Ryan Shrugged
There is "The Ryan Plan" after all. I may challenge certain of its assumptions and proposals, but at least they've been made explicit such that they can be challenged, subjected to the critique our political process is premised upon.
From what I've observed, Ryan's conservatism appears to be deeply and consistently founded —it's genuine conviction for him. And he respects ideas. For a while now I've been hearing him referred to as "the intellectual leader of the GOP" (which you've got to admit is a little like being called one of the great chefs of Ireland —but let's not go there.)
None of that is to say that I am swayed to support a Romney/Ryan ticket. (I know that comes as a shocker.) I am reminded of that point a few months back when Ryan's Budget Proposals were up for detailed scrutiny and groups like the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that Ryan's plans would eventually end "everything from veterans' programs to medical and scientific research, highways, education, nearly all programs for low-income families." Ryan found his ever so clearly stated budget priorities challenged on their substance —and on basic moral grounds.
Georgetown University Faculty "welcomed" his visiting lecture at about that time "as an opportunity to discuss Catholic social teaching and its role in public policy" —but also noted:
"...we would be remiss in our duty to you and our students if we did not challenge your continuing misuse of Catholic teaching to defend a budget plan that decimates food programs for struggling families, radically weakens protections for the elderly and sick, and gives more tax breaks to the wealthiest few. As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has wisely noted in several letters to Congress – 'a just framework for future budgets cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor persons.' Catholic bishops recently wrote that 'the House-passed budget resolution fails to meet these moral criteria.'
In short, your budget appears to reflect the values of your favorite philosopher, Ayn Rand, rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her call to selfishness and her antagonism toward religion are antithetical to the Gospel values of compassion and love."
At the time Ryan didn't like being "pasted with the epistemology" of Ayn Rand. He quickly gave an interview to The National Review in which he stated, “I reject her [Rand's] philosophy. It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview." When it comes to epistemology, he said, "give me Aquinas." (
Of course he'd already been given Aquinas and a Papal Encyclical or two to boot
.)
There was just one problem with Ryan's avid disavowal of Rand's philosophy, the intellectual leader of the GOP was on record with past comments just a little less fulltroated in terms of rejection. Stuff like:
"Ayn Rand, more than anyone else, did a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism."
That was one of his observations. And then there was this little testimonial:
“The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.”
Back in 2003 Ryan had told the Weekly Standard, “I give out ‘Atlas Shrugged’ as Christmas presents, and I make all my interns read it. Well… I try to make my interns read it.” [Ha Ha Ha]
Maybe there's some droll witticism to giving an overlong atrociously written novel by an atheistic philosopher whose ideas are antithetical to your world view as Christmas presents to your interns — a philosopher famous for lines like
"What I am fighting is the idea that charity is a moral duty"
or
"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction."
If there is some clever comment of understated complexity there I have to admit the humor is too subtle for me to understand. It goes beyond irony to the level of the absurd in my view.
I guess I'll just have to shrug.
The months ahead should be interesting anyway.
Sean, I'm not sure I was going for "cute" or any other kind of paint for that matter. But I am glad to hear you're going to weigh all kinds of different perspectives as you go on to vote. Who could ask for anything more? Also I meant to respond to John's concern about the timeline here. The quote about Rand so aptly describing the "morality of capitalism" was from a video Ryan produced in 2010.In the same video he described life in Obama's America as "like living in an Ayn Rand novel." The letter from the Faculty at Georgetown and Ryan's response to it are from Spring of 2012.
Tom.Driscoll | 2012-08-13 12:08:48
Thanks for your article Tom. I do reject entirely the cute little picture you have painted. That is because I have done my homework and educated myself to his voting records and many of the things he stands for. I get my information from all sorts of area's and from many different points of view ie.Liberal, Conservative and even very radical marxist points of view. This allows me the ability to make my own decisions on a candidate rather then latching on to the first opinion I hear. Hopefully the readers here will do the same thing and come to their own conclusion as opposed to being walked like a dog every morning down the same trail.
Sean | 2012-08-13 11:32:22
I agree with Newt Gingrich who labeled Paul Ryan's budget proposals, "right wing social engineering" earlier this year during the Republican Primaries - but, it's time to have that discussion with the American people and see where they want to go with Medicare, Social Security, defense spending, capital gains taxes etc I'm more concerned when Mr. Ryan cosponsors legislation defining fertilized eggs as human being and supports states deciding what criminal penalties would be attached to abortion and making it illegal in all circumstances - and Mr. Driscoll is correct, "the months ahead should be interesting anyway."
Concerned Citizen | 2012-08-12 15:24:00
But just to be clear for Jon and Bill's sake, I am quite serious when I say that I welcome Ryan into to the race. I do genuinely believe the man has respect for ideas (which is something frankly I don't sense from his running mate). That doesn't mean I shouldn't challenge him when I sense some contradiction. Our political process is premised on that kind of debate, last time I checked anyway. That's what I am doing here. That's what the faculty at Georgetown was doing with their letter.
Tom Driscoll | 2012-08-12 12:21:27
Jon, I am sorry if you were troubled by my remark about the "great chefs of Ireland" -I do try to be an advocate for more civil exchange in general, but sometimes you have to call out atrocity when you see it.
Tom Driscoll | 2012-08-12 12:11:46
You can tell Tom's worried when he rushes a weak and antique assault on Mr. Ryan within 24 hours of his being named. What I love about Paul Ryan is that in most of his statements about how poorly our government has handled it's financial obligations, you can substitute "Town of Holliston" for "our Federal Government" and they are just as true. Those on the left, who are lost to the Greece like destiny we face, will - and have already apparently - dismissed Paul Ryan. I hope those who are still thinking the calamity can be avoided will listen to his plan and vote accordingly. What good does it do anybody to preserve the status quo of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid if the benefits aren't there when you need them, AND our kids and grandkids suffer for generations digging out from under the reckless borrowing of their predecessors.?
Bill Dowd | 2012-08-12 08:38:13
Is this the worst that can be said about Paul Ryan? Hypocracies between Ayn Rand and Thomas Aquinas? The only Ryan quote that is dated was from 2003. Almost 10 years ago. Is it that much of a farse to think someone can change an opinion on something over the course of time? Such as Obama's election year conversion in support of gay marriage. Are there any independents, or anyone for that matter, whose vote will be swayed away from Romney due to ten year old quotes made by Paul Ryan concerning Ayn Rand. Or will people look at the state of the economy? The author is right when he says the months ahead should be intersting. On a personal note, Mr. Driscoll has written time and again on the lack of civil discourse in our public debate. Though, I know it was meant as a joke, I don't think the " Irish chef" comment succeeds in keeping our discourse civil.
John | 2012-08-12 07:40:14