GOP Meltdown: Paul Ryan Doubles Down On His Losing Southern Strategy

[Lakhota]

Paul Ryan’s mistaken plan to cut benefits for older Americans will alienate one of the last groups that’s stayed loyal to his party, writes Lloyd Green.

After years of drifting apart, the jobs report and the stock market aligned this week, at least momentarily, as unemployment fell to the lowest level in over four years while the Dow and the S&P 500 continued to climb. We’re hardly out of the woods— the workforce participation rate remains stuck in neutral, overall growth remains sluggish, and worker income is still lagging behind the stock market gains—but there are signs of hope.

Yet some things don’t change. As the sputtering economy tries to get into gear, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan keeps talking about depriving hard working-taxpaying Americans of their retirement benefits, while offering nothing in return. This is the strategy that failed Mitt Romney and Ryan in November, and that alienates not just senior citizens, but voters over 45 — one of the few groups that’s so far remained reliably right-leaning as Asians, Hispanics, upscale Episcopalians, graduate degree holders and others have abandoned the shrinking GOP tent.

If the President’s electoral playbook called for uniting the rich and poor and treating the middle class as an afterthought, the Congressman has a more direct, if less palatable, approach: he simply attacks the middle class, by trying to gut their earned entitlement programs.

Harping on social issues and bashing the 47 percent, along with Mitt Romney’s antipathy on the auto bailout, is why Republicans got their clocks cleaned in the industrial Midwest last November, eking out just a 5-point plurality among non-college grad white voters in the Great Lakes (a group they won by 19 points nationally).

Apparently, the failed vice presidential candidate has not internalized these lessons. Instead, Ryan & Co. seems to be doubling down on 2012’s failed bet, and treating working Americans as little more than moochers. A year ago, Candidate Ryan called for voucher care instead of Medicare for Americans who were then 55 and under. Now, he is pressing the idea of setting the cut-off at 56 in an effort to force more Americans off of Medicare.


Ryan & Co. seems to be doubling down on 2012’s failed bet, and treating working Americans as little more than moochers.​

One thing is for sure: Alienating your base when you need every vote that you can get is not smart politics.

More: GOP Meltdown: Paul Ryan Doubles Down On His Losing Southern Strategy - The Daily Beast

 

[Lakhota]

Double down, Paul, double down!

 

[Annie]

Most of the 'elderly' have substantial incomes. Ryan is right, most of those with those incomes would be willing to 'sacrifice' some for the future generations. More to the point, if they do so, those elderly with less than adequate incomes, would be better cared for.

Now or later. Now is sacrifice, later is suffering.

 

[Lakhota]

Most of the 'elderly' have substantial incomes. Ryan is right, most of those with those incomes would be willing to 'sacrifice' some for the future generations. More to the point, if they do so, those elderly with less than adequate incomes, would be better cared for.

Now or later. Now is sacrifice, later is suffering.

Really? We'll see...

 

[idb]

Apparently, the failed vice presidential candidate has not internalized these lessons

What language is this?

 

[CaGOPatriot]

Most of the 'elderly' have substantial incomes. Ryan is right, most of those with those incomes would be willing to 'sacrifice' some for the future generations. More to the point, if they do so, those elderly with less than adequate incomes, would be better cared for.

Now or later. Now is sacrifice, later is suffering.

Someone must take cuts in their government benefits. Since very few elderly depend solely on social security they should be more than willing to help the country that has been so good to them. The people who are paying in to the social security system now should be able to get something when they retire and not be forced to provide for the old foggies that failed to plan ahead and spent their money like democrats spend tax dollars.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Someone must take cuts in their government benefits. Since very few elderly depend solely on social security they should be more than willing to help the country that has been so good to them. .

You'd think so, but you're talking about the Baby Boomers here, the first American generation of greedy, self-centered, free loading pigs. They don't care about anyone but themselves.

 

[Agit8r]

A Reagan haircut does not a Reagan make

 

[Stephanie]

More left wing crap, the dailybeast who publishes writing from that brainiac, Megan McCain

yawn yawn yawn the troll continues on their merry way

 

[NYcarbineer]

Most of the 'elderly' have substantial incomes. Ryan is right, most of those with those incomes would be willing to 'sacrifice' some for the future generations. More to the point, if they do so, those elderly with less than adequate incomes, would be better cared for.

