Presented With Letters, Ryan Admits Requesting Stimulus Cash

[Fabbs]

http://news.yahoo.com/presented-letters-ryan-admits-requesting-stimulus-cash-234025910--abc-news-politics.html

After repeated denials, Paul Ryan has admitted he requested stimulus cash even after sharply criticizing the program.

As recently as Wednesday in Ohio, Mitt Romney's running mate told ABC's Cincinnati affiliate, WCPO, he did not.

"I never asked for stimulus," Ryan said. "I don't recall… so I really can't comment on it. I opposed the stimulus because it doesn't work, it didn't work."

Two years ago, during an interview on WBZ's NewsRadio he was asked by a caller if he "accepted any money" into his district. Ryan said he did not.

"I'm not one [of those] people who votes for something then writes to the government to ask them to send us money. I did not request any stimulus money," the congressman answered.

But as we've now learned, Ryan did write letters. He did request stimulus funds.

"The Olympics may be over but Paul Ryan could have gotten a gold medal in hypocrisy," a senior administration official told ABC's Jake Tapper. "As someone who spends all day every day railing against government spending, but then secretly seeks millions in funds for pet projects, he is as Washington as it gets."

In 2009, Ryan wrote to Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis asking for stimulus money to cover costs on two energy conservation projects in his home state of Wisconsin. In the letter, Ryan said the funds would help create jobs and reduce "energy consumption" in the state. At least one of the companies received the requested cash.

The letters were first obtained by The Wall Street Journal through the Freedom of Information Act back in early 2010. The Boston Globe turned them up for the first time during this campaign season Wednesday. At that point, a Ryan aide referred ABC News back to what a Ryan spokesman said when the letters first went public.

"If Congressman Ryan is asked to help a Wisconsin entity applying for existing Federal grant funds, he does not believe flawed policy should get in the way of doing his job and providing a legitimate constituent service to his employers," the spokesman told the Milwaukee (Wisc.) Journal Sentinel.

Thursday, Ryan responded to the questions himself.

"After having these letters called to my attention I checked into them, and they were treated as constituent service requests in the same way matters involving Social Security or Veterans Affairs are handled," Ryan said in a statement. "This is why I didn't recall the letters earlier. But they should have been handled differently, and I take responsibility for that.

"Regardless, it's clear that the Obama stimulus did nothing to stimulate the economy, and now the President is asking to do it all over again."

[Yonivore]

http://news.yahoo.com/presented-letters-ryan-admits-requesting-stimulus-cash-234025910--abc-news-politics.html

After repeated denials,...
Directing money the government intends to spend, anyway, back to your constituents, while arguing against the spending, in the first place, isn't hypocrisy.

Just ask Ron Paul.

[boutons_deux]

that's about the 3rd or 4th time that's posted. I doubt any right-wingers read it even once.

and govt-hating Ryan's wealthy family got that way for generations with govt contracts.

and Ryan defended on Thursday his $700B cut in Medicare by saying he did it because it was already in Obamacare! :lol

Huge difference is the ACA cuts payments to for-profit gougers and the Repugs' corporate welfare known as Medicare Advantage, while Ryan's $700B screws Medicare recipients.

[ElNono]

:lol @ Yoni spinning this shit

[ChumpDumper]

Directing money the government intends to spend, anyway, back to your constituents, while arguing against the spending, in the first place, isn't hypocrisy.

Just ask Ron Paul.Ron Paul is a hypocrite too.

[Yonivore]

:lol @ Yoni spinning this shit
What? Wasn't that Paul's excuse for accepting earmarks?

It's only hypocrisy if the government wouldn't turn around and give the money to someone else.

[ElNono]

What? Wasn't that Paul's excuse for accepting earmarks?

It's only hypocrisy if the government wouldn't turn around and give the money to someone else.

:lmao

[Yonivore]

:lmao
Intelligent response. Slow Joe Biden coaching you again?

[boutons_deux]

Other ideological, govt-hating Repug sociopaths have REFUSED Federal govt funds.

Why didn't Ryan?

He's a fraud.

[Yonivore]

Other ideological, govt-hating Repug sociopaths have REFUSED Federal govt funds.

Why didn't Ryan?

He's a fraud.
Well, his explanation is that the requests were handled as constituent service requests and, I'm sure he gets a number of those. He indicates that had he been aware of them, he would have handled it differently. I know that's not good enough for the haters but, it's a reasonable response.

And, Ron Paul suggests a Congressman should recover as much of his constituents' tax dollars, from the federal government, as possible. A principle to which I subscribe.

Ron Paul Takes on Earmarks (http://video.foxnews.com/v/1330310119001/ron-paul-takes-on-earmarks/)

[ElNono]

Intelligent response. Slow Joe Biden coaching you again?

