tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436782247272162797.post9132949331705093428..comments2024-03-27T17:27:49.087-04:00Comments on Strangely Blogged: Sometimes I Make PredictionsVixen Strangelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01976594951225450413noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436782247272162797.post-27358905554641031492013-03-14T22:54:49.088-04:002013-03-14T22:54:49.088-04:00I think Paul Ryan's budgets are more like a fl...I think Paul Ryan's budgets are more like a flag than a battle plan--it gives the believers something to rally around, but hasn't got to do with governing, because government is soooo icky, that only the pure of heart (sure, like the Pauls, father and son, or Ryan) should be allowed to do it. It's a signifier for the small gov purists.<br /><br />I think it's just good that the signifier works the other way--informed voters can identify supporters of it as "teh crazy" and give them a wide berth.Vixen Strangelyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01976594951225450413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436782247272162797.post-88421292237138486192013-03-14T16:15:32.082-04:002013-03-14T16:15:32.082-04:00In other words, Ryan is going to basically be Ron ...In other words, Ryan is going to basically be Ron Paul 2.0, the psycho glibertarian limpet who can't be dislodged from a gubbermint job with a goddamn crowbar.Big Bad Bald Bastardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01983025559556548658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6436782247272162797.post-85724325851066748332013-03-13T09:14:22.472-04:002013-03-13T09:14:22.472-04:00the fascinating thing about paul ryan and the vari...the fascinating thing about paul ryan and the various versions of his plan as a phenomenon is that he is crazy popular with the washington media, but his plan is crazy unpopular with the general public. which means that each incarnation of "the ryan plan" gets a major fluffing from the media, which makes the GOP think that ryan is the horse to back. but each time the ryan plan has actually gone to the voters, the voters rejected it definitively. (e.g. <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/122624839.html" rel="nofollow">the hochul special election in 2011</a> and the last presidential election, where ryan lost not only his state, but also his home town of janesville)<br /><br />there's no actual evidence that ryan or his plan is popular with voters, or gains them a single vote on election day. there is some evidence that having ryan around a politician's neck is a liability. but because he gets so much attention with his plan schtick, there's this overwhelming impression that ryan is some kind of asset to the republican party. that's how ryan got the veep nomination. and that may be part of the reason he lost. so i personally have no problem with yet another ryan plan roll out. i hope they continue to roll out plan after plan all the way through the next election.upyernozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13468075957480441353noreply@blogger.com