Ayn Rand, Paul Ryan and the issue of morality
In a more fact-based world, the centrality of Ayn Rand to Paul Ryan’s perspective on the world would be undeniable. She is, so to speak, the fountainhead from which much of his political thought flows. But rather than take my word for it, listen to Ryan himself, just three short years ago, laying it out explicitly in back-to-back videos prepared by his congressional campaign:
For those unable to watch the video, the earnest Ryan says, among other things:
“What’s unique about what’s happening today in government and in the world and America is that it’s as if we are living in an Ayn Rand novel right now. … I think Ayn Rand did more than anybody to build a moral case for capitalism, the morality of individualism, and this to me is what matters most.”
Again, Ryan’s voluntary, unprovoked and clearly heartfelt profession of Randian philosophy came in 2009, just three years ago, and it is just one in a long string of public expressions by Ryan of his loyalty to and faith in Rand’s philosophy.
More recently, of course, Ryan has attempted to pretend that none of that has occurred, proclaiming it “urban legend” that he had been influenced by Rand and claiming to “reject her philosophy.” However, if that’s true, this sudden change of heart has not been accompanied by any matching change in Ryan’s political outlook. It remains today what it was when he was still willing to publicly celebrate Rand’s claim to moral authority.
Why is this relevant? Well, Randian philosophy — “objectivism” they call it — is to my mind soft-headed, romantic claptrap that attempts vainly to masquerade as hard-headed, pragmatic economic theory. Its appeal is emotional, not intellectual. And while for individual persons, particularly young people, Rand’s work may be effective as a “self-help philosophy” and motivational tool, as the basis of a society or economic system it would be profoundly impractical and even cruel.
That shouldn’t be a surprise, of course, given that Rand rejected the existence of society in the first place. In fact, she treated the very notion of social responsibility as a conspiracy by which the weak parasites of the world attempt to seize the products of the strong and virile creators. In the video above, Ryan clearly buys into that world view, arguing that Randian individualism represents “the moral foundation of America.”
On that count, I personally find the witness of Thomas Jefferson more convincing, given that he helped to lay the foundation in question. Even back in Jefferson’s day, “self-interest, or rather self-love, or egoism” was being proposed by some as the basis of morality, but the drafter of the Declaration of Independence was having none of it.
Self-love, Jefferson warned, “is no part of morality. Indeed it is exactly its counterpart. It is the sole antagonist of virtue, leading us constantly by our propensities to self-gratification in violation of our moral duties to others…. Take from man his selfish propensities, and he can have nothing to seduce him from the practice of virtue.”
Ryan’s background also plays into the problem. Like his running mate, he is a child born into relative wealth and privilege. That does not make either Ryan or Mitt Romney evil, wrong, foolish or misguided. To the contrary, their shared background says nothing at all about their personal character or leadership abilities.
It must, however, affect their perspective, just as being born into poverty or struggle affects the perspective of those who experience the world from that end of things.
Knowing that you have been born into that rarified world, with all the advantage that it confers, ought to make you a little humble about lecturing others about lifting themselves up by their bootstraps. It ought to make you a little less arrogant about your own success, and a little more sympathetic toward those to whom raw luck has been a little less kind. It should make you acknowledge, to yourself if no one else, that you stand where you stand in part because of factors over which you have had no control, and to understand that others stand where they stand in part because of factors over which they too have had no control.
However, in Ryan’s political rhetoric and policy pronouncements there is little evidence of the leavening power of humility. The philosophy of Rand has served to inoculate him and others against such dark thoughts, whispering in their ears the reassurance that that their success is testament only to their own merit, and freeing them of any obligation to assist others.
I don’t accept that argument. It is antithetical to human nature and to thousands of years of human history in which the individual has had responsibilities to the group, and the group has had responsibilities to the individual. The genius of the American system in particular has been its ability to create a workable, ethical balance between those competing responsibilities.
