Rep. Paul Ryan Talks Revolution

http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2010/04/rep-paul-ryan-talks-revolution

We've been noting the references to "revolutionary times" in connection to the passage of ObamaCare. Now RealClearPolitics has the text of a March 31 speech by Rep. Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Mr. Ryan called the health care law "a new Intolerable Act" and said:

Americans are preparing to fight another American Revolution, this time, a peaceful one with election ballots...but the "causes" of both are the same:

Should unchecked centralized government be allowed to grow and grow in power ... or should its powers be limited and returned to the people?

Should irresponsible leaders in a distant capital be encouraged to run up scandalous debts without limit that crush jobs and stall prosperity ... or should the reckless be turned out of office and a new government elected to live within its means?

He warns that America is heading toward a European-style welfare state:

we are approaching a "tipping point." Once we pass it, we will become a different people. Before the "tipping point," Americans remain independent and take responsibility for their own well-being. Once we have gone beyond the "tipping point," that self-sufficient outlook will be gradually transformed into a soft despotism a lot like Europe's social welfare states. Soft despotism isn't cruel or mean, it's kindly and sympathetic. It doesn't help anyone take charge of life, but it does keep everyone in a happy state of childhood. A growing centralized bureaucracy will provide for everyone's needs, care for everyone's heath, direct everyone's career, arrange everyone's important private affairs, and work for everyone's pleasure.

The only hitch is, government must be the sole supplier of everyone's happiness ... the shepherd over this flock of sheep.

Strong stuff, though Mr. Ryan strikes me as a bit partisan in blaming Barney Frank rather than Henry Paulson for the seizure of Fannie Mae. I also think his tax proposal to give "taxpayers an option: either use the tax code we have today, or use a simple, low-rate, two-tier personal income tax that gets rid of loopholes and the double taxation of savings and investment" would add another Alternative-Minimum-Tax-like layer of complexity to an already-complex system. And I disagree with his desire to tilt the federal budget even further against the "rich," by, as he proposes, "For both Social Security and Medicare...the wealthy will receive smaller benefit increases."

But the whole speech is worth a read.

by Ira Stoll  |  Apr 3, 2010 at 10:05 pm Related Topics:  Fannie Mae, Health Care, Henry Paulson, Politics receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free futureofcapitalism.com mailing list