The Washington media are anointing Rep. Paul Ryan as the one man who can unite the Republican caucus, drawing in conservatives and establishment types alike.
But before they crown the Wisconsin lawmaker, one of those Beltway denizens needs to talk to a real, live conservative.
Ryan, who has spent nearly his entire professional career in Washington drawing a federal paycheck, doesn’t come close to fitting the prototype of what conservatives want. Rather, he is better associated with the two dethroned GOP establishment figures with whom he wrote the 2010 book “Young Guns” — former presumptive Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California and ex-Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, who lost a primary challenge to conservative David Brat in 2014.
Being immersed in the establishment for so long, messiness like fights over principles that cause government shutdowns are instinctively frowned upon by Ryan, who in a separate 2014 book called the 2013 shutdown a “suicide mission.”
Ryan wrote: “In short, the strategy our colleagues had been promoting was flawed from beginning to end. It was a suicide mission. But a lot of members were afraid of what would happen if they didn’t jump off the cliff … The shutdown wasn’t a disagreement over principles, or even politics. Rather, it is proof of what happens to a party when it’s defined primarily by what it opposes, instead of by its ideas.”
In a 2014 interview, Ryan said Republicans were easy to blame for the fallout.
Why, then, would a Speaker Ryan handle conservatives who want to do battle with President Barack Obama any differently than current Speaker John Boehner did?
Ryan helped the GOP leadership team that in January 2014 put together “principles” for “comprehensive” immigration legislation. He has expressed support for legalizing “Dreamers” whose parent brought them to the United States illegally. His website indicates he backs a pathway to citizenship for all illegal aliens. That would effectively give them legal status during a “legal probation” period that occurs before getting the chance to become full citizens.
“A conservative deals with the world as it is — not how it should be,” he lectures on his website.
Ryan also voted for — and went out of his way to promote — the Obama-negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership. The agreement is anathema to many conservatives concerned about ceding U.S. sovereignty to a regional trade deal, and about the pact’s effect on U.S. workers.
He just doesn’t rate well. Literally. The conservative HeritageAction organization gives him only a 57 percent rating for the current session of Congress, compared to an average for House Republicans of 68 percent.
Putting an exclamation point on the problem, left-wing Democratic firebrand Rep. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois threw his backing behind Ryan.
“He would be good for the country,” Gutierrez said. “He would be good for the Republican Party. Paul Ryan is the kind of individual that would work with people on the other side of the aisle and that’s what we need.'”
Trade, immigration, battles over principle that call attention to Obama-backed outrages — Ryan is wrong on all of these. So why is he right for conservatives?
And is someone who lost a debate to an inanely laughing Vice President Joe Biden really perfect to be the “Speaker” for Republicans?
Even the sometimes tongue-tied McCarthy might have been able to win that one.
16 thoughts on “Speaker Paul Ryan? Conservatives May Beg to Disagree”
And was portrayed in an ad throwing granny off the cliff.
That Boehner is on his knees begging, begging Ryan speaks volumes.
He’s too enmeshed in the Washington quagmire to suit me.
Boehner shut that election down for a reason, he didn’t like the likely outcome.
No on Paul Ryan.
No on Paul Ryan — he brings nothing to the table that a speakership needs and he is GOPe. Moreover, he clearly does not want it. Can’t imagine anything worse than having a man in this tumultuous situation who does not even want to be there. How hard will he fight — or will he just follow?
OT Obama and Oregon. It just occurred to me (because I am slow off the mark) but in addition to it being disgraceful that Obama went against the wishes of many of the families, once again a tragedy is followed by a fundraiser.
Nothing stops this man or the Democrats from getting the money. Well, certainly not an American death.
Do we really know where the money for these fundraisers is going?
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At this point I can think of many people with no experience, but love, devotion for their Country that I would rather be in that seat.
Common sense would be a first qualification that I feel many have lost.
How dumb are the established Repubs to think that a government shutdown was a “suicide”?
So, they allowed the government to shut down, MrObama got all mean and nasty, and then the Repubs were elected to a majority in Congress.
What part of that don’t they get?
We’re out here whispering – yeah, shut it down, go ahead, make a stand, for pete’s sake do SOMETHING.
Now they have the votes, so do it.
I just listened to the end of the Hannity radio show. Caller had brought up the Shut down issue, and didn’t think it was a good idea. Hannity explained they have the power of the purse, and if they may have to do so, it would be giving up.
I don’t get all the GOP Paul Ryan love. longtime readers may remember that I thought Romney lost the election the day he named Ryan his VP choice. and now “they” want him to be Speaker? why?
there are so many other more interesting candidates. I personally favor Jason Chaffetz.
Conservatives and The Freedom Caucus — bashed by GOPe and the elite media as well, including Fox who definitely is just Karl Rove country now Jeb!
No wonder we have stagnation and corruption and people in office way past their expiration date.
I can’t remember who — but somebody of good reputation said that what is now necessary is for McConnell to kill the filibuster which is being used in the most destructive of ways.
What’s the point of change in the House if McConnell allows everything to be buried on the floor if it even gets there. And let’s not forget how much he fears the Obama veto.
If Gutierrez backs him, there is no way anyone should vote for Paul Ryan for Speaker. He will probably spend his time drafting legislation to create a pathway to citizenship for his dear illegals.
Here is his GovTrack information. When you look at the red dot map you will see he scores low on leadership and fairly close to the center. For sure he is not conservative.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/paul_ryan/400351
I’ve been predicting all week that with Obummer’s west coast fundraising trip ending up in L.A. on Saturday that he would be meeting up with the Choom Gang for another boys’ golf weekend in Palm Springs (taking a long weekend for Columbus Day and flying back on Monday).
Well, I guess I was half right. He’ll probably be with the Choom Gang, but it appears they’ve grown tired of Palm Springs and will be weekending in San Diego. Article linked at the top of Drudge:
http://www.cbs8.com/story/30229246/president-obamas-mysterious-trip-to-san-diego
He seemed like such a good vote until that horrible Joe debate. what is in the water there in D.C.??
Ryan’s manhood was stripped by the moron Joe Biden in the VP debate. Do we want a Speaker with no manhood? This is even before we start talking about amnesty.
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