The “morality” that Ryan proposes would toss that balance aside, creating a system the likes of which has never been seen, and which would meet no definition of the word “moral” that I, or Jefferson, would accept.
– Jay Bookman
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1,118 comments Add your comment
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
8:57 pm
JamVet,
I would razz you but I just can’t. I’m a college football snob. You can call me the Mittens of college football. And as such I can’t bring myself to bust on a proud and revered program like NU. Now if you were a dawg fan you’ld be fair game.
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
8:57 pm
“I also have to remember that a story can be “compelling” or maybe even “believable” without being rooted in fact. ”
Would that include the books by the subject of this blog? (I’ve never read any of them)
Fred ™
August 15th, 2012
8:57 pm
ragnar danneskjold
August 15th, 2012
8:49 pm
Our host’s essay is perfect evidence of the immorality of leftism – the attack on Ryan does not critique any policy he has advocated, nor any legislation he has proffered, but is a conventional leftist exploration into the politics of personal destruction. “Ryan ought not be president because he is evil.” The usual leftist argument.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Logic is an exact and well established science. Why don’t you use it to show that the tripe you wrote above is anything more than the drug induced ravings of YOUR mind. I’m sure you will have no trouble.
Here I’ll help you out…….
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-logic/
They BOTH suck
August 15th, 2012
8:58 pm
josef
Well what happens if the guy “turns” straight. So much for the decorations
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
August 15th, 2012
8:58 pm
Recon @ 8:42
Thanks. I was going to go but will let someone less informed have my seat …………….
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
August 15th, 2012
8:59 pm
Nobody who has read Atlas can embrace leftism, as leftism is mobocracy, based on emotion rather than on anything intellectual.
I read all of her books before the age of 17.
Meh, she ain’t all that other than 20th century Heathcliff on the moors bosom heaving romance novels…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I dated Kim Karsdasian .
That’s not what she said.
They BOTH suck
August 15th, 2012
9:00 pm
Scout
You need to go. That movie needs all the help it can get. It hasn’t even grossed 1 million to date.
Not exactly wooing even conservative America
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
9:00 pm
“at least you can get your house tastefully redecorated and get your hair fried for free!”
And they both need it!
Tom
August 15th, 2012
9:01 pm
Ragweed’s 8:46 restated: I always wonder whether columnists know what they write about. Has our host read Dianetics? I have, of course. I acknowledge that I have doubts about Scientology, but I have no doubt about the quality of Hubbard’s expose of the inherent immorality of medicine in Dianetics. Nobody who has read Dianetics can embrace psychology, as psychology is spiritualism, based on emotion rather than on anything intellectual.
They BOTH suck
August 15th, 2012
9:06 pm
Fred
Did you see where the Mariner’s pitcher threw a perfect game?
They BOTH suck
August 15th, 2012
9:08 pm
Scout
If you had a pair of tickets to go see that movie and you forgot them in your car and left it unlocked, there would be two pair of tickets when you got back.
TaxPayer
August 15th, 2012
9:08 pm
In 2001, Ryan led a coterie of conservatives who complained that George W. Bush’s $1.2 trillion tax cut was too small, and too focused on the middle class. In 2003, he lobbied Republicans to pass Bush’s deficit-financed prescription-drug benefit, which bestowed huge profits on the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. In 2005, when Bush campaigned to introduce private accounts into Social Security, Ryan fervently crusaded for the concept. He was the sponsor in the House of a bill to create new private accounts funded entirely by borrowing, with no benefit cuts. Ryan’s plan was so staggeringly profligate, entailing more than $2 trillion in new debt over the first decade alone, that even the Bush administration opposed it as “irresponsible.”
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
9:09 pm
“Really? So putting an end to slave labor and forced child labor is merely an emotional exercise?”
I dunno bout that Fred. When I think of erasing child labor in England in the U.S. I don’t think of leftist movements as much as I think about society in general changing and rising to a level of affluence where child labor was no longer necessary. Just about every society in history utilitizes child labor until it reaches a threshold of material wealth where people or nations can afford to educate children and take them out of the work force.
