I listened to most of Paul Ryan's "maiden" speakership speech, and I'm tempted to be harsh in regard to its democratic mush; its sappy, humble odes to the little people, who wish only virtue in their reps. But I shan't be harsh, for such is the argumentum ad pabulum required of every member of the United States House of Representatives, or anyone else who seeks to pacify the monkey cage.
What irks is the man, himself, who prattled it. Lurking in Ryan's ode was, of course, oodles of Ayn Randism that is intent on sociopathically inflicting as much injury on The People as The People's House can possibly inflict. In terms of what we might call an "outsider" ideology, it's as legitimate as most other ideologies; it is simple-minded, it is all-encompassing, and it's all-answering. I begrudge no ideologue his or her intellectual fantasies. As a socialist, I hold a fair share myself.
But for such ideological sociopathy to come from an insider — that is what maddens. Except for a few youthful gigs such as driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and flipping grilled toxicities at McDonald's, Paul Ryan has drawn nary a private paycheck in his life. He has been at the public trough, year after year, slopping up as many big-government godsends as his oblivious soul could absorb.
What Ryan would deny others, he lavishes upon himself. But you know what? Ryan seems so friggin' oblivious, I wonder if he can appreciate just what a hypocritical toad he really is. Like all designing ideologues, he imagines, I suppose, that he's on a sublime mission, that he's doing some sort of God's work. That six-figure government income, government perks, government benefits, government travel and a doting government staff? Hey, he didn't ask for all that. It just comes with the job, and so he suffers it.
OK, so I got a bit harsh; but, as promised, not about his maiden speech.
I seriously doubt that he does realize the inconsistencies in his philosophy. But it is something he shares with most humans. As you note we all have our blind spots. The one and only thing that government ever does and has since its invention is redistribute wealth. People who rail against this redistribution don't generally object to it per se but to distributing it to anyone but themselves. Ryan is just one of those people who has managed to be highly successful at getting stuff distributed to him. Always has and probably always will. That is because is because he feels entitled to his entitlements. It's yours he has a problem with.
Posted by: Peter G | October 29, 2015 at 11:51 AM
You have to love his first tweet as a speaker:
No more favors for the few. Opportunity for all—that is our motto. #SpeakerRyan
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) October 29, 2015
Hypocrisy is his middle name!
Posted by: Jean-Luc | October 29, 2015 at 02:48 PM
If anyone would like to see the 14 minutes of forced humor and bonhomie it's at: http://paulryan.house.gov/videos/?VideoID=n2KCaJBZRQc
It's going to be fun to watch the freakdom caucus turn on him.
Posted by: Bob | October 29, 2015 at 05:00 PM
Biggest phony in politics.
On the bright side, one would think his inevitable resignation in disgrace and/or frustration in 2-3 years should probably end any hopes he still has of being a viable presidential candidate. Although the Village media has already gone to astonishing lengths to protect Ryan's reputation.
Posted by: Turgidson | October 29, 2015 at 05:56 PM