Paul Ryan Shrugged

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R, WI-1) has been a vocal deficit hawk for his entire congressional career, frightened inspired at an early age by conservative icon Ayn Rand, whose “Objectivist” pronunciamentos decried federal deficit financing. When Mr. Ryan became speaker in 2015, the deficit was $439 billion. When he leaves Congress in January, the massive tax cuts for corporations and the rich he championed will have ballooned the deficit to $1.2 trillion, and his tax cuts promise similar deficit increases for years to come. Ayn Rand must be rolling in her grave.

More:

“When Paul Ryan leaves government, the federal deficit will be $1.2 trillion higher than when he arrived,” Philip Bump, Washington Post

“Paul Ryan’s Legacy of Red Ink,” Michael Grunwald, Politico

“Paul Ryan’s Sad Legacy,” Derek Thompson, The Atlantic

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Paul Ryan Caves, House Chaplain Reinstated

If you missed it, last week Jesus trumped Ayn Rand at the U.S. House of Representatives. House Chaplain Fr. Patrick Conroy was forced to resign for his prayer suggesting that Congress remember the least among us when crafting a tax bill. Not only didn’t Congress take his advice, but House Speaker Paul Ryan was personally affronted and forced Father Conroy, a former lawyer turned Jesuit priest, to resign or be fired. While Mr.Ryan is an ostensibly-devout Catholic, his devotion to Ayn Rand overwhelmed Christian compassion in his screw-the-poor Tax Bill, now law.  The tax law is the only real accomplishment of Mr. Ryan’s tenure as Speaker, other than the huge federal deficit resulting from it.

Paul Ryan’s only problem: Congress really likes Father Pat, even most of the extreme-right Freedom Caucus members, except for the casually anti-Catholic ones. There’s also a question as to whether a House Chaplain, approved by a vote of the full chamber, can be peremptorily fired by the Speaker. Buoyed by overwhelming support, Father Conroy rescinded his forced resignation letter.

What’s a good Irish-American boy to do? Paul Ryan is leaving Congress anyway, so why should he care? He’s letting Father Pat continue serving as House Chaplain.

More:

“Paul Ryan vs. the House Chaplain Is Really Ayn Rand vs. Pope Francis,” Jay Michaelson, Daily Beast

“In a reversal, Speaker Ryan says the House chaplain will remain in his post,” Paul Kane, Washington Post

“Read: House Chaplain’s letter rescinding resignation,” The Hill

“Firing Fr. Conroy fits Paul Ryan’s pattern when it comes to the poor,” Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter

“3 Ways In Which the House Chaplain Controversy May Continue,” Lindsey McPherson, Roll Call

Updates:

“Ryan swears chaplain back in after controversy over resignation,” Juliegrace Brufke, The Hill

“Paul Ryan Had A ‘Good Cup Of Coffee’ With Reinstated House Chaplain,” Kate Riga, TPM Livewire

Related:

“7 Ways Paul Ryan Revealed His Love for Ayn Rand,” Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine

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GOP Healthcare Bill: DOA

Republicans in the House refused to line up behind Paul Ryan‘s misbegotten American Health Care Act, so the speaker pulled the plug Friday afternoon. After Donald Trump said he was “100 percent behind” the AHCA bill, many in the media had branded the draconian legislation TrumpCare, so naturally the president was quick to blame everyone else for the defeat, from the democrats to Ivanka and Jared.

You like your ObamaCare? You get to keep your ObamaCare.

More:

“Why Obamacare Defeated Trumpcare,” Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine

“Health-care stocks are celebrating the death of Donald Trump’s health-care bill,” Alison Griswold, Quartz

RyanCare: The more you need, the less you get

AHCA, the GOP healthcare bill: Ezra Klein explains it all to you.

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Under the GOP Plan, 24 Million People Will Lose Health Coverage

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has scored Paul Ryan’s 53-page American Health Care Act, and found it would save $337 billion over 10 years by denying health insurance to 24 million Americans. 14 million would lose coverage in the first year and insurance rates would rise 15-20% in 2018-2019. The AHCA celebrates all this by giving billions in tax breaks to the rich.

The biggest losers with the GOP health care bill? Americans who voted for Trump.

More:

“Health Bill Would Add 24 Million Uninsured but Save $337 Billion, Report Says,” Thomas Kaplan and Robert Pear, New York Times.

“The CBO’s nonpartisan report on the Republican ACA replacement plan, explained in 6 charts: It’s an attack on the poor.” Alvin Chang, Vox

Update:

Turns out that White House analysts are even more pessimistic than the CBO, and think 26 million people would lose coverage.