Keep :downspin: that shit, Yoni :lmao

[ElNono]

And lol @ Ron Paul does it too, so it's ok! :lmao

[Yonivore]

And lol @ Ron Paul does it too, so it's ok! :lmao
I'd say it's the next best thing to government not spending the money in the first place.

[ElNono]

I'd say it's the next best thing to government not spending the money in the first place.

You're just as much of a hypocrite. No doubt you think that's the next best thing.

[Th'Pusher]

In the letter, Ryan said the funds would help create jobs and reduce "energy consumption" in the state. At least one of the companies received the requested cash.

Stimulus doesn't work!

[boutons_deux]

I'd say it's the next best thing to government not spending the money in the first place.

but Repugs say the govt simply can't, impossible!!, create jobs and wealth!! :lol

Ryan's a fucking fraud.

[Yonivore]

You're just as much of a hypocrite. No doubt you think that's the next best thing.
Well, if YOU couldn't stop the government from overtaxing your constituents and overspending, what would be the next best thing?

[ElNono]

Well, if YOU couldn't stop the government from overtaxing your constituents and overspending, what would be the next best thing?

I'm not in a position to write letters requesting stimulus money. Big government Ryan is.

[Th'Pusher]

Well, if YOU couldn't stop the government from overtaxing your constituents and overspending, what would be the next best thing?

Explain your definition of over-taxed. Whatever it is, most Americans disagree with you: http://www.gallup.com/poll/1714/taxes.aspx

[Yonivore]

I'm not in a position to write letters requesting stimulus money. Big government Ryan is.
Let's pretend people in your district were stupid enough to elect you their Representative.

What would be the second best thing to preventing the over-taxation and spending, in the first place?

[ElNono]

Let's pretend people in your district were stupid enough to elect you their Representative.

We don't have to pretend anything, since this isn't about me.

This is about Big Government Ryan and his hypocrisy.

Keep :downspin: that shit. :lol

[boutons_deux]

spin, Yoni, spin

Ryan's a fraud

[boutons_deux]

deficit hawk? :lol

Paul Ryan Voted to Add $6.8 Trillion to the Federal Debt

From 2001 to 2008, Congress passed legislation that increased the national deficit by a total of $4 trillion — the number grows to $6 trillion if you add in the how much those policies have cost through 2011. Ryan voted for 90 percent of these deficit increasing bills.

What did Ryan vote to spend on? Here is a break-down of his votes [2]:

– Beginning with the Bush tax cuts, since 2001 Ryan has voted to add$2.5 trillion worth of tax cuts to the deficit.

– In the last 11 years, Paul Ryan voted for every bill that called for an increase in defense spending. In total, this has added $1.9 trillion to the deficit.

– Paul Ryan also voted to increase non-defense discretionary spending — the very thing he is pushing to cut now. He voted to spend $270 billion on Medicare Part D (all of which was unpaid for). He also added $80 billion to the deficit by voting for an agriculture bill in 2002, and he added another $20 billion in 2003 when he voted for changes to military retirement. Lastly, he voted for increased borrowing authority for flood insurance, adding yet another $17 billion to the deficit.

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ryandeficitvotes.png

http://www.alternet.org/print/hot-news-views/analysis-paul-ryan-voted-add-68-trillion-federal-debt

[Koolaid_Man]

let me pile on..

In his Tuesday interview with Fox News' Brit Hume, Ryan put all of his evasion skills to work (http://video.foxnews.com/v/1785458730001/paul-ryan-on-medicare-budget-plan-relationship-with-romney/). Hume repeatedly pressed Ryan on what, exactly, the Romney-Ryan budget plan would look like, but despite Ryan's confident assertions that this plan "is about offering solutions to get us back on track, create jobs, balance the budget, get people back to work," when it came to the details of how many jobs, over how long a period, with what kind of service cuts or revenue sources, there was really no there there.

Ryan dodged and ducked, from "We can get into complicated baseline issues, but ..." to "I don't know exactly when it balances, but—I don't want to get wonky on you, but we haven't run the numbers on that specific plan." Ryan ran away from his own House budgets, basically responding to Hume's repeated questions about Ryan's budget by saying, "That's old stuff! why are you asking me about old stuff? I'm promoting the Romney-Ryan plan now, and we haven't run the numbers on that."

[Yonivore]

let me pile on..

In his Tuesday interview with Fox News' Brit Hume, Ryan put all of his evasion skills to work (http://video.foxnews.com/v/1785458730001/paul-ryan-on-medicare-budget-plan-relationship-with-romney/). Hume repeatedly pressed Ryan on what, exactly, the Romney-Ryan budget plan would look like, but despite Ryan's confident assertions that this plan "is about offering solutions to get us back on track, create jobs, balance the budget, get people back to work," when it came to the details of how many jobs, over how long a period, with what kind of service cuts or revenue sources, there was really no there there.

