Paul Ryan Apologizes For Calling The Poor ‘Takers’

[applegrove]

Paul Ryan Apologizes For Calling The Poor ‘Takers’

by Alice Ollstein at Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/23/3762699/paul-ryan-trump-2016/

"SNIP..............



In a Capitol Hill speech billed as a repudiation of the tone of the 2016 election, House Speaker Paul Ryan apologized for his own past rhetoric about poor people of color.

“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,” he said. “But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized I was wrong. ‘Takers’ wasn’t how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap, just trying to take care of her family. Most people don’t want to be dependent.”

Later, in response to a question from a Capitol Hill intern, he went further, saying of his past characterization of low-income Americans: “I was callous and I oversimplified and castigated people with a broad brush. There is a lot of that happening in America today.”

For several years — as he has pushed policies to slash Medicaid funding, food stamps, unemployment insurance, and other social programs — Ryan has repeatedly referred to poverty as a “culture problem” among people in “inner cities,” where “generations of men [are] not even thinking about working.”



.................SNIP"

[Iggo]

1. Fuck you, Paul Ryan.

:middlefinger:

[closeupready]

7. +1000.

[Lochloosa]

9. Both of them. One is not enough.

[mcar]

23. Well said!

[applegrove]

2. And the GOP starts to backtrack on their precious meme. Has Trump forced the

GOP to become more moderate? Or do they just not want African Americans to come out of Hillary in November. Probably the latter.

[AZ Mike]

3. Crocodile tears

He's still a true believer. Look at his works.

[lpbk2713]

4. As is usual in the case of (R)s

They are only sorry they were caught.

[elleng]

5. 'There is a lot of that happening in America today.'

Right, you piece of crap, thanks to you and your friends.

[Warpy]

6. Nobody's going to believe that, Paul

because your actions for many years have spoken far louder than the words you're spouting because you're just smart enough to have read the writing on the wall concerning support for Ayn Rand devotees and other Scrooges.

Go fuck yourself with a chainsaw.

[marble falls]

8. Too fucking little, too fucking late. He thinks there's a chance of a brokered nomination for him...

and he'll open the big ol' GOP tent to everyone they've offended.

[etherealtruth]

15. I am so sick of these republican @ss-holes

"The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens." - Jimmy Carter

[marble falls]

16. I am sick to death of him. And all his little Teapublican pals, too.

[eShirl]

10. Zombie-eyed Granny Starver says what?

[WinkyDink]

11. Somehow his Democratic colleagues were all aware.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

12. "he has pushed policies to slash Medicaid,food stamps,unemployment ins.,and other social programs"

If I remember correctly he used Social security himself to pay for food, shelter and a college education!

[angstlessk]

13. He's prepping to be president after the convention n/t

[TeamPooka]

17. feels like it.

[2naSalit]

30. Exactly.

[REP]

14. It would be nice to be able to believe he really means this

in the immortal words of the Brian Jonestown Massacre:

[Dont call me Shirley]

18. Cryin' Ryan...

Is that a requirement for gop house speaker?!

[LeftishBrit]

19. Wow. What's in the water? Duncan-Smith in the UK, now Ryan in America...

no doubt they'll recover from their temporary delirium and go back to full rightwingitis; but at least it makes a momentary change.

[Raine]

20. You can't put "toothpaste back in the tube"! nt

[FLPanhandle]

21. Someone is counting on a brokered convention

Campaigning starts now.

[2naSalit]

31. That's what it smells like....nt

[AngryAmish]

22. None of this would have happened without Trump

And Bernie. One year ago no one cared about working people.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

24. omg..he's turning into a Democrat. Glory be !

[Hotler]

26. No he's not. He is and always will be a.....

repug shit stain.

[FLPanhandle]

29. No, he is turning into a GOP candidate for the president

and hoping for a brokered convention.

This is just another campaign lie.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. Well, look at the bright side - at least he's saying the right things -

not like Craz and Trump - they don't even go there.

I just can't get past the widow's peak. Surely he can ask the Kardashians to manage it's removal

[Ilsa]

25. OMG. Did he finally have a

Moment of clarity? Has he finally come to terms with being a "taker" when he needed help?

[Laffy Kat]

27. Oh he knew EXACTLY what he was saying.

Asshole.

[eleny]

28. And the tap dancer makes an appearance....

[img][/img]

Looks like Ryan does want to be the nominee.

[rurallib]

32. Why hasn't a catholic bishop or cardinal ever come forward

and condemned his rhetoric as against the beliefs of his church.

Oh right.

Sorry it seems an offbeat comment but it seems the religious use their religion when it suits them.

[logosoco]

33. It's not what you say, it's what you do, Mr. Ryan.

And look at you, in the very spot and position to actually do something for the poor. If you are just now getting around to recognizing them, after you have had this position of power for so long, I really don't think an apology is going to go very far.

[BillZBubb]

34. Self serving image polishing by the Wisconsin Weasel.

He must hear the rumblings of a brokered convention. Gotta clean up his past moments of candor before the big event. He broke rule number one of the republicans: never tell the non-rich how your really feel about them.

[Eugene]

36. A substance-free apology.

Same old policies without the Teabaggerisms. F**k him.

[irisblue]

37. walk a budget thru the House that fixes your callousness

other wise just hot air fella

[meow2u3]

38. Trying to stuff the genie back in the bottle, huh, Ryan?

Actions speak louder than words, and Ryan's budget screams over his empty apologies.

[Octafish]

39. What do the poor have access to, to take?

Pentagon budget? Welfare for oil companies? Offshore bank accounts?

Things changed when President Clinton ended "welfare as we know it."

[sendero]

40. No..

... you just realized that part of the canon of idiotic Libertarian beliefs doesn't sit well with most people. Not buying it.

[Leith]

41. When's the Next Vote to Repeal the ACA?

Or any other everyday bill, debate, committee meeting, and vote that make up a representative's time in the House.

He's full of shit. Like others said, let's see some action to go along with those pandering words.

[Retrograde]

42. My translation: Ryan is running for president

He sees the mess that's the GOP primaries, figures the odds of a brokered convention in which none of them have enough delegates and the convention chooses - Paul Ryan!

Now, my predictions are often inaccurate, and if Ryan wants to prove me wrong by moving towards the left (or at least center) and nudging Congress that way, I'll be happy.