“White House analysis of Obamacare repeal sees even deeper insurance losses than CBO,” Paul Demko, Politico

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Paul Ryan, the GOP’s Bad Parent

Congressman Paul Ryan (R, WI-1) is Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, highest-ranking Republican and the party’s Big Daddy. He has not withdrawn his endorsement of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, despite having denounced Trump’s statements about once a week.

” … every time I hear Ryan on another Trump misdeed, I hear my bad-day self talking to my kids.

What? You’ve hit your sister again? You know you’re not supposed to do that. Do that again and you won’t get any bedtime stories! Seriously!

Another fib? Really, haven’t I told you that’s no good? No more of that, sweetie, or this time there really will be consequences!

Ryan can yammer on all he wants. At this point, it’s utterly meaningless and only counts as one more voice in a chorus of Trump enablement.”

—  “Like an ineffective parent, Paul Ryan is just enabling Trump,” Danielle Allen, Washington Post Op Ed

Earlier:

“I used to think Trump was an 11-year-old, an undeveloped school-yard bully. I was off by about 10 years. His needs are more primitive, an infantile hunger for approval and praise, a craving that can never be satisfied. He lives in a cocoon of solipsism where the world outside himself has value – indeed exists – only insofar as it sustains and inflates him.”

— Charles Krauthammer, Philadelphia Inquirer

Related:

“Pataki: Trump ‘the ultimate spoiled rich kid,'” Mark Hensch, The Hill

“Trump’s Temperament: Temper-Bent,” NotionsCapital

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Paul Ryan’s ObamaCare Replacement Plan

You know the GOP healthcare plan House Speaker Paul Ryan promised would be a better replacement for the Affordable Care Act (“ObamaCare”)? Turns out it’s not a plan, it’s a white paper — you know, kind of like a plan, but without all those nerdy numbers and pesky details. Expect the white paper snow job next week.

More:

“Paul Ryan’s Promised Obamacare Replacement Plan Shockingly Turns Out Not to Exist Again,” Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine

Related:

“Trump’s healthcare plans trouble GOP,”Peter Sullivan, The Hill

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Textbook Racism

House Speaker and former Wienermobile driver Rep. Paul Ryan has decried GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s remarks about the judge in the Trump University fraud trial:

“Claiming a person can’t do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment. If you say something that’s wrong, I think the mature and responsible thing is to acknowledge it.”

Rep. Ryan said this against the window-dressing of a DC drug and alcohol rehab center, where he also vowed to escalate his party’s assault on the poorest Americans.

More:

“Ryan: Trump’s comments ‘textbook definition’ of racism,” Heather Caygle, Politico

Related:

“Fact Checker: Sorry, Donald Trump, the Trump University judge was just following the law,” Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Washington Post

“Donald Trump’s smear campaign against a federal judge, explained,” Dara Lind, Vox

“Trump, the ‘Mexican’ judge and racism we’ve seen before,” Eric L. Muller, Charlotte News & Observer

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Paul Ryan Coronation Today. Make That ‘Paul D. Ryan.’

After refusing the crown three times, like Caesar, Rep. Paul Ryan (R, WI-1) accepted it, along with the sable, sceptre and orb, and was anointed as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Henceforth, he shall be known as “Speaker Paul D. Ryan.”

Okay, he’s not Emperor, but the GOP’s Tea Party and Freedom Caucus loons resent the imperial powers invested in the office by Newt Gingrich while he was Speaker.

More:

“Paul D. Ryan elected House speaker, but GOP divisions remain,” Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times

“Paul Ryan Is Elected House Speaker, Hoping to Manage Chaos,”Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times

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John Boehner: The Long Goodbye

House Speaker John Boehner (R, OH-8) is on his way out the door with nothing to lose, so he negotiated a budget deal with the Democratic leadership and sent it to the House floor, where it was approved by 187 Democrats and 79 Republicans. It seems likely to pass the Senate and get inked by the president, giving Paul Ryan (R, WI-1), the likely incoming Speaker, two years of budget breathing room. Mr. Ryan publicly grumbled about the deal, to appease the bomb-throwers of the GOP Freedom Caucus, but he voted for it, since his staff helped write it. In any case, John Boehner has given Mr. Ryan a wonderful parting gift.

More:

“Boehner’s Swan Song: An End to the Fiscal Cliffs,” Jay Newton-Small, TIME

“Fresh starts as GOP taps new speaker, approves budget deal,” Erica Werner, AP via Washington Post

“John Boehner reshaped House, speakership with earmarks ban, new rules,” Stephen Dinan, Washington Times

“Boehner Reflects on Leaving ‘Lonely’ Job as US House Speaker,” Reuters via VOA News

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