"Who built that?" by Greg Sargent at the WP

[applegrove]

Who built that?

by Greg Sargent at the WP

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/who-build-that/2012/08/17/a0796cb6-e8a1-11e1-936a-b801f1abab19_blog.html

"SNIP.............................................

The Post has a big story up fleshing out more details about Paul Ryan’s history of soliciting federal funds for his district, despite the Romney camp’s efforts to present Ryan’s addition to the GOP ticket as proof of its single-minded determination to eliminate the deficit

Ryan helped his home town secure $2.8 million in transportation funds for a new city transit center, as well as funding for a local airport’s runway extension and an environmental study for a local harbor. This comes after revelations yesterday that Ryan wrote letters in 2009 seeking stimulus funds for conservation groups in his district, despite criticizing the stimulus as Big Government waste run amok.

In one sense, as Ryan’s spokesman says, it’s not contradictory for Ryan to secure stimulus funds for his district despite opposing the overall package. Ryan was right to push for funding for his district from a measure that had already become law. That’s his job.

The problem arises from the sharp ideological difference Mitt Romney and Ryan claim they have with Obama over government intervention in the economy. Romney and Ryan have repeatedly suggested Obama thinks only government deserves the credit for economic success government helps facilitate, demeaning the role that private sector individual initiative and hard work play. But Obama sees government as a partner with the private sector in facilitating economic development. Whatever Ryan actually thinks, his actions suggest — at least when it comes to his own district — he doesn’t disagree.
.............................................SNIP"

[RobertEarl]

1. Bless his heart

Ryan is a hypocrite. Why can't the press just shrink it down, run the headline, and be done with the punk?

[Zoeisright]

2. It is most certainly contradictory for Ryan to want funds for his district

and oppose them for everyone else. It means, basically, that he's a piece of shit hypocrite.

[quaker bill]

3. Normal republicanism

Projects in my District = "critical economic infrastructure development"

Projects in your District = "pork"

They cut taxes and then each one pushes for "critical economic infrastructure development" in his/her District. To get a majority vote, slices are passed out everywhere. This yeilds a massive deficit, because none of them sees the big picture and all refuse to collect funds to pay for the other reps "pork".

A big picture approach understands that "critical economic infrastructure development" projects do not work in isolation, one community or District at a time. They come up with a plan to run the country, rather than cobble together a District by District approach.