Paul Ryan on Past Comments About the Poor: 'I Was Just Wrong'

[KamaAina]

https://sojo.net/articles/watch-paul-ryan-publicly-repents-past-comments-about-poor

Ryan, who has previously endorsed the writings of Ayn Rand, admitted, “I’m certainly not going to stand here and tell you I have always met this standard” of civility.

So, in an act of practicing what you preach, Ryan went on to address how he has spoken about people on government benefits:

"There was a time when I would talk about a difference between 'makers' and 'takers' in our country, referring to people who accepted government benefits. But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized I was wrong. 'Takers' wasn’t how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap, just trying to take care of her family. Most people don't want to be dependent. And to label a whole group of Americans that way was wrong. I shouldn’t castigate a large group of Americans to make a point.

"So I stopped thinking about it that way—and talking about it that way. But I didn’t come out and say all this to be politically correct. I was just wrong."

"Paul Ryan on Pretty Much Everything: 'I Was Just Wrong'". There. I fixed it for you.

[Yuugal]

1. Another pol who will say anything.

They all make me sick. I'm gonna stick to the ones that have been on my side all along. They stick out like a sore thumb since there are maybe 10 in the whole damn congress.

[villager]

2. The PACs allowed ten to slip through!?

[Yuugal]

4. I was afraid someone would make me name them.....

Whew! Dodged a bullet there.

[underpants]

3. As in posted on another thread - expect to see more of this

They are trying to rewrite/erase their past. They think it will possibly save the Senate. It's just that simple.

[tnvoter]

5. ^^ This is spot on.

I agree with underpants. This is either an effort to save the Senate, or re-position Ryan to improve odds of achieving his personal career aspirations in the near or far future. He's a snake.

[Hortensis]

13. Absolutely. He pushed Ayn Rand in his 40s!

Not his 20s. Few people claiming to be libertarians actually are, but I suspect that is his personality type, not just his true politics.

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Ryan is worried about getting reelected.

If you have been following what is happening in Wisconsin,Ryan's District has taken hit after hit from his parties polices and it is coming back to bit him in the ass. Bernie supporters have raise awareness of these Ayn Rand and ALEC policies as well as steep cuts in SNAP and other People programs. If you have relatives still living in Wisconsin,you what I say. Unless you are a 1%er,you are in a world of hurt.

[underpants]

7. Thanks for the local knowledge

I did not know those details.

I still say that we can expect to see the Repubs soften themselves to erase and distance from either Trump or Cruz.

[Wellstone ruled]

9. Our Relatives back in Wisconsin are saying

things are going from bad to ugly when is comes to the economy and safety net issues.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

21. In December?

[Hortensis]

14. Yes, thanks, Wellstone.

Your posts are always worth reading. I'm especially glad that his connection to ALEC, and ALEC itself, is becoming known. Our Georgia congressman makes no effort to hide it.

[CoffeeCat]

30. Maybe they'll try to run Ryan

And oust Trump through a brokered convention.

They're up to something.

Ryan has been on a tear lately--speaking reasonably and with compassion about the need for Americans to be civil, kind and to play fair.

He's sounds like Mr Rogers. So something is percolating in their little Republucan heads.

[lunatica]

45. You mean their itty bitty tiny Republican heads don't you?

Where the chances of their two brain cells actually crashing and creating a though is minimal.

You're right. The Republicans really love Paul Ryan and they think that his losing in a landslide to be VP is just because he ran for it. This way he can be it. No citizens need be involved.

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. And you never will, mr ryan.

""I’m certainly not going to stand here and tell you I have always met this standard” of civility."

[libdem4life]

10. Nice try. That's what we said after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, too.

Oopsie.

[ananda]

11. So?

Being a Reep, what's he going to DO about it?

Nothing. In fact, he'll go out of his way to make
it worse.

[Enrique]

12. the old words aren't working anymore

Frank Luntz is working on new words to say the same thing.

[MisterP]

15. what a prancing asshole

[lunatica]

46. That's a very good description!

It's so hard to nail him in succinct language. You just did.

[CTyankee]

16. holee shite!

[Blasphemer]

17. If anyone doubted how much trouble the GOP is in....

This is proof positive of just how screwed they are. They've been in charge, in one form or another, for most of my adult life and they don't ever apologize, ESPECIALLY when they are wrong. They double down, triple down with the arrogance that comes with consolidating the bulk of the country's wealth and power. Their time is up.

[irisblue]

18. Talk is cheap. Submit a budget & pass one that helps poor people.

[Vinca]

19. Why do I think little Paul is trying to clean up his mess

before the second ballot at their convention? He's a blatant opportunist who doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself and his cronies.

