July 8, 2014

"Is Paul Ryan Breaking Up With His Wonk Buddies?"

"The coming fight among conservative intellectuals."

14 comments:

Original Mike said...

"But that’s likely to put him in conflict with the nascent reform conservative movement."

Nascent, as in "only in my New Republic wet dreams."

Bob Ellison said...

I love it when leftists write about rightist politics! The perspicacity!

Michael K said...

"Stein spends an entire section on “The Marginal Rate Mystique,” arguing that while supply-side reforms were successful when the top rate was 70 percent, such reforms would have limited economic gain now while massively reducing revenues."

The supply side tax cuts did not reduce revenues. The point about rates today and in 1980 is obvious but the corporate rates, for example, are a great target for cuts.

This is more Democrat advice to Republicans. BS, in other words.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Yeah, TNR is my go-to source for insight into conservative politics.

khesanh0802 said...

Lots of "may-bes" and "could-bes" but not much meat. An almost but not quite fact free piece. Modern journalism.

What the hell is wrong with a little intellectual ferment? Not just one person has a good, or implementable, idea. The current climate on campus and in DC has made many forget that civilized argument (and compromise) generally leads to better results.

Amexpat said...

Ryan looked promising but he no longer is a national player because he couldn't deliver Wisconsin in 2012.

mccullough said...

The rates were raised on the high income earners more than a year and a half ago and doom and gloom didn't happen. Just as the Republican sequester and the refusal to extend unemployment benefits past 26 weeks didn't create the doom and gloom Dems predicted.

So both Ryan and Obama were wrong. Helping out the people who work for a living, have kids, and don't make more than $450,000 a year should be Republicans top priority, along with reigning in crony corporatism. Ryan's agenda doesn't do that and neither does Obama.

garage mahal said...

Paul Ryan is a wonk?

Jason said...

The Libtards and the Media have predicted 57,000 of the last three actual Republican schisms.

tim maguire said...

The tax code itself is a tremendous drain on our economy, with an estimated 500 billion dollars a year spent on compliance and endless waste engaged in for tax avoidance purposes. Want a revenue neutral way to give the middle class a big tax break? Simplify the tax code. There is no reason why the average person should need an accountant.

Then we can talk about flat taxes and so on.

Rusty said...

khesanh0802 said...
Lots of "may-bes" and "could-bes" but not much meat. An almost but not quite fact free piece. Modern journalism.

What the hell is wrong with a little intellectual ferment? Not just one person has a good, or implementable, idea. The current climate on campus and in DC has made many forget that civilized argument (and compromise) generally leads to better results.

Not the type of civilized argument that would cause one to compromise their virtue. I which case principal must stand firm.
IE Hobby Lobby and , say, Media Matters.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

In response to mcollough I'd point out that in the first quarter after "rates were raised on the high income earners" the economy slowed considerably, and in fact retracted 2.9% the first quarter of 2014. But no worries, I'm sure it's just "weather" or something. It can't be the bad economics of discouraging investment by the "investment class." Nope. Can't be that..

damikesc said...

I love that controlling expenses is never addressed as a worthwhile option.

Michael K said...

I love lefties thinking, if that is what it is.

"The rates were raised on the high income earners more than a year and a half ago and doom and gloom didn't happen. Just as the Republican sequester and the refusal to extend unemployment benefits past 26 weeks didn't create the doom and gloom Dems predicted. "

Someone else pointed out that Q1 saw a retraction that, if repeated in Q2 will be a recession by definition.

The sequester, not the Republican Sequester" was directed at Defense and will show up when we lose the next war.

The unemployment cutoff actually reduced unemployment as the gravy train came to a stop.