Paul Ryan Blasts Obama's Speech for Attacking Paul Ryan

President was 'shadow-boxing a straw man' version of Ryan

Paul Ryan has slammed Obama's inauguration speech for allegedly distorting Ryan's view of entitlements.

Ryan appeared on Laura Ingraham's show, during which guest host Raymond Arroyo said that Obama "implicitly" referred to Ryan in his speech when he said that Medicare and Social Security "do not make us a nation of takers." (Ryan made headlines during the 2012 campaign by saying that America was becoming a nation of "takers versus makers.")

Ryan responded that Obama was misrepresenting his position on entitlements. He explained that Social Security and Medicare are "not taker programs" because they're "earned" by a lifetime of payroll taxes.

"When the president does kind of a switcheroo like that, what he's trying to say is that we are maligning these programs that people have earned throughout their working lives," said Ryan. "So it's kind of a convenient twist of terms to try and shadowbox a straw man."

Ryan blasted Obama for failing to address America's debt crisis via entitlement reform.

"When [Obama] says he won't change these programs, then he is indirectly complicit with their bankruptcy," he said. "These programs, because of the way they were designed in the last century - which did not predict the aging of America, the baby boomer generation retiring at a tune of 10,000 people a day... - are going bankrupt."

Via Politico.

Do you think Obama misrepresented Ryan's view of entitlements?

[DARSB]

The campaign hasn't ended for everybody.

[RobertJHarsh]

What does a Pol do the day after winning an election...start campaigning for the next one. Also, Obama twisted Ryan's word badly. He never said SS and Medicare were taker programs (and neither have I). When I mention gimmedat voter, it is obviously not including those retired persons or those whom desperately need those programs.

[DARSB]

@RobertJHarsh I wouldn't assume the "maker-taker" metaphor applies to anyone other than Ayn Randians. There's a particularly unpalatable idea in "Fountainhead Shrugged" that divides people into these two groups. If Paul Ryan, who requires his staff to read Rand novels, thinks the President's comment is assumed at Rep Ryan's Muse's metaphor, he's entitled to. Doesn't mean he's right, of course, but he's still entitled.

[marine1]

that would be because if they stop bitching and pointing fingers, they might have to do something and that might be too much for them to handle.

[methinks]

@DARSB If food stamps, section 8, LINEAP, Medicaid etc. aren't taker programs, what are they?

[MaxPain]

Not for the GOP!!

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

I will not soften my stance against this abysmally horrible president simply because voters ignorantly reelected him. I am as opposed to him and his extreme spending and taxing policies as I was when he was campaigning in 2008. obama has kept only one campaign promise, and my issue isn't that he broke promises, it's the promise he made that he kept that I have issues with. He promised to fundamentally transform America, and that he has. We have gone from a country that worked for a living to a country that has 40% of its people on food stamps, that has a chronic 8% unemployment rate, and that is $17T in debt. Sorry liberals, sell me the dream of what a wonderful Messiah obama has been and i will continue to oppose his degrading of America with every single breath in my lungs. I offer you NO apologies, NONE AT ALL!

[Cheenoguy]

No apology needed. We didn't care if you liked it.

[hankf68]

40%?...are you for real?

[Roco]

Help me understand what you really mean by the "40% on food stamps" as being only directed at President Obama. If I remember correctly, there was an uptick in people applying for food stamps around 2006. The reasons is most of my family worked in construction. They started laying the most senior people off and cutting hours and pay on those workers remaining. Next came the hiring of illegals at 50%-60% less pay. Follow that with not a lot of purchasing going on in everything else. So when the end of 2007, sh#t was hitting the fan. Tack on more outsourcing, more layoffs. People had to live. No one was hiring anyone that was not illegal. What were they to do? Eat air? But this seems to be only President Obama's fault? I am no way saying he is the perfect President. I know he is not. Place blame where it should be, on all the business that want cheap labor; the stupid politicians that cater to the lobbyist before the country and the all mighty dollar at any cost. By the way, if there had been some one else running against him with a little bit more credibility, I probably would not have voted for Obama. Just letting you know that I generally do follow any particular party line.

[MetaphorBreeze]

Eloquently spoken. I dread the day my grandchildren look at me and ask why my generation sold out on the American dream, abandoned our constitutional rights and gave the federal government complete control over everything in our lives.

[Dan_Tien]

Sounds to me like Ryan is misrepresenting Obama' s speech to say that Obama was criticizing him for something that he agrees with him, then goes on to say that the same point is contributing to bankruptcy.

[FollowTheMoney]

We have become a nation of takers. I didn't know it was a secret.

[talkenhed]

"Democrats believe that the rich should be taxed more than the poor and middle class. Republicans believe that the rich should be allowed to keep all their wealth, except for the millions in campaign contributions they give to politicians.
Democrats believe that too much money in politics produces corruption and destroys the American way of life. Republicans believe that money and corruption in politics are the American way of life. Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President.
Democrats believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making people healthy. Republicans believe our health care system exists solely for the purpose of making a healthy profit. Democrats believe the President and Congress need to work together to create jobs during a weak economy. Republicans believe that Congress should do nothing to create jobs and then blame the President."

http://www.addictinginfo.org

[frigginhell]

Poor persecuted, unmentioned, delusional Paul Ryan thinks he was important enough to be mentioned in the inauguration. You lost Paul and your boy lost. You can do us all a favor until the next cycle and you lose again in the primaries by being quiet until then. There is no reason for the president to "shadowbox" with a b leaguer. I thought Joe already took care of his light work for him when he made you look like a chump in the debates. Oh well, never let it be said Paul Ryan bothered speaking anything resembling the truth. This does show he's a bit of the narcissist, even moreso than hi workout videos.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Get it right, Paul Ryan didn't lose, America lost.

