Day 520.
Yesterday Paul Ryan announced he would not run for reelection. Everyone was “shocked” by his announcement. I wasn’t. I expected he would run away and hide somewhere. He has hinted at it for about a year now.
Ever since 2010 when the Republican “wave” occurred and the House went over to them, the House of Representatives, and the Congress in general because of the House, has been the least productive in our history. Each year they break new low records for doing nothing.
Under Ryan’s stewardship, we have gotten nothing. The Republicans will claim that their Tax Cuts for the Rich is something, but that only counts if you are rich or a big corporation. Or if you consider Ryan’s comment about now being able to pay for your Costco membership from your huge tax break is something.
Paul Ryan went to Washington to “fix our broken financial system”. His answers were very simple. Cut taxes for the wealthy and the corporations, and cut spending on the elderly, young, and poor people of the country. According to his great philosophy, if you can’t afford to live, don’t.
This horrible philosophy has wound its way down to the states. We have seen Republican controlled states slash taxes for the wealthy and corporations, all the while cutting everything that doesn’t benefit those groups. Especially deep cuts in education.
Paul Ryan’s philosophy has been the country does not need an Education Department, an EPA, an OSHA, Welfare, Food Stamps, Unemployment Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security. Educating our children, protecting our environment from polluters, protecting the workplace and enforcing safety for workers, allowing poor people to afford food and housing, medical care for the poor and elderly and protecting our seniors from poverty through Social Security just aren’t “necessary” and they should all go away.
He figured that once those agencies and programs were eliminated, he could increase defense spending and still give huge tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. That is his total philosophy on “fiscal responsibility”.
Governors in solidly held Republican states like Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, Arizona and others followed his model. When the ACA was passed, they all refused to expand Medicaid according to the law. They slashed service parts of the budget including education. They were going to “show America that Paul Ryan’s vision was right for America”.
To put it bluntly, they failed. Instead of providing their “Republican Utopia” that was prosperous and wonderful to live in, they created hells on earth where even companies are shying away from. Their education systems are in shambles and their children are suffering because of their huge budget cuts.
And, every one of these states used huge tax cuts in order to force the budgetary cuts they wanted because they all have “balanced budget amendments”. So, to make the cuts you want, you first let the wealthy and corporations off the hook for their fair share of taxes. And, you give out bread crumbs to the rest of the people, but not very much.
As a result, deficits would either balloon or budgets would have to be slashed. Of course, they chose the latter. As a result, education suffered big time and the children are being robbed of a brighter future.
All you need to do is look at the teacher uprisings in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Arizona to see I am right. The budgetary irresponsibility of Republicans in those states is coming back to them. The budget in Kansas was so bad, the Republican Controlled state legislature actually had to raise taxes to make ends meet. Their Republican Utopia totally failed, especially when you consider the “great job growth” their plan was supposed to make happen never did.
Then in order to remain in control, Republicans in these states went to work on gerrymandering the districts to ensure their super majorities. Then they started passing voter suppression laws to keep those damn Democrats from even getting to vote.
That is exactly the philosophy that Paul Ryan wanted to bring to the Federal Government. He was only interested in a “me first” philosophy and the rest of us should either starve or simply die.
The day the ACA passed Congress, Ryan railed against the bill. He promised for years that Congress would “repeal and replace” the law. When it was actually his turn to do something about it, all he gave us was a “repeal” bill. There was no “replacement” bill. Why? Because he wasn’t interested in making sure we all have reasonably priced insurance for us and our families.
When our dear leader won the election, Ryan who previously did not “endorse” him, suddenly became an apologist for him. He won’t stand up to him, even when dear leader throws him under the bus. Like that so-called health bill when at first dear leader called it “great” and then later called it “hurtful”.
Ryan says he is going to keep his speakership until the end of his term. But, there is already an uprising in his caucus about that. Supporters of our dear leader want him to quit right now. They claim that they would keep the House if they had a “united caucus” before the elections.
But, what it is mostly about is the “redoing” of the budget that they already passed. The ultra-conservative wackos want to slash the budget they already approved because they are the ones who “raised the debt” with their budget and unnecessary tax cuts. And, they are willing to hurl Ryan overboard right now in order to attempt to get what they want.
Political strife in parties is a natural phenomenon of politics. Inside bickering is actually good for a political party. But, what we are seeing in today’s Republican Party is an outright civil war. The far-right want those failed “Republican Utopias” to become the United States of America. That is the primary reason they passed their tax cuts for the rich bill before passing a budget.
They tried to force everyone’s hand by slashing revenue and then cry that we cannot afford the budget. Typical Republican strategy for about 40 years now.
Fearing they will be blamed for the huge deficit they created, they are now talking about passing a “balanced budget amendment” for the Federal Government. They believe that fake amendment will give them cover for the backlash they have unleashed on themselves.
I have written before that the Republican Party as we knew it has been dead for years now. And, it was people like Paul Ryan that led to its demise. Instead of trying to actually govern the country when given the chance, they instead tried to “rule” the country and do things they knew would hurt the American People.
Instead of looking in the mirror and figuring out what went wrong with their Republican Utopia, they instead turn to hate and divisiveness to save their political skin. They are devoid of new ideas and cling to the same things that have caused the uprising in their own states. Their “me first” fiscal philosophy is a total failure. And, they refuse to see the reality and cling to their fake world.
We are seeing more and more Republicans announce their retirement from Congress this year. When the economy is good, when you are in control, when you actually believe in what you are doing, you don’t retire. You stay on and make sure your plans go forward.
But, the wackos have taken control of the Republican party. That has meant that the more “traditional” Republicans are fleeing like rats on a sinking ship. I don’t know if there will be the “Blue Wave” everyone is talking about. The elections are a long way off. Anything can happen.
But, if Republicans keep going along the path they are, the chances will continue to grow that the Blue Wave just might happen. This is all because Republicans are more afraid of the wacko fringe than in fighting for what they really believe in.
Throughout our history, various political parties have damaged our country. It is not something that only happens in one party. This time around it is the Republican Party that is wreaking havoc on the country. It is the Republican Party that is stigmatizing the parties and making the “other side” enemies and not political opponents.
We need two strong political parties for our democracy to work. We need a diverse agenda of ideas and policies that can be presented to the American people for them to choose which idea or policy best fits their needs. What we don’t need is a political party that pits Americans against Americans based on hate and divisiveness.
So, Paul Ryan is going to retire at the end of his term. He says it is because that he wants to spend more time with his family and his children. And, I for one believe him. I only wish he had done so years ago. Maybe we wouldn’t be in the mess we are now.
So, Good-Bye Mr. Ryan. Thanks for nothing!
Lean Left World 