least Democrats have the guts to admit they're Democrats.
Rate It | View Ratings

W D Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Not applicable Blank

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Red State Remoras

Pop Rocks and Coke?

Who's Gonna Snort the Ants?

Paul Ryan; Mascot or Running Mate?

Rearranging the Deck Chairs (Again)

The Ides of Madness

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend