Surely we're all sick to death of hearing about the debt ceiling debacle still ongoing in Washington. Late yesterday, Peter Robinson of The Hoover Institution, posted this at Ricochet.com after he said he'd been listening to Sean Hannity on his car radio yesterday:
Sean spent an hour lambasting Speaker Boehner and everyone who supports Boehner's proposal to raise the debt ceiling, including the Wall Street Journal and Bill Kristol.
Then Congressman Ryan came on the air. Sean asked if Paul Ryan agreed with those who believed that voting against the Boehner proposal would "play into Obama's hands" in a tone leaving no doubt that Sean expected Ryan to prove as dismissive of the Boehner proposal as was Sean himself. "I absolutely believe that voting against the Speaker's proposal would play into Obama's hands," Ryan replied. (I'm quoting from memory here.)
Respectfully but firmly and--very much worth noting--cheerfully, Ryan explained, a) that Boehner's proposal would cut federal spending by more than it would raise the debt ceiling, b) that the Boehner proposal would do so without raising taxes, and, c) that, even though Obama and Geithner have been misleading the public about the likelihood of a default, if Congress failed to raise the debt ceiling the markets would indeed be disrupted, doing damage to a weak economy. Ryan continued to say that the conservative movement was split "right down the middle on this." While urging listeners to support Boehner's proposal, he nevertheless insisted that "after this is over we're going to unite as conservatives to keep on pounding and pounding."
The interview lasted only a few minutes, but it was as deft a performance as I've ever heard. Also, in its way, courageous. Sean, Rush, others--Ryan surely knew that they had devoted their air time today to attacking the Boehner proposal, and that they were speaking for a lot of the people who most admire Ryan, including much of the Tea Party. Ryan stood his ground.
If Paul Ryan's endorsement of the Boehner proposal is not enough to convince you (it does me), read the below article posted at National Review Online today by Thomas Sowell. Here's a bit of it:
Is the Boehner legislation the best legislation possible? Of course not! You don’t get your heart’s desire when you control only one house of Congress and face a presidential veto.
The most basic fact of life is that we can make our choices only among the alternatives actually available. It is not idealism to ignore the limits of one’s power. Nor is it selling out one’s principles to recognize those limits at a given time and place, and get the best deal possible under those conditions.
That still leaves the option of working toward getting a better deal later, when the odds are more in your favor.
Boehner’s Plan Will Do - Thomas Sowell - National Review Online
It shouldn't have to be pointed out that both Paul Ryan and Thomas Sowell are endorsing the Boehner proposal now - not what it might look like after Harry Reid's senate takes a shot at it.
