Paul Ryan Sorry for Calling Americans “Takers.” Let’s Talk About the Real Takers.
Posted on March 31, 2016 by Yves Smith
By Lynn Parramore, a senior research analyst at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website
Rana Foroohar’s new book, Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business, addresses what Paul Ryan conveniently left out.
From the lips of Paul Ryan, Chief Spokesman of Blame-the-Poor politics, came a curious mea culpa just last week. Oops! He should not have referred to hard-working Americans trying to feed their families as “takers” (Mitt Romney gained attention for similar remarks in 2012, but his running mate Ryan had already been on the makers/takers theme for years). Ryan further admitted that when it comes to economic distress, he didn’t really know what he was talking about.
“There was a time when I would talk about a difference between ‘makers’ and ‘takers’ in our country, referring to people who accepted government benefits,” said the speaker. “But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized I was wrong.”
Well, yes. But a question: If the takers aren’t standing in the unemployment line or rushing home from the second job to change diapers, then just where are they? Because an awful lot of America’s resources have gone missing. Like money that should be going to education, job training, healing the sick, retirement funds, infrastructure, and, you know — life.
Ryan didn’t quite get to that part. As he and the rest of the country’s pundits and politicians puzzle over this crazy political season, they might do well to get themselves a copy of Rana Foroohar’s forthcoming book, Makers and Takers: The Rise of American Finance and the Fall of American Business (to be released on May 17). The title was inspired by Ryan’s very own (now-disowned) rhetoric, the favorite shorthand for trickle-down myths that paint the rich as the creators of jobs and innovative products and the rest of the population as lazy good-for-nothings.
That line worked pretty well before the financial crisis. Now, not so much.
in full: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2016/03/paul-ryan-sorry-for-calling-americans-takers-lets-talk-about-the-real-takers.html
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after he gets rid of his baggage..to save the day - and accept the republican nominee for Prez....just like he wasn't interested in Speaker of the House...didn't even have to twist his arm...just give him family time....
Give up "impatience and anxiety" for lent...that anxiety of wanting to be Prez no matter what must be really bothering him.........hey - Cheney did it..why not "ayn ryan rand"...
Maybe his anxiety over how many social media venues have him talking about "takers".....
