Ross Douthat’s piece on Paul Ryan’s position within the Republican Party is almost as worthwhile as the Ezra Klein interview I linked earlier. I know that we’re rapidly reaching overkill on Paul Ryan this week, but I couldn’t let this dose of reality pass, coming as it does from a GOP politician:
At the same time, [Ryan] allowed that “the problem in the minority [is that] you sometimes revert into a posture where ‘I don’t have to do anything controversial, I just can be against that and win by default.’ I’m not interesting in winning by default. And I’m worried that if we get the majority back by default, we’ll screw up again.”
Read the whole thing. Now, if only there were some way to get Ryan to usurp John Boehner or Eric Cantor…
Both very good interviews. It’s great that Klein and Douthat have the Post and NYT, respectively, as part of their job titles now – it gives them more access and they are using the it in a way that’s actually helpful, unlike some of their blogging (no access) and mainstream (lazy/complacent) peers.Report
There’s a certain strain of the Left (Digby, Billmon, Amanda Marcotte etc.) who have elevated pissyness to an art form. To be fair, Ezra Klein is not that, but I think the country would be better off if Ezra Klein were working for Motorola.Report
the ezra K interview was interesting. allthough in discussing Ryan and his place among the R’s i can’t help but think of the phrase “soft bigotry of low expectations.”Report
Another Paul Ryan proposal, this time with John McCain and Russ Feingold: The New & Improved Line Item Veto
It’s from last year and clearly isn’t going anywhere but still…nice thought. I wonder, Mark if that would accomplish some of the reforms you sought when proposing nationalizing the Speaker’s race.Report
Crazy person time:
I oppose the line item veto. Veto the bill in its entirety or sign it.
(Which is not to say that there might be some very interesting unintended consequences… let’s say that you know that your earmark will be line-item-vetoed… are you going to vote for the bill in the first place? Let’s say that the people in charge of handing out line-items know that you’re not going to vote for the bill in the first place. Are they going to give you your line item?)Report