John Nichols, The Nation: Paul Ryan's "Spinal Tap" Tour

[highplainsdem]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/160174/paul-ryans-spinal-tap-tour

Paul Ryan's "Spinal Tap" Tour
John Nichols
April 26, 2011


-snip-

Ryan's gotten used to the limelight in Washington, where he has successfully peddled the fantasy that "America is broke." The Republican pointman on fiscal matters had even got some Democrats buying into a debate about how to slash the federal deficit that has as its endgame not a balanced budget but the radical restructuring of Medicare and Medicaid and the beginning of a process of privatizing Social Security.

Ryan's comfortable with the cheers from pundits and political allies, and the undue respect afforded his extreme notions by media outlets that aren't very good at covering two things: economics and politics. He was even invited to present the Republican response to the State of the Union address (only to be upstaged by the even-more factually challenge Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, R-Presidential Wannabee.)

-snip-

But he's not playing so well at home, in southeast Wisconsin's 1st district.

His spring recess tour on the towns was supposed to be a triumphal return of a hometown hero turned sudden celebrity. Instead, the tour has the feel of those dismal dates played by the aging rockers in the movie "Spinal Tap."

-snip-

Ryan will be in Kenosha today. Should be interesting. There will be a "Hands Off My Medicare" rally in Kenosha, outside Ryan's town hall event:

http://kenoshacountydems.org/?page_id=108

[livetohike]

1. LOL @ "Spinal Tap tour"

:toast:

[Richardo]

2. Marquee: "Puppet Show"

"Paul Ryan Town Hall"

[VWolf]

3. Hello Cleveland!!!! Rock and Roll!!! n/t

[EC]

4. Yep,

got the call and will be there.

[Blue Owl]

5. Hey GOP, lick my love pump

:headbang:

[Cheap_Trick]

6. "Spinal Pap"

Maybe Ryan can get lost under the stage.


And never find his way out.

[Initech]

7. He'll have an 11" Stonehenge monument following him.

We had a Stonehenge monument onstage that was about to be crushed by a dwarf!!

:rofl: