I was just writing to Reed Richardson, Eric Alterman’s unpaid lackey over at The Nation. Without trying, I think I wrote something semi-brilliant—which is my normal approach to brilliance. Reed just wrote an article Brilliant Disguise. This in itself is a disturbing development because it means that Alterman’s obsession with Bruce Springsteen is rubbing off on Reed, but who am I to judge (other than someone with very, very good taste in music)? In the article, he points out that Paul Ryan isn’t really a policy wonk. But of course, you already know that because I’ve been talking about this for years.
Reed’s argument is that Ryan is just an ideologue. This can’t be said enough. I put it differently: Ryan’s “budget” is not a budget at all; it is just a right wing wish list. Here is where I got semi-brilliant. (Anyone noting the thousands of people who came up with this first will be banned!) I summed up his policy proposals thusly:
- Cut programs for the poor
- Cut entitlements for middle class
- Cut taxes for the rich
This is the Holy Trinity for Paul Ryan—in more ways than one. Cut, cut, and cut: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost of right wing extremism.
I don’t think anything more need be said.
Except from The Boss:
