Paul Ryan, Poverty Warrior? Huh?

[Mass]

http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/paul-ryan-poverty-warrior-huh/

Ok, obviously I agree with Jared Bernstein on this, but I have three remarks:
- What does the Washington Post do when writing such a puff piece without even questioning Ryan's credibility on the issue? http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/paul-ryan-gops-budget-architect-sets-his-sights-on-fighting-poverty-and-winning-minds/2013/11/18/5c024888-4da8-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html?hpid=z4

- Ryan 101: Paul Ryan is for Paul Ryan. Nobody or nothing else.

- How can the GOP claim they care about poverty (and they do claim that, not only with Ryan, but Priebus and Cantor) when their policies so blatantly tell us another story.

This said, as long as Democrats continue to ignore the issue (and they have been for a long time, though they are slightly better with minimum wage) and focus on the middle class, the GOP will be able to make these claims. So, please, stop talking about the middle class as if they were the only thing that exists.

Paul Ryan, Poverty Warrior? Huh?

Nov 19, 2013 at 9:48 am

Look, I’m fine with the occasional puff piece, but you gotta give me something to go on. This AM’s WaPo printed a feature on Rep. Paul Ryan’s plans to fight poverty by embarking “…on an ambitious new project: Steering Republicans away from the angry, nativist inclinations of the tea party movement and toward the more inclusive vision of his mentor, the late Jack Kemp.”

You learn that Ryan’s “…been quietly visiting inner-city neighborhoods…to talk to ex-convicts and recovering addicts about the means of their salvation.” And that he and his staff have “…been trolling center-right think tanks and intellectuals for ideas to replace the “bureaucratic, top-down anti-poverty programs” that Ryan blames for “wrecking families and communities” since Lyndon B. Johnson declared a war on poverty in 1964.”

Then you read page after page, trying to figure out what the dude is actually saying he’d do to lower poverty, and here’s what you’re left with: vouchers, tax credits, and volunteerism.


...

OK, time to get to work, and I’m sorry to start the day with negativity and snark. But the emperor in the empty suit has no clothes.

Ryan Poverty Plan
1. Cut spending on the poor, cut taxes on the wealthy
2. Shred safety net through block granting federal programs
3. Encourage entrepreneurism, sprinkle around some vouchers and tax credits
4. ???
5. Poverty falls

[burnsei sensei]

1. Welcome Moloch Ryan.

nt

[VanillaRhapsody]

2. True only if you consider the Grinch was just trying to help out the Who's in Whoville!

[monmouth3]

3. His education in math is seriously lacking..n/t

[burnsei sensei]

6. My SO is a professional economist.

He examined Ryan's ideas for some time last year and told me that Ryan, in spite of all the hype, is a mediocre intellect.
He's a snake oil salesman.

[Scuba]

4. Paul Ryan predicts voters will reject him next November. Then we can safely ignore Lyin Ryan.

[SharonAnn]

5. Item 4 of his plan is: "And then a miracle happens"

And with that as Item 4, you can pretty well eliminate Items 1-3.