[2naSalit]

51. There can be few to no other

answers here. There is no sincerity to that when he had to read every word off the page and when he's ranting about the "takers" and that Rand person, it's all from the heart.

He wants that nomination and he smells blood, with that combo he thinks he will be emperor yet.

[RedCappedBandit]

20. Yawn. Meaningless PR.

[malaise]

22. Who the fugg does he think he's fooling

Throw grandma over the cliff - privatize Social Security - that's his dream

[Jenny_92808]

27. +1

I am thinking the same thing!

[malaise]

28. I love this ad

[Jenny_92808]

33. WOW!

That fits them to a TEE!

You Rock

[LiberalArkie]

35. Lindsey Graham on Comedy Central was interesting. I think he is scared, and probably

for the first time with the choice of Trump or Cruz. The only thing he said good about Cruz is "He is not Trump". He ask Noah if he was a citizen, Noah said No, Graham asked him if he had a green card, Noah said no. Graham said as a liberal black non citizen you had better move to a different country if they win.

[malaise]

36. Didn't see it

Graham helped to create this mess

[LiberalArkie]

39. Must see TV

http://theslot.jezebel.com/lindsey-graham-is-shown-footage-of-himself-bashing-ted-1766809728

[malaise]

40. Thanks

[LiberalArkie]

41. Grahams comment, I think my party is totally screwed up

[padfun]

38. Unfortunately she is right

I don't like Lindsey but she is right occasionally. (Yes, she)

[Mc Mike]

23. A blatantly lying swine. rec. nt.

[Myrina]

24. What is the little worm up to?

He wouldn't ever say something like this out of sincere contrition / evolution / change of heart .... what's his end game?

[annabanana]

32. Looking towards the brokered convention, maybe..

There's "no, no" on his lips, but "yes, yes" in his eyes. .

[ashling]

25. so that mean

that he and Ayn broke up ??

[lunatica]

47. No. He doesn't admit to having a love thing for Ayn.

He never did.

[ashling]

50. Sarchasm:

The huge gap between the sarcastic remark and the person who doesn't get it.

[Jenny_92808]

26. Are you an infiltrator who tries to soften the image

of a YUUUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEE Wrong doer?

[Kip Humphrey]

29. Either schizophrenia has set in or Paul Ryan is running for President.

[FLPanhandle]

31. I'll take "Hoping for a brokered convention", Alex.

It's so obvious he wants the nomination out of the convention.

[Jenny_92808]

34. You put it in a nutshell!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[padfun]

37. I will give him credit

for at least publically saying this.

[lunatica]

48. Which he hopes will make him the candidate in a brokered convention

Yeah. Give him credit for looking out for himself.

[oioioi]

52. Paul Ryan's understanding of poverty...

“We have got this tailspin of culture in our inner cities, in particular, of men not working – of generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work," Ryan said. "There there’s a real culture problem here that has to be dealt with."

http://wuwm.com/post/ryan-explain-plans-fight-poverty-inner-city-comments-congressional-black-caucus


We don't want to turn the safety net into a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into complacency and dependence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/paul-ryan-welfare-reform_n_1368277.html


"There was a time when I would talk about a difference between 'makers' and 'takers' in our country, referring to people who accepted government benefits. But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized I was wrong. 'Takers' wasn’t how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap, just trying to take care of her family. Most people don't want to be dependent. And to label a whole group of Americans that way was wrong. I shouldn’t castigate a large group of Americans to make a point.

"So I stopped thinking about it that way—and talking about it that way. But I didn’t come out and say all this to be politically correct. I was just wrong."

https://sojo.net/articles/watch-paul-ryan-publicly-repents-past-comments-about-poor

[struggle4progress]

42. Was that wrong?

[lunatica]

43. Tell me what changed your mind, asshole, and I'll decide what I believe

My experience is that only personal experience makes this kind of change happen. Did he suddenly become poor? Did his family fall through the cracks and end up homeless? Nope.

Is he a politician in line to be President? Yeah. That I believe.

[truebrit71]

44. Translated means: "oh alright, I'll be the unifying nominee if you really, really insist"...

If Trump doesn't have a majority of the delegates at the RNC (Republican National Clusterfuck) ...Ryan will be floated as the "sensible" alternative to Drumpf or the Canadian....

[killbotfactory]

49. Actions speak louder than words. nt

[oioioi]

53. "I didn’t come out and say all this to be politically correct"...

No. He said it to be politically expedient.