And in terms of forced child soldiers I think of the communist Kmer Rhouge. When I think of children being co-opted for political purposes I think of kids in North Korea or the youth in communist China during the cultural revolution- their little red books and their placing of dunce caps on people. Mao had a lock on the youth. In terms of exploiting the youth whether it be for forced conscription or forcing entire families into the fields to work- N.Korea, Cambodia, Russia I think the leftists have a lock on child exploitation.
Brosephus™ - 2012 Winner of the Firm Grasp of the Obvious Award©
August 15th, 2012
9:09 pm
Would that include the books by the subject of this blog? (I’ve never read any of them)
Dunno. I think the closest I’ve come to reading something on that level is Peter Benchley’s Jaws.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
August 15th, 2012
9:10 pm
Doggone/GA
If you’re really interested, rent the film The Fountainhead. Ayn Rand wrote the screenplay, it is representative of her work, Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal are entertaining to watch, and it’s only two hours of your life if you regret spending it on her message rather than the week it would take to plow your way through her books.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:11 pm
Looks like I made dave r go off again.
Kyle better ban him.
Mission Accomplished.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
9:11 pm
Scout at 8:56,
Preach it brother! Preach it!
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
9:12 pm
“If you’re really interested, rent the film The Fountainhead”
Thanks, but I’m really not. Judging by the people who espouse her “philosophy” it’s 2 hours I can spend on a million better things.
Recon 0311 2533
August 15th, 2012
9:14 pm
” I may decide to read that book at some point in the future, but I’d much rather hear what ideas are on the table now.”
You would have to watch the documentary or read his books. It wasn’t shaped by his father alone but by other influences that kept leading him to his fathers philosophy of anti-colonialism. I learned that in his formative years living in Jakarta his step father had little strength of influence in his life and I was surprised by that. It was his mother that kept the image of his father alive for him and later his grandparents when he returned to Hawaii. The influences in Obama’s life have come out over the last few years from others besides D’Souza but D’Souza does a good job of piecing it all together. Obama’s book title “Dreams from my Father” will help to provide insight into what that really means to Barack Obama after watching this documentary.
JKL2
August 15th, 2012
9:14 pm
ninja- Ayn Rand’s work is very comforting in the new age of narcissistic a-holes, but her life proved how much of a joke it and they are.
You are serious that her life didn’t meet your expectations compared to the fictional book she wrote Wow!
Does that mean George Lucas is a racist because of the speech patterns displayed by Jar-Jar Binks?
Class of '98
August 15th, 2012
9:14 pm
It’s interesting to me that the same liberals who think Paul Ryan’s level if influence by Ayn Rand is of the UTMOST importance also seem to think there is NO WAY Obama could have been negatively influenced by sitting in the front row of Jeremiah “GD America” Wright’s church for 20you years.
Quite curious.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:15 pm
I read enough fiction on the blogs from the cons so don’t need any more fiction.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:16 pm
class,
Did you read the other cons before writing the exact same thing?
JamVet
August 15th, 2012
9:17 pm
We’re trying to get the joke out of the White House.
Already taken care.
November 7, 2008…
…the attack on Ryan does not critique any policy he has advocated, nor any legislation he has proffered…
No, just that he is a shameless liar. By his own words.
Which means absolutely nothing to you Randians…
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
9:19 pm
“Does that mean George Lucas is a racist because of the speech patterns displayed by Jar-Jar Binks?”
Yeah, he’s prejudiced against amphibian human like creatures.
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
9:21 pm
JamVet,
Good thing for me that my attractiveness to you is way way down the list of my priorities.
Eventually getting there would require your own perspicacity about morality, what it is and why one has one, the influence of 2000 years of Christianity, the teachings of Ayn Rand, philosophy, Aristotle, Locke, the Declaration of Independence, The US Constitution and why it is so special, etc.
I’m here to help when you’re ready.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:21 pm
There will be good movies made on our President after his second term.
