Cole writes: "If you would raise taxes on the middle classes; but your budget would allow your wealthy running mate Mitt Romney to pay almost nothing in taxes, you might be Paul Ryan."



Paul Ryan speaks during a campaign rally in Wisconsin, 08/12/12.

You Might Be Paul Ryan If...

By Juan Cole, Informed Comment

f you admitted that you got into politics because of the impact on you of the philosopher of personal greed and egotism, Ayn Rand, but later had to deny it because it was bad publicity, you might be Paul Ryan.

If you want to destroy social security for others, but after your father died when you were 16, you used your father's social security survivor benefits to help pay for your education at Miami University of Ohio ... you might be Paul Ryan.

If you say your budget plan was inspired by Roman Catholic teachings, but nearly 60 prominent Catholic thinkers and leaders condemned it as heartless, cruel and un-Christian ... you might be Paul Ryan.

If you claim to be a free marketeer but want to keep $40 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil in the budget, you might be Paul Ryan. When it comes to green energy, the Right says it has to be profitable on its own, but won't give it a level playing field.

If you would raise taxes on the middle classes; but your budget would allow your wealthy running mate Mitt Romney to pay almost nothing in taxes, you might be Paul Ryan.

If you are against deficits in an economic downturn and during a Democratic administration, but voted for all the measures that ran up the deficit under Bush and erased Clinton's budget surplus, you might be Paul Ryan.

If you say you are pro-life, but supported to the hilt an illegal and unjustified US invasion and occupation of Iraq, which killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, you might be Paul Ryan.

If you accused climate scientists of conspiring to "intentionally mislead the public on the issue of climate change," but are yourself a Koch brother-backed conspirator for the 1%, you might be Paul Ryan.

If your proof that climate change is an illusion is that it still snows in the winter, you might be Paul Ryan.