The selection of Paul Ryan to be Mitt Romney's running mate has elicited almost universally positive reactions from Texas republicans. One exception to that has been the response of Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas. Paul's disdain for Ryan suggests that the vice presidential candidate has his critics on the right as well as the left. His dislike of Ryan is shared by many of his supporters, if not by mainstream Texas Republicans.
Ron Paul: Ryan budget doesn't cut enough
On an interview on the Fox Business Network, Paul suggested that the Ryan budget, roundly condemned as draconian and extreme by Democrats, does not cut enough spending. The Ryan budget, for example, does not balance the budget for 30 years. Paul's budget balances the budget in two years. Paul also points out that Ryan's budget, unlike his, would not eliminate cabinet departments and agencies wholesale. Paul also suggests that "overseas militarism" needs to be cut, which the Ryan budget does not.
Other Texas Republicans hail the Ryan choice
The Austin American Statesman reports that other Texas Republicans are generally positive about the Paul Ryan pick. Gov. Rick Perry suggested that the pick of a man he calls a "budget hawk" proves that Romney is serious about downsizing government. Even former President George W. Bush, who usually eschews speaking out on current political issues, praised the choice of Ryan, suggesting that Ryan would help Romney address the problems that face the United States.
Paul Ryan an 'imitation Ron Paul'
In a piece quoted in the Daily Paul and run in the Bedford Patch, Jane Aitkin, the founder of the New Hampshire Tea Party Coalition and a Ron Paul supporter, expressed her disdain of the Ryan choice. Quoting a number of votes that she suggested proved that Ryan was not a fiscal conservative, Aitkin quoted an unnamed "noted liberty activist" as saying that Ryan was an "imitation Ron Paul."
Lew Rockwell: Ryan a 'lying politician' and a 'neocon'
The "liberty activist" may be Lew Rockwell, a former chief of staff for Paul and the editor of some of his newsletters, as the term "imitation Ron Paul" is the heading of his blog post on the Ryan selection. Rockwell accused Ryan of being a "neocon" and a champion of war and "global domination by the US Empire." Rockwell also suggested that Ryan was a "lying politician" who only pretended to want to cut spending. Finally, Ryan is warmly supported by Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard, which seems to be to his deficit according to Rockwell.
Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
Poster Comment:
According to the Wisconsin Republican Liberty Caucus, the Wisconsin congressman actually voted with the Bush Administration’s agenda of unprecedented federal expansion 94% of the time, and it may surprise his fiscally conservative fans to know that Paul Ryan’s voting record includes votes for the TARP bailouts, the auto bailouts, the massive Bush Medicare expansion, the unprecedented federal intrusion into public education via No Child Left Behind, the 2008 stimulus package, and the $192B 2009 stimulus package. Paul Ryan also voted for NDAA, the (un)-patriot act, warantless surveillance, keeping our troops in Iraq and will push global militarism. Budget hawk? Conservative? Liberty minded? None of these describe Paul Ryan.
James • Just another Neocon! Cut spending domestically, but increase it to start wars with Russia and Syria. Syria and Russia should be America's friends. More trade less war!+19
El • The jews media runs the same garbage day-in day-out….. Neither romberg and his “dork”….nor bozo and his “dork”… stand a chance of a snowball in hell…. Against the “people’s choice”….prez ron paul. Ron must stay un-jew-owned….. And choose a traditional white non-jew vp to win. Ameriwitz “must” dump aipac and its perennial puppets. And 50,000,000 mex migrants must be sent “home”. We can’t afford the slums. now….yay-hoo will make my letter-case small.+2