The documentary on his election was pretty good to see inside the brilliant campaign.
Obama is over
August 15th, 2012
9:23 pm
Let me get this straight. Today Jay lectures us on social responsibility and how the GOP emphasizes individual success. At the same time Obama is campaigning in Iowa touting the ethanol mandate in the face of the worst drought in 50 years. $8 corn is forcing farmers to sell their livestock because they can no longer afford the feed. Once again, Obama is sacrificing the needs of the ENTIRE country in order to cowtow to a special interest voting block. Obama is spending $170mm to buy livestock. Ethanol lowers mpg’s, raises the cost of gas, and does not reduce carbon emmisions while using 40% of the U.S. corn crop. Next year when the price of pork, beef, and chicken has doubled, Americans will look back and wonder why Obama did not have the courage to address this disaster by eliminating an outdated ineffective program. He could even get bipartisan support. Unfortunately, this action would require leadership, a sense of social responsibility for ALL Americans, and accountability. All we are getting is more Obama spending in another blatant attempt to buy votes.
Ninja
August 15th, 2012
9:23 pm
“You are serious that her life didn’t meet your expectations compared to the fictional book she wrote Wow!
Does that mean George Lucas is a racist because of the speech patterns displayed by Jar-Jar Binks?”
Can somebody enlighten me on what point this was actually trying to make? Last I checked, George Lucas didn’t start a Jedi Order, or pretend to be a philosopher espousing the way.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:23 pm
class,
Lets try this one.
Was it your knee jerk reaction to deflect and attack our President?
They BOTH suck
August 15th, 2012
9:24 pm
“Today Jay lectures us on social responsibility and how the GOP emphasizes individual success.”
You making the choice to read an article does not a lecture make.
And that is as far as I went with your bs
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:24 pm
odrama,
Tell you failed party to pass the farm bill so he does not have to act alone.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:25 pm
ninja,
They live in a fictional world so……..
Soothsayer
August 15th, 2012
9:26 pm
“BTW…did you say you were banned on Kyles blog? If I understood you correctly, for what?”
Del, there is a certain poster on Kyle’s blog (who shall remain nameless) who used to post under a different name here (and was banned from Jay’s blog). In fact, he used his real first name and initial for his last name.
To make a long story short, he used to brag about his political position (which he was not re-elected to) in a certain county. Others — not me — were able to put 2 and 2 together a ascertain his true identity.
Now that he posts under a different name on Kyle’s blog, he is uber-sensitive about anyone using anything that resembles his previous nom de blogue.
The night that everything blew up, I referred to him by a variation of his former blog handle. Well, the proverbial ship hit the sand. There were threats of lawsuits, etc.
From my viewpoint, I thought it was the best night I’ve ever had on any blog. This particular blogger was having a hissy fit. Not to mention providing enjoyment for everyone in attendance.
Unfortunately, Kyle didn’t see it that way. He “scrubbed” the blog and that’s the last time I’ve ever been able to post over there.
So now you know the story.
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
9:27 pm
…nothing to you Randians…. –JamVet
Everyone,
I’m beginning to see the liberal strategy this year. Label your opponent something he’s not, mis-state what he believes in, misrepresent the philosophy that he doesn’t believe in and carry on, knowing that the main bulk of the liberal press corps will give it a complete pass.
So, all of us are Randians, now that Jay Bookman misdefined it?
JamVet is spouting words like an addict eats ice cream, it’s comfort food for him/her.
Sure dude. Whatever makes you happy. Look! There’s something shiny over there! Go after it!
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
August 15th, 2012
9:27 pm
Let me get this straight.
Fail.
But you can take solace in the fact that no one who has posted those five fatal words has ever succeeded.
JKL2
August 15th, 2012
9:27 pm
fred- Does it make you feel patriotic to belittle our Country this much?
Being a Soldier and loving our country makes me feel patriotic. I’m sure it’s like the feeling you get when your sitting naked on your couch, watching Madcow, and waving your flag.
