Barack's Backers

Mitt Romney's biggest mistake yet?

And you thought Sarah Palin was a crazy VP pick?

Paul Ryan has been a government bureaucrat for most of his life spending most of his adult life on the government dole as a member of the House of Representatives. He has built a nice house with the help of taxpayer money, while railing against bailouts for underwater homeowners. He and his family have received generous government health care, while voting against health care legislation protecting the health care rights of non-governmental employees. He enjoys his government paid vacations and looks forward to a relaxing retirement care of a bountiful government pension and retirement account, all the while blasting people who want similar things in the private sector.

In short, Paul Ryan is a hypocrite. He has made a fortune speaking for right wing groups, he has become a darling of the far right for attacking government, all the while living the high life on an annual government salary of almost $200,000 a year.

Let’s be clear. Mitt Romney did not pick Paul Ryan, the Koch Brothers did. He is their prize, he is the salesman they believe can sell anything– tax breaks for the rich, the dismantling of medicaid, and even the repeal of Social Security. Mitt Romney no longer runs his own campaign. He is a hostage to the far-right billionaires who pull all the strings in the Republican Party.

It’s almost comical to think that someone like Paul Ryan can even exist. He’s a walking contradiction, a messed-up and confused spokesman for policies that go against his very existence.  Someone so indebted to the government for everything they’ve accumulated in life should be more grateful, but Paul Ryan isn’t. Ryan would like to end almost every government program and job out there– except his own. He’ll talk about the tyranny of the state, yet he’s moving closer to the highest government job there is.

As a person, Ryan claims to be a Catholic, but he’s a disciple of the atheist Ayn Rand. While his church champions social welfare, Ryan believes in the ethos of selfishness and in letting others suffer. Ryan talks about getting things done, but he has sided with John Boehner’s do-nothing Congress. Ryan talks about common sense, but he has joined the most reactionary Republican Congress that anyone can remember.

Paul Ryan is a disaster, too extreme by miles, too jumbled and mixed up to bring any sense to the national debate. Mitt Romney has made a terrific stumble. His decision to roll the dice is reminiscent of the mistake John McCain made four years ago. A reminder that desperation never leads to good decision-making.