GOP lawmaker flips on AIG bonus tax

Politico ^ | 26 March 2009 | PATRICK O'CONNOR

[An.American.Expatriate]

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the budget committee, said Thursday he would have voted against the 90 percent tax increase if he had known that legal scholars would deem it unconstitutional.

"Now, that I know — which I didn't at the time — that this is unconstitutional, I wouldn't have voted the same way," Ryan said during a taping of C-SPAN's "Newsmakers" on Thursday — the show is set to air on Sunday. POLITICO was one of the participants in the Ryan interview.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Hey Ryan! You are suppossed to KNOW these things! That is what we PAY you for.

[AnAmericanMother]

What does this guy do for a living when he's not wasting our money in Congress?

If he's a lawyer (and he probably is), he got this one in Constitutional Law I his first year in law school.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

How the hell did you not know? How did every bone in your body NOT scream “UNCONSTITUTIONAL!” when this madness was proposed????

[chrisser]

My opinion of this guy sure slipped big time over this comment.

Such utter cluelessness in a Congressperson is something I expect from the leftist loons.

No wonder the GOP is adrift if this is one of the better people we have.

[AnAmericanMother]

OK, he was a "marketing consultant" before he entered Congress.

I'm a little less irritated at him. But he ought to have checked on this before he voted.

[P-Marlowe]

Every congressman takes an oath of office to preserve and defend the constitution. Voting for an obviously unconstitutional tax is a violation of that oath. Mr. Ryan cannot take his vote back now. He voted with his emotions and he violated his oath. He should be removed from office.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

What an embarrassment. This guy should resign in disgrace.

[1rudeboy]

Con Law is second-year, I believe.

[knarf]

If you don't know ... ask.

And don't vote until you know.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, Ryan.

[I_Like_Spam]

Wasn’t Ryan paying attention during the debate?

I can’t blame someone for “not knowing”, but the tenor of the discussion was pretty much unprecedented and would make any alert individual reach for the constitution as congress never did anything like this before.

[maggief]

If this was not so serious it would be hilarious.

[Seeking the truth]

Where do we get these idiots?

It took me (and my fellow Freepers, I'm sure) all of a nanosecond to know that it was blatantly unconstitutional!

Fail stuff here

[delphirogatio]

Here here, Marlowe!!

The lunatics are surely running the asylum; and, we are all the poorer for it.

[AnAmericanMother]

Not at Emory. At least not in 1977. It’s still a 2nd semester first year course, but it was taught 1st semester then.

[madinmadtown]

I like Paul, but this is part of the job description of his staff. It makes the GOP look stupid. Maybe the first question of all this legislation should be whether it violates the Constitution or not.
Congressmen should all be informed before they vote. All of them, no matter what party. This Congress is a joke, and not a funny one.

[MEGoody]

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the budget committee, said Thursday he would have voted against the 90 percent tax increase if he had known that legal scholars would deem it unconstitutional.

Ryan, you're an idiot. Of COURSE it is unconstitutional.

[freedomlover]

First year at my law school.

IIRC this was required
—
Property
Torts
Contracts
Con Law
Legal Writing
Drinking Heavily
—

[perfect_rovian_storm]

You can’t blame an elected representative for not knowing as much about the Constitution as your average 5th grader? I sure can.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Sheesh! Another dumbazz or liar or both.

Earth to Ryan....WAKE UP AND DO YOUR JOB.