August 21, 2017

During the CNN Paul Ryan Infomercial Town Hall tonight, a nice Dominican nun asked Paul Ryan how he reconciles his faith and Republicans in Congress "not willing to stand with the poor and working class" in the recent "debates about health care and the anticipated tax reform."

Shorter nun: How can you call yourself a Catholic and support policies like this?

Ryan was booed halfway into his answer. He began with argle-bargle, as is his wont.

"For me, the preferential option, that means upward mobility, that means economic growth, that means equality of opportunity," he oozed. "That to me means working with this guy, a
Gateway tech, to close the skills gap, to make sure every person who wants a career and job can get the benefits."

Ah, the skills bills. The things that say if everyone just knows how to code it'll all be good.

Throwing down Ayn Rand, Ryan continued, "We're in the 32nd year of the War on Poverty. trillions spent, guess what, our poverty rates are about the same as when we started the War on Poverty 32 years ago."

"The status quo isn't working," Ryan went on. "We need to change our approach on fighting poverty instead of measuring success based on how many people are on those programs."

He then launched into his usual talking points, but this time the audience reaction wasn't what he expected.

"We need to make sure that we bring people into the workforce. The poor are being marginalized and misaligned in many ways because a lot of the programs that we have, well intended as they may be, are discouraging and disincentivizing work."

The audience would have none of that. Boos were heard, but Ryan was undeterred. He wrapped up by whining about the tax rate on businesses in Wisconsin, and then flipped to how a single mom on welfare would lose 80 cents on the dollar by going to work.

The problem with that is, of course, that the single mom on welfare wouldn't actually be able to work full time and pay for day care and feed her kids without that health care assistance and food help.

Paul Ryan stubbornly clung to his zombie-eyed-granny-starver stance. "That's how I practice my values and faith and principles. The status quo has not been working and I think we can do better."

A couple of things here. First, he never even addressed health care. It's no secret that Republicans can't agree on health care because we already have the Republican health care plan and the only move left is to take access away from people. If that's how Ryan thinks they can do better, he can stuff it.

Second, when you watch the video, watch the nun's face. Don't pay as much attention to Ryan's talking points. Watch her face. That's where the truth is.

Then consider making a donation to Randy Bryce, who actually has an opportunity to knock Paul Ryan out.

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