[PNWest]

@Neo_NtheMatrix You have it wrong. Mitt Romney lost, Paul Ryan lost, Allen West lost, Todd Akin lost and Richard Mourdock lost. America won.

[wangotango]

@Neo_NtheMatrix i agree America has lost.....dont drink the kool aid

[the_z]

@PNWest no i think we as americans lose because both side point fingers back and forth instead of doing the jobs they were elected to do. its not a democrat or republican thing its a do your dang job as americans and get and keep this the best country in the world. man these grown men and women are worst than little kids always argueing and fighting over nonsense and have to much pride to work together.

[PNWest]

@the_z Sorry Z but people should not take politicians like Paul Ryan seriously. He would like to kill Social Security and Medicare. He can take his Ann Rand philosophy and shove it up his 47%. Obama was right to put him down. I'm tired of these conservatives trying to turn America into a third world country. Why is is that virtually every western democracy has socialized medicine and pays less than the US to achieve higher life expectancies?

[PNWest]

Lyin' Ryan rides again!

"Social Security right now is a collectivist system, it’s a welfare transfer system." - Paul Ryan on Social Security.

Obama was spot on in his criticism of Ryan's ideas about Social Security and Medicare.

[RoFroh]

More lying or "misrepresenting" by a politician???? Sounds like a page right out of Saul Alinsky's play book!!!

[AndrewEvans]

Both Obama and Ryan are shifty politicians who make promises they do not intend to keep.

[kathyparsell]

Exactly, BOTH of them and about 95%+ of other politicians are shifty, greedy, and could care less about the common WORKING man or woman. They have no intention of keeping promises they make and the majority of peoplestill believe & vote for them. Sad.

[AndrewEvans]

@kathyparsell Indeed. I say all of us only vote for people we know will properly represent us, and stop buying into the bullshit they feed us about who is who and who cares about what. Ron Paul was smeared and misrepresented in the media before the election. What's tragic is he has been one of the very few, excluding any major candidate in the last couple decades, that practiced what he preached.

[IMAQT]

@AndrewEvans Not only was Ron Paul but a handful that practiced what he preached in Washington, but many of his policies are being well received even here in Politix and across America where he was often called a kook. He supported auditing the fed, ending the drug war, ending foreign aid, against the wars and most importantly supporting freedom and less government. He actually believes we should fund our own government and not on the backs of future generations, what a noble concept. I have many times called out folks here who label him a kook in these forums and will continue to do so. A major reason for the downfall of the GOP recently is because they embraced the pro life, anti gay folks and other social issues more than their libertarian segment. As Ronald Reagan once said " If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism."

[AndrewEvans]

@IMAQT Ron Paul is just pro-logic. The man is a genius who has been practicing and saying the same thing for almost 40 years. It's incredible how long the "13th floor" campaign against him went on. People just don't realize, it's on both sides of the aisle.

[KyleMFb]

No republicains have said many times that people who voted for Obama are takers...Repubes said the only reason Obama won again in a land slide was bc he wowed the blacks and Mexicans with gifts by the way I'm still waiting for my gift I guess haven't got my gift bc I'm not mex or black

[jamie91]

I don't think it is a race thing, Kyle. I'm still waiting on mine too, and I'm black. Must've gotten lost in the mail.

[KyleMFb]

@jamie91 ha ha I guess so mine must have got lost at the post office too...we got a new post master so i guess I'm going to have to check with her ha ha

[Grubby]

Everything that comes out of Obama's mouth is a distortion or an outright lie.

[Mogal]

One can only suppose Ryan thinks his 15 minutes arent quite over yet.

[UScentral]

I sense Ryan was the type of classmate constantly running to the teacher to tell on someone. In this case, just run to FN. Miss Laura.

[Oneness3am_i]

It could have gotten ugly.. But this was cause for a Celebration For All Americans. Even Men Who likes Tea parties.. I have them all the time with my Daughter Destini ( She's my First Little Lady)

[Denizen_Kate]

Ryan has delusions of grandeur. Newsflash, Paul: the inauguration wasn't about you. smh . . .

[Politicskid]

Well, apparently Obama thought it was about him, because he mentioned Paul Ryan in his speech.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Politicskid - No, actually he didn't. He used the "makers and takers" catch-phrase that Ryan was so proud of, but he never mentioned Ryan by name. Snide comment on your part, just as Ryan's "makers and takers" remark was snide.

[Politicskid]

@Denizen_Kate Insults will get you nowhere.

[Denizen_Kate]

@Politicskid - didn't say you were snide, said your comment was. I've come to expect better from you, that was my point.

[Zazziness]

Mr. Ryan also complained that the sun is disrespecting him when it shines and that the Earth was curved to annoy him...

[PayThatCEO]

Paul Ryan...smug, arrogant little (rhymes with stick) who always looks like he's smelled his own fart and likes it.

[IMAQT]

In all fairness to Ryan, he realizes that Medicare and SS need to be reformed. To do nothing is the worst decision. We pay out more in benefits than revenues and we have over one hundred trillion in unfunded liabilities. What has Obama and the democrats proposed for reforms to these programs?

[Raptor]

Paul Ryan is a narcissistic idiot.