-YOU and crap like THIS is the reason the rest of the world won’t take us serious.
The wimp in the White House and things like apology tours are the reason the rest of the world won’t take us (him) seriously. Mortgaging our grandchildren to China isn’t helping matters either.
TaxPayer
August 15th, 2012
9:29 pm
Among the staunchest advocates of those government-subsidized banks was … Paul Ryan, who fought to protect bank subsidies that many of his fellow Republicans deemed too outrageous to defend. In 2009, Obama finally eliminated the guaranteed-lending racket. It could save the government an estimated $62 billion, according to the CBO.
Paul’s real mama, Ayn Rand, must be rolling over in her grave at the large government ways of Ryan.
JamVet
August 15th, 2012
9:34 pm
Talk about embarrassing and demented!
Including that atheistic hag and drug addict in a list of Aristotle, Locke, the Declaration of Independence, The US Constitution?
??????????????????
No wonder you are so pathetic!!
And no wonder you value our American system so little!!
You probably would list the Spice Girls in a list with Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Copland…
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
August 15th, 2012
9:34 pm
YOU and crap like THIS is the reason the rest of the world won’t take us serious[sic].
I believe “the rest of the world won’t take us serious[ly]” because of lies of smoking guns, mushroom clouds and yellow cake uranium.
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
9:35 pm
At the same time Obama is campaigning in Iowa touting the ethanol mandate in the face of the worst drought in 50 years.
Obama is over,
Very discerning point. Excellent!
I always agreed that ethanol was a bad idea. It simply requires too much energy and processing to make an ear of corn burn in a gas tank. Like so many Washington schemes, now that food is becoming a real crisis, especially for poorer countries, like Mexico (and maybe here too) our own government is completely unaware of the issue. We’re talking on the Bookman blog about “Randians”.
Recon 0311 2533
August 15th, 2012
9:35 pm
Sooth,
Thanks for the update. I like many of Kyle’s commentaries, which I’m sure doesn’t surprise you but I rarely post on his blog. Jay rarely dumps anyone and when he does it’s typically after he’s provided more than ample warning. Posting on political blogs is not for the faint of heart.
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
9:36 pm
In fact, ethanol subsidies are the epitome of crony-capitalism. With government using tax dollars to buy corn for gas, Archer Daniels Midland can afford a flock of K-Street lobbyists to coerce, cajole and buy influence in DC.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:37 pm
“The wimp in the White House and things like apology tours are the reason the rest of the world won’t take us (him) seriously. Mortgaging our grandchildren to China isn’t helping matters either.”
w is gone con.
Perhaps you should show some patriotism instead of daily attacking our President.
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
9:38 pm
“YOU and crap like THIS is the reason the rest of the world won’t take us serious[sic].”
code for: they’re not afraid of us any more
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:39 pm
embarrasment,
So? It is today’s politics. You bow down for it so stop crying con.
Soothsayer
August 15th, 2012
9:40 pm
“Posting on political blogs is not for the faint of heart.”
Nor is it for those who take things too seriously.
You know me, I love to get a hold of someone who loses their temper. That’s when the fun starts!
But, more than anything else I love to stick pins in inflated egos. I delight in it!
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
9:42 pm
“You probably would list the Spice Girls in a list with Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Copland…”
Well now in defense of the spice girls they are pretty hot ya know. Or they were pretty hot. Back in the day that is…
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:42 pm
” Posting on political blogs is not for the faint of heart.”
I made dave r cry to moomy.
JKL2
August 15th, 2012
9:42 pm
getalife- There will be good movies made on our President after his second term
Just like Hitler.
I’m sure it will be some great fiction. Maybe you could get Michael Moore to direct.
Soothsayer
August 15th, 2012
9:44 pm
See, Obambarrassment, that’s where I disagree with you. Corn farmers (and all grain farmers) have a long run of prosperity since ethanol.
