It’s the Budget Munster! Weekend Open Thread on Mitt’s Veep Pick and Whatnot…

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I wake up Saturday morning and Republican presidential nominee Slick Willard has picked his running mate:  Wisconsin Congressman and rightwing budget guru Paul Ryan, whom the Stephanie Miller Show refers to as “The Budget Munster” due to his uncanny resemblance to Eddie from the 60’s TV hit “The Munsters.”  (See right.)

I love that Congressman Ryan has always been a fervent and outspoken disciple of Ayn Rand, written papers, given lectures about her, the whole shebang… while also having always called himself a “devout Catholic.”  It wasn’t long ago that someone broke the news to him that Ayn Rand was an outspoken atheist.  I mean, DUH.  Her whole philosophy of selfishness as the highest virtue is the exact opposite of Christianity.  Paul reacted with incredulity, people must be lying to him.  After a few months of the truth setting in, he has gradually stopped talking about his goddess.  But his philosophy has not changed.

Which brings up a couple other things:  Paul Ryan, like Newt Gingrich, is what passes for an “intellectual” among contemporary Republicans.  What kind of intellectual can pass himself off as a Rand disciple for half his life, and totally miss her militant atheism?  And also, this problem of worshiping both Rand and Christ is endemic with the modern right.  Jesus did say you can’t serve two masters.  I think I know where their heart really lies.

Another thought – and remember, this is an open thread, so we welcome all your thoughts below:  All the TV bobbleheads have been saying for weeks that, sure, Romney should release his tax returns, when is he going to release them, things are just going to get worse until he does, and yet… they also say that as soon as he announces his Vice-Presidential pick, the questions about his tax returns will disappear for a while.   Which leads me to ask two questions:  How long do you think that will last?  And also, now that we mention it, Where the hell ARE Mitt Romney’s tax returns??

Another Paul Ryan story:  A few months ago, President Clinton was seen walking with his arm around Ryan’s shoulder.  Paranoid liberals’ heads exploded – see, more evidence what a closet rightwinger the ex-President was.  More recently we found out exactly how the conversation went.  Bill Clinton:  “Young man, would you like any help with your mathematics?”

LOL, LOL, and again LOL.  On account of:  This supposed budget genius just can NOT make his numbers add up.

His supposed deficit-reduction plan would actually add at least $5 TRILLION to the debt over the next decade, if we experienced the catastrophe of its passing.

His plan to end Medicare as we know it – aka, forcing all of us born after 1956 to switch to a “voucher plan” that he’ll call “Medicare” which would funnel trillions of our public monies to HMO profiteers – will WASTE possibly $30 f—ng trillion.

And Seniors will be dying, no way around it – that’s you and me, when WE’RE seniors.  These vouchers will be attached to general inflation, not healthcare inflation… there is absolutely no way we Seniors would be able to afford our healthcare under Ryan’s plan.

Ordinarily we’d be, oh well, it’s just a VP pick, this fellow won’t be President unless the thinkable happens … but when we’re looking at a candidate like Mitt Romney, who, as even his supporters have to admit, will say anything to anybody for a little political advantage at the moment – the choice of a running mate WHICH IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE is a relatively dependable indication of how Romney intends to govern.  And that is NOT as the moderate Massachusetts Governor he was ten years ago.

Well, what else do you Juice denizens think this weekend?  About this or anything else?  Open thread.  Oh yea, Greg told me I should read this on the Ryan pick, maybe you should too…  Damn it’s hot…


About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.