The Ryan Pick

I picked a great weekend to start blogging.  On Friday Mitt Romney decided to go full-bore right-wing pander machine by choosing Paul Ryan, the current standard-bearer for the faux-libertarian supply-side social Darwinist fantasy camp as his running mate.  Clearly he felt the need to invigorate his flagging campaign, but rather than making an attempt to reach out to the small percentage of voters who are undecided and therefore rather likely moderate or at  least ideologically flexible, he went to the far-right of the ideological spectrum and embraced everything that the middle should, and probably does, deplore.  I hope it backfires on him in epic fashion.

Consider that Ryan is not really a fiscal conservative in the classical sense, in that his prescription virtually by definition will lead to greater deficits and greater debt.  Rather, he advocates a budget that cuts services to the poor, working class, disabled, elderly, and students that are so draconian that even very right-wing members of his own party (hello Newt Gingrich, whose characterization of Ryan's budget plan as "right-wing social engineering" got him in huge trouble with the party, until he had to back down) were appalled, while giving enormous gifts in the way of tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans who hardly need them, and not specifying how exactly all of this is supposed to be paid for. 

Socially, he's just as right-wing as he is fiscally.  He believes we should reinstate Don't Ask Don't Tell, endorses a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and was co-sponsor of a fetal personhood bill that would open the door to banning virtually all abortions and even some forms of birth control.

But make no mistake -- Paul Ryan is no Sarah Palin.  Whereas Palin was crazy and stupid, Ryan is just crazy.  He's bright, well-spoken, and borderline attractive, if you don't mind the skinny lips and bug eyes.  It will be interesting to see just how long it takes America to figure out what a total fraud and prick he is.