I can remember when the price of corn was so low, you could only lose money growing it.
To me, it makes sense to keep the money here in the U.S. rather than send it to Venezuela!
JamVet
August 15th, 2012
9:45 pm
Doomy, LOL, bu the guy is the true embarrassment for writing something as mindless as that. I still can’t believe that he did! Wowzers…
BTW, I misspoke, the Huskers are ranked 16th, not 24th.
We’ll probably flop around again, though I’ve seen two reviews showing them going 10 – 2. One even saying they win the Big 10.
Even with a stiffer Blackshirt defense, I have my doubts…
G Mare
August 15th, 2012
9:46 pm
Jumping in late – great column, Jay! And our Ms. Tucker is (was?) on HardBall today!
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:46 pm
jk,
I like watching history and there are no good movies made about hitler.
I have not seen Moore’s movies .
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
9:46 pm
And no wonder you value our American system so little!!
JamVet,
Jay got into trouble on this blog for posting something that just wasn’t true at all, either about Ryan or Rand. I and many others pointed this out, including a very good post by Common Sense. The plain fact is that you need to know something about Ayn Rand in order to carry on a discussion about her. Jay clearly did not, and he could not defend our assertions against him. He didn’t even try. Neither in fact, can you.
Now, I agree with you, if in all your bombast that you are explicitly saying that Rand’s “philosophy” is paper thin, incomplete and even (I would add) barely human.
What I and others were trying to caution people about is saying things that aren’t true at all, such as No wonder you are so pathetic!!
And no wonder you value our American system so little!!
Carry on about me being pathetic or valuing the American system so little is just what Bookman is doing with Ryan and Rand, continuing a bald faced lie –or not apologizing for complete inaccuracy– and shamelessly standing by it. Your seeming propensity for outrage seems like you already know this to be true.
Me thinks thou dost protest too much.
Recon 0311 2533
August 15th, 2012
9:49 pm
Time to mosey. y’all have a great evening. I’m out
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:49 pm
embarrassment,
All you did was embarrass yourself con but that is what cons do so I expect it..
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
9:50 pm
“I can’t quite grasp how someone could be influenced by a person they rarely had contact with, but I can see how one would be somewhat influenced by a person of importance not being in your life.”
Easy.It may just be longing for a father they never had, a sort of psychological defense mechanism to avoid the feeling of abandonment, who knows? He isn’t the first famous person who seems to revere a father who was never there. I believe Mariah Carey and a few others were like that.
You wouldn’t think that someone taken hostage would sympathize with their captors either. But they do- Stockholm Syndrome.
That Black Guy,
August 15th, 2012
9:50 pm
Fred ™ August 15th, 2012 7:48 pm
that would be Black Guy not black Guy. Sorry.
————-
Fred, you are my dude. Don’t worry how you spell it.
Just keep kicking them in the knutz.
Jay
August 15th, 2012
9:50 pm
Excuse me, Embarrassment?
Nothing I posted was wrong. Everything that I quoted was linked to the evidence supporting it, including video. Your bluster and posturing on this issue gets you nowhere, other than to make you look exceedingly foolish.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:51 pm
Basically, what our President is doing is spending without broken congress to help farmers and our economy.
Obama is over
August 15th, 2012
9:51 pm
JKL2 @ 9:27
At least we can take comfort in Biden’s ability to command respect in the world.
Tundra Dude
August 15th, 2012
9:51 pm
Paul Ryan, who fought to protect bank subsidies that many of his fellow Republicans deemed too outrageous to defend
I give him credit for showing some of that “Randian individualism”..
Nothing’s too outrageous for a dedicated SOB, (servant of banksters).
dbm
August 15th, 2012
9:52 pm
Slavery is very anti-capitalistic and very anti-Randian.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
August 15th, 2012
9:52 pm
Well, people are talking about Ayn Rand so much I done some looking on the innernet tubes for her. About the first thing I found was a big picture of her. There she set, looking at the camera, her cigarette in hand. And this picture was in 1979, after all the research proved the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer—which she died from.
