Posted on 08/11/2012 7:04:42 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A quick observation: How important could God be to Paul Ryan if his number one inspiration for going into public life is the works of militant atheist activist Ayn Rand? Republican leaders always claim that God is their number one inspiration, Jesus their favorite philosopher. Ryan's is a woman who made it her life mission to kill God and replace Him with man. Ryan can claim he's Catholic until the cows come home - he's obviously not that religious if his number one reason for being a politician is the philosophies of an avowed atheist activist.
_________________
Mitt Romney has chosen uber-conservative GOP House members Paul Ryan as his vice presidential candidate.
Ryan is most famous recently for his draconian bugget proposal that even fellow Republicans eventually walked away from.
Here is a quick bio on Ryan - what's interesting to me is that he only has a bachelor's degree. While that's not, in the modern era it's not at all uncommon for presidential candidates to have gone to graduate school as well (though, as the GOP now has disdain for a college education, per Rick Santorum, this likely won't hurt Ryan with the Republican minions).
This also means that Ryan's supposed "expertise" in economics and budgeting comes from undergrad courses in economics. Milton Friedman he ain't.
The other problem with Ryan's bio is that he has next to zero experience outside of Washington politics. His only real work experience outside of government (or "consulting" to the family business), is working as a waiter at Tortilla Coast, as a trainer at a gym, and driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
Ryan's health is also a serious concern. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: (My father) died of a heartattack at 55, my grandfather died of a heart attack at 57, my great-grandfather died of heart attack at 59, so Im into the health thing, says Ryan." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,4/26/09) Ryan is a big fan of militant atheist right-wing philosopher Ayn Rand:
"The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand," Ryan said during a 2005 event honoring Rand in Washington, D.C., the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported in April 2009.
During the 2005 gathering, Ryan told the audience, "Almost every fight we are involved in here on Capitol Hill ... is a fight that usually comes down to one conflict -- individualism versus collectivism." The event was hosted by The Atlas Society, which prominently features a photo of Rand on its website and describes itself as a group that "promotes open Objectivism: the philosophy of reason, achievement, individualism, and freedom."
Ryan also said during a 2003 interview with the Weekly Standard, "I give out 'Atlas Shrugged' as Christmas presents, and I make all my interns read it. Well ... I try to make my interns read it. He noted that he "looked into" Rand's work when he was younger, but reiterated that he is a Christian and reads the Bible often.
In 2009, Ryan posted two videos on his Facebook page raving about the importance of Rand's views.
"If 'Atlas Shrugged' author Ayn Rand were alive today, here's the urgent message I think she'd be conveying," Ryan wrote alongside the first video, titled "Ayn Rand's relevance in 2009." So his favorite philosopher isn't God - but an avowed, militant atheist. That should go over well with the base.
And here's the bio from an oppo doc. Name: Paul Davis Ryan Born: Jan. 29, 1970 Home: Janesville, Wisconsin Education: BA, Economics/Political Science, Miami University, Ohio, 1992 Janesville Craig High School, 1988 Career: Legislative Director, United States Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, 1995-1997 Aide, United States Senator Robert Kasten of Wisconsin, 1992Economic Adviser, Speechwriter, Empower America, 1993 - 1995Former Speechwriter, Jack Kemp Vice Presidential CampaignFormer Speechwriter, Office of the Director of National Drug Control Policy Former President, Ryan Incorporated Elected Office: Representative, United States House of Representative, 1998-present Organizations: Member, Community Solutions and Initiatives CoalitionCo-Chair, Congressional Sportsmens CaucusMember, Ducks UnlimitedMember, Janesville Bowmen, IncorporatedBoard Member, Rock County Junior AchievementMember, Saint John Vianney's Parish Member, Saint Marys Parish More on Ryan:
1. The Ryan budget raises taxes on the middle class - married couples earning between $100,000 to $200,000 a year would see their tax burden raise about $2700 because of eliminated deductions, while households earning more than $1 million a year would save $300,000.