Ryan dodged and ducked, from "We can get into complicated baseline issues, but ..." to "I don't know exactly when it balances, but—I don't want to get wonky on you, but we haven't run the numbers on that specific plan." Ryan ran away from his own House budgets, basically responding to Hume's repeated questions about Ryan's budget by saying, "That's old stuff! why are you asking me about old stuff? I'm promoting the Romney-Ryan plan now, and we haven't run the numbers on that."
The Romney-Ryan Plan != The Ryan Plan.

What's so hard to figure out?

Hell, Obama doesn't even have a plan.

[DarrinS]

Saying one thing and doing another

Do Dems really want that debate?

[DMX7]

Yoni, if his argument is that stimulus doesn't create jobs, then why is he saying that stimulus creates jobs in his letter? Is he a liar?

[boutons_deux]

Yoni, if government spending doesn't create private sector jobs, then why are your beloved MIC corporations whining that sequestration of military $Bs will cause Ms of lost jobs?

:lol

[CosmicCowboy]

Yoni, if his argument is that stimulus doesn't create jobs, then why is he saying that stimulus creates jobs in his letter? Is he a liar?

Can we agree that government stimulus creates jobs but at a ridiculous cost per job?

[Clipper Nation]

Ron Paul is a hypocrite too.

He's not a hypocrite.... he only suggests earmarks to keep that $$$$ away from the executive branch, and also so people can see what Congress is spending their money on.... it's more strategic than anything, and he'll vote against his own earmarks anyway... Ron bless

[Clipper Nation]

Now, Paul Ryan is an actual hypocrite.... ranting about how much he hates the stimulus while taking stimulus money himself, and THIS is who's supposed to change things?

[CosmicCowboy]

Now, Paul Ryan is an actual hypocrite.... ranting about how much he hates the stimulus while taking stimulus money himself, and THIS is who's supposed to change things?

He took stimulus HIMSELF?

:lmao

fucking smurf...:lol

[jack sommerset]

Anyone know what his district spent the money on? God bless

[George Gervin's Afro]

Anyone know what his district spent the money on? God bless

it doesn't matter. you support a liar... but I used to think you hated liars....

[boutons_deux]

Can we agree that government stimulus creates jobs but at a ridiculous cost per job?

got any numbers?

Here's some trashing of WeeklyStandard numbers:

Stimulus jobs cost taxpayers $278,000 each, GOP committee says in claim against Dem Wis. Rep. Ron Kind

House Speaker John Boehner

PolitiFact Ohio weighed in after Boehner, an Ohio Republican, tweeted about the blog post. Our colleagues rated Boehner’s echoing of the $278,000 cost as False, pointing out that it lumps all of the various types of stimulus spending together.

Stimulus spending, as the Associated Press noted in a fact check of a similar GOP claim, pays not only for the worker but for material, supplies and that worker's output -- a portion of a road paved, for example.

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

Dewhurst, a Republican, also tweeted about the blog posting. PolitiFact Texas found that of the $666 billion stimulus spending to date, 43 percent was spent on tax cuts for individuals and businesses; 19 percent went to state governments, primarily for education and Medicaid; 13 percent paid for government benefits to individuals such as unemployment and food stamps; and the remaining roughly 24 percent was spent on projects such as infrastructure improvement.

That underscores how stimulus money was spent on many things in addition to creating jobs. Our Texas colleagues rated Dewhurst’s claim False.

That’s two False ratings on the same claim.

We asked the NRCC if it had any evidence beyond the blog post cited by Boehner and Dewhurst to back up its version of the statement -- that "Kind’s stimulus cost taxpayers $278,000 per job." Spokeswoman Andrea Bozek cited various reports critical of the stimulus, but nothing to establish that the $278,000 figure is correct.

To review:

The National Republican Congressional Committee, like Boehner and Dewhurst, claimed that the federal stimulus cost $278,000 per job. The NRCC called it "Kind’s stimulus" because U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., voted for it. Our PolitiFact colleagues have twice ruled the claim False and the NRCC offered us no new evidence to consider. We rate its claim False, as well.

http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/aug/01/national-republican-congressional-committee/stimulus-jobs-cost-taxpayers-gop-committee-says-in/

[jack sommerset]

it doesn't matter. you support a liar... but I used to think you hated liars....

Bless your heart. I'll pray for you. God bless

[George Gervin's Afro]

[/I]
Bless your heart. I'll pray for you. God bless

:lmao


A 'Christian hypocrite..

[mercos]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/19/paul-ryan-bush-stimulus_n_1803761.html

Video proof that Paul Ryan was once a champion of government stimulus, when a president of his party wanted to do it. He makes almost the exact same arguments President Obama made. :lmao

[jack sommerset]

[/I]

:lmao


A 'Christian hypocrite..

Silly boy. I pray for your family, brother. God bless

[Oh, Gee!!]

This is why Palin was so appealing to McCain: no official record to pick apart. Unfortunately for McCain, Palin is an idiot.