Now or later. Now is sacrifice, later is suffering.

Someone must take cuts in their government benefits. Since very few elderly depend solely on social security they should be more than willing to help the country that has been so good to them. The people who are paying in to the social security system now should be able to get something when they retire and not be forced to provide for the old foggies that failed to plan ahead and spent their money like democrats spend tax dollars.

Social Security is paying for itself.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Social Security is paying for itself.

FactCheck.org : Democrats Deny Social Security?s Red Ink

 

[Daktoria]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

 

[CaGOPatriot]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

Most are common sense conservatives that realize Obama and the democrats are wrecking our country. And that the welfare leeches are the only voters that will vote for the democrats in the next election and the next.

 

[Old Rocks]

Most of the 'elderly' have substantial incomes. Ryan is right, most of those with those incomes would be willing to 'sacrifice' some for the future generations. More to the point, if they do so, those elderly with less than adequate incomes, would be better cared for.

Now or later. Now is sacrifice, later is suffering.

bullshit

 

[alan1]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

Rumor has it that many yankees move south upon retirement, in order to avoid the taxes they voted for.

 

[squeeze berry]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

Rumor has it that many yankees move south upon retirement, in order to avoid the taxes they voted for.

that makes them carpetbaggers

 

[AceRothstein]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

Most are common sense conservatives that realize Obama and the democrats are wrecking our country. And that the welfare leeches are the only voters that will vote for the democrats in the next election and the next.

The term common sense conservative is an oxymoron.

 

[Trajan]

Paul Ryan’s mistaken plan to cut benefits for older Americans will alienate one of the last groups that’s stayed loyal to his party, writes Lloyd Green.

After years of drifting apart, the jobs report and the stock market aligned this week, at least momentarily, as unemployment fell to the lowest level in over four years while the Dow and the S&P 500 continued to climb. We’re hardly out of the woods— the workforce participation rate remains stuck in neutral, overall growth remains sluggish, and worker income is still lagging behind the stock market gains—but there are signs of hope.

Yet some things don’t change. As the sputtering economy tries to get into gear, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan keeps talking about depriving hard working-taxpaying Americans of their retirement benefits, while offering nothing in return. This is the strategy that failed Mitt Romney and Ryan in November, and that alienates not just senior citizens, but voters over 45 — one of the few groups that’s so far remained reliably right-leaning as Asians, Hispanics, upscale Episcopalians, graduate degree holders and others have abandoned the shrinking GOP tent.

If the President’s electoral playbook called for uniting the rich and poor and treating the middle class as an afterthought, the Congressman has a more direct, if less palatable, approach: he simply attacks the middle class, by trying to gut their earned entitlement programs.

Harping on social issues and bashing the 47 percent, along with Mitt Romney’s antipathy on the auto bailout, is why Republicans got their clocks cleaned in the industrial Midwest last November, eking out just a 5-point plurality among non-college grad white voters in the Great Lakes (a group they won by 19 points nationally).

Apparently, the failed vice presidential candidate has not internalized these lessons. Instead, Ryan & Co. seems to be doubling down on 2012’s failed bet, and treating working Americans as little more than moochers. A year ago, Candidate Ryan called for voucher care instead of Medicare for Americans who were then 55 and under. Now, he is pressing the idea of setting the cut-off at 56 in an effort to force more Americans off of Medicare.


Ryan & Co. seems to be doubling down on 2012’s failed bet, and treating working Americans as little more than moochers.​

One thing is for sure: Alienating your base when you need every vote that you can get is not smart politics.

More: GOP Meltdown: Paul Ryan Doubles Down On His Losing Southern Strategy - The Daily Beast

what a riot, the author is the king of the tortured analogy, mischaracterization and reaches thats just beyond, well, anything I have seen in a while...


thx, I gotta rep you rep for posting that, made me laugh out loud

oh wait, your reps turned off, a thanks will have to do....

 

[Trajan]

What do old people have to do with southerners?

the author had to make shit up as he went along to fill his promised article word count...the Katrina sandy analogy/linkage is a classic...

 

[Lakhota]

Sounds like the OP touched some nerves.