2. Ryan cuts Medicaid by 45%, leaving 19m people without health care.
3. Ryan's budget would add $3.1 trillion to the deficit, more than would be added under current law.
4. Would end Medicare as we know it, moving the eligibility age up to 67 from 65, and putting caps on spending. If senior don't like it, he'd give them a voucher to go get violated with a private insurance plan that would likely cost them their entire life savings.
5. Wants to privatize Social Security.
6. Supports allowing states to jail women who get, and doctors who perform, abortions. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/26/98)
7. Would outlaw abortion, even for rape and incest (Associated Press, 9/26/98).
8. Ryan voted for the auto bailout, then criticized it (Janesville Gazette, 5/3/10).
9. Ryan voted for the Bush tax cuts, but felt they were too small (States News Service, 5/4/01).
First Read notes some other problems with Ryan: There are also holes in Ryans budget-hawk armor: He voted for some of the biggest drivers of the deficit/debt -- the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq war, and the Medicare prescription-drug benefit, all of which werent paid for. Moreover, Ryan voted against the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles recommendations.
Has never held statewide office and has no foreign-policy experience. Both could be liabilities. And while Romney has criticized Obama for not having private-sector experience, the same is largely true of Ryan: As the New Yorker has written, Ryan briefly worked for his familys business as a marketing consultant, but most of his adult life has been spent as a congressman, congressional aide, or speechwriter/analyst at Jack Kemps Empower America think tank.
Fun fact: Ryan's childhood nickname is "P.D.," which in French means "f*g."
PAINT A DEVOUT CATHOLIC AS A DEVOTE OF AN ATHEIST?
LOOKS LIKE GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.
I BELIEVE THE SUN RISES IN THE EAST, SO DOES ADOLF HITLER, THEREFORE, I AM AN ANTI-SEMITE?
Wow! The list above is almost as good as your parody!
Rather have a disciple of Rand then a follower of Christian Socialism like the USCB.
You can dearly love certain aspects of someone’s writings, and not identify with their full spectrum of beliefs.
I’m not an atheist. I do think at least some of Ayne Rand’s writings are quite good.
The DNCp is so full of hate.
Isn’t it possible to have two inspirations, one religious and one political philosophy? And, one could be somewhat contradictory to the other on certain issues, but both can be beneficial to restoring both faith and fiscal responsibility in this country.
I suppose that it’s even more objectionable for a Christian to like the philosophy of a pagan like Aristotle.
Agree with you. As a conservative Christian, I can still appreciate some of Rand’s writing. God grants some gifts to the reprobate. The rain falls on the good and evil alike.
Well, I must confess, being from the year 3012... I do have a leg up what those Liberal, Commie, Pinko, Scumbag Democrats are up to--
RE: You can dearly love certain aspects of someones writings, and not identify with their full spectrum of beliefs.
As I said before, Democrats cannot argue cogently.
If you’re a conservative, They will desperately try to find something in common that you share a hated historical figure and then on that basis tell the world — AHA, see, he is an anti-semite, or a sympathizer of a mass murderer.
So what does that make Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright??
The final line displays the intellectual level of the piece:
“Fun fact: Ryan’s childhood nickname is “P.D.,” which in French means ‘f*g.’”
I think as a Catholic, Ryan is being true to St. Thomas Aquinas' philosophy, ~truth is truth no matter where it is found~.
Sounds like my kind of guy.
Looks like the rats had a smear ready for all the GOP VP picks.
It is simply an appeal to the aged 1960s Marxist-Alinsky campus radicals (psycho spoiled brats) and their bratty ideological issue that's all that means.
“Fig”? ;-)
Of course.. obviously it has nothing to do with the fact his name is Paul Davis Ryan. Nope, has to be for the other reason.
Bring it, Aravosis.
Isn’t that a great saying. Very nice. Thanks for the comments.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.