That’s all I needed to know about her brain power. Have a good night everybody.
JamVet
August 15th, 2012
9:52 pm
Jay got into trouble on this blog for posting something that just wasn’t true at all, either about Ryan or Rand.
Blithering deflections. All of it.
He wrote that Ryan lied about his position regarding her. He wrote that he admired the hell out of her and perverted “philosophy” (My words, LOL!)
And for you attention challenged he even provided the video!
He then demonstrated – unequivocally again – that the tea party darling then turned right around and said he didn’t.
Meat! His own words prove it. He’s a liar.
And you do not care one iota.
Are you that incapable of understanding this basic flaw?
Are you on something?
bman
August 15th, 2012
9:53 pm
In a weird way, I sort of want Obama to win. He’s much too young to lose by a close margin and just do post-Presidential stuff. The first signs of trouble would likely bring him out again.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:54 pm
Tundra Dude,
ryan took the easy way out.
The hard part is fighting against the bankers.
They are very powerful.
bluecoat
August 15th, 2012
9:54 pm
This ethanol mandate who’s stupid idea was this?When was it started?
Jay
August 15th, 2012
9:55 pm
But I’ll have to agree with you on the ethanol question — Obama was wrong to be out there defending that mandate.
TaxPayer
August 15th, 2012
9:56 pm
If I did not respect my Commander-In-Chief, I would leave the military. Of course that’s just me.
Mick
August 15th, 2012
9:56 pm
jay
Nice column, I think you hit it out of the park…this is precisely why people are so turned off by politics – you can say anything and not be accountable for the truth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLsBwLhIVkk&feature=related
JKL2
August 15th, 2012
9:57 pm
getalife- Perhaps you should show some patriotism instead of daily attacking our President
I show patriotism every day. As long as we have a complete incompetent in the White House, it will take some time before I stop attacking the president. Hillary said it’s my civic duty to do so.
Jay
August 15th, 2012
9:57 pm
In the end, Ayn Rand was to philosophy what Jacqueline Susann was to great literature.
Soothsayer
August 15th, 2012
9:57 pm
Jay, Obambarrassment is a poster who used to post here, but was banned. He is using the new handle and e-mail to conceal his true identity. That’s all I can say about the matter.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:57 pm
bman,
Usually President’s screw up their legacy in their second term but he lives with his Mother in law so don’t think it would be with an intern.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
9:58 pm
JamVet,
I can see NU winning the Big 10. If not them then who? Wisconsin returns something like only 11 starters and Michigan lost a lot of players on both fronts. Mich. state lost a lot of good players too including their qb who was a 3 year starter. Ohio State looks to be strong with most of their team returning. The problem? They are on probation and ineligible to win the big 10 or go bowling.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
9:59 pm
“As long as we have a complete incompetent in the White House”
More incompetent than w?
Please detail this thought.
TaxPayer
August 15th, 2012
9:59 pm
It’s a good thing for President Obama that JKL2 was not a member of a SEAL team. The President needs soldiers that he can trust.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
10:00 pm
Who the hell is Jacqueline Sussan? Jay been reading romance novels again?
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
10:01 pm
“Who the hell is Jacqueline Sussan?”
Your Google broken again?
zeke
August 15th, 2012
10:02 pm
i am not expert on rand as mr. embarrassment suggests we must be before critiqueing rand and ryan. i did read some of what has been written about rand and watched videos of ryan touting her and videos of him backstroking as fast as he could from her. wonder what conclusions would most sensible folks have of this situation? wish matt tiabbi would explore this.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
10:02 pm
Sooth,
We had one admit using ip spoofers to defeat the ban.
A high tech con that takes banning way too seriously.
Goody Three Shoes
August 15th, 2012
10:02 pm
JKL2
Go public like that Marine did on Facebook. At least he put his criticism and name out there.
Wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it was ballsy
Obambarrassment
August 15th, 2012
10:04 pm
Soothsayer,
I don’t like the idea of sending money to Chavez either. But corn farmers are largely ADM and other large companies, very rich fellows, who, now that the price is quite high, do not need subsidies to make money.
Where are the Democrats speaking out against big business on this subject?
Besides the issue of big business, ethanol must be subsidized because it is inefficient to refine corn into alcohol that will burn in cars, as cars and vehicles are required to be built now.
You also might ask, why not wood or other products?. Well, we are producing some of these things, and this year, the government ended some oil company subsidies and they stopped purchasing Brazilian ethanol, the foreign money flight you are worried about.
On the bad side, cars in this country are, by law, not allowed to run on anything but gasoline, except with ethanol additives only. So once again you have government intervention, subsidies and a mix of unvetted policy that causes chaos in the market. Some of the cost actually is added by the do-gooders in the state of California, which makes little real sense.
You can read the article below.
http://www.altenergystocks.com/archives/biofuels/ethanol/
JKL2
August 15th, 2012
10:04 pm
sooth- To me, it makes sense to keep the money here in the U.S. rather than send it to Venezuela!
agreed. Now if we could just get the left to think that about drilling for oil.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
10:05 pm
doggone,
I guess the meaning of a rhetorical question(one that doesn’t really require an answer) escapes you. Google it.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
10:06 pm
“Obama was wrong to be out there defending that mandate.”
Green energy is part of his agenda on energy so of course he will defend it.
Jay
August 15th, 2012
10:06 pm
Who the hell is Jacqueline Sussan?
Exactly my point, Thulsa, thank you.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
10:07 pm
I guess I’m not going to have to come up with a rhetorical question disclaimer for the libs so that they know the author doesn’t really expect an answer. Sheesh.
Mick
August 15th, 2012
10:07 pm
Funny how even after gore won the popular vote and the supremes gave us the previous guy, we settled into letting him try to be president and after it was all over the world economy was in tatters. Obama might not be the greatest but he sure has done his best to repair the cracks and foundation, especially with a hostile minority party and record filibusters…
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
10:08 pm
“I guess the meaning of a rhetorical question(one that doesn’t really require an answer) escapes you”
Yep. You’ve been here long enough to have seen the many times that I’ve stated I have a very literal mind. Subtlety is pretty much lost on me. And it appears it is on Jay too!
getalife
August 15th, 2012
10:08 pm
jk,
We are drilling more than ever but what happens when it runs out?
Can you think that far ahead?
bman
August 15th, 2012
10:08 pm
“Your Google broken again?”
Google is used as a tool by bloggers here far too much. You know…I could post something (probably here) about you being a male, and why I believe that. Sooner or later, that info will be located within google.
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
10:09 pm
“I guess I’m not going to have to come up with a rhetorical question”
Maybe your personal assessment of your subtlety is WAY overblown.
Jay
August 15th, 2012
10:10 pm
“On the bad side, cars in this country are, by law, not allowed to run on anything but gasoline, except with ethanol additives only.”
Interesting assertion, Embarrassed One. So all those cars driving on diesel, biodiesel, natural gas, propane, electricity and even hydrogen are breaking the law?
The things you can “learn” here from those more knowledgable than yourself are amazing.
getalife
August 15th, 2012
10:11 pm
Mick,
Sums it up nicely.
Jay
August 15th, 2012
10:12 pm
I guess it IS against the law to drive cars fueled by water. Then again, that would be in violation of the laws of nature, rather than the U.S. government.
Thulsa Doom
August 15th, 2012
10:12 pm
Doggone,
Naw. It loks like Jay got it.
“Maybe your personal assessment of your subtlety is WAY overblown.”
More like my assessment of your ability to comprehend is WAYYYYY to generous.
Doggone/GA
August 15th, 2012
10:12 pm
“Sooner or later, that info will be located within google”
Sure. Hold your breath for that one. That last person who tried to identify me via the internet disappeared abruptly from here and never came back.