E.J. Dionne: Paul Ryan’s frown should make Democrats smile

[TheNewMe]

Paul Ryan’s frown should make Democrats smile
By E.J. Dionne Jr.,
Sunday, October 30, 6:51 PM

Quote:We may be reaching an inflection point, the moment when the terms of the political argument change decisively. Three indicators: an important speech last week by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the increasingly sharp tone of President Obama’s rhetoric and the success of Occupy Wall Street in resisting attempts to marginalize the movement.

The most telling was Ryan’s address at the Heritage Foundation. House Republicans regard Ryan as their prophet, their intellectual and their resident wonk. Usually, he carefully lays out the numbers and issues visionary promises of how cutting government (and taxes on the wealthy) will lead us down a blissful path to prosperity. He’s sunny when everyone else is grumpy.

So it was jarring to see Ryan used as the principal counterattacker against the president, who has been making the injuries of class inequality clear and pointing to the costs of the Republicans’ just-say-no strategy in Congress.
...
But what’s most instructive is that Ryan would not have given this speech if the Republican Party were not so worried that it is losing control of the political narrative. In particular, growing inequalities of wealth and income — which should have been a central issue in American politics for at least a decade — are now finally at the heart of our discourse. We are, at last, discussing the social and economic costs of concentrating ever more resources in the hands of the top sliver of our society.
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[There Is No Spoon]

It has been wonderful watching the narrative swing toward the Democrats and Obama while noting that the Republicans have gone "all in" on a strategy of Coddle the Rich Corporate "People". Republicans seemed more than happy to walk into the trap, kinda amusing actually.

[SeattleGirl]

(10-30-2011 10:14 PM)There Is No Spoon Wrote:  It has been wonderful watching the narrative swing toward the Democrats and Obama while noting that the Republicans have gone "all in" on a strategy of Coddle the Rich Corporate "People". Republicans seemed more than happy to walk into the trap, kinda amusing actually.

Seems to me that more and more people are becoming aware of the Teapublican's nasty agenda, and we will be better off for it.

[jaxx]

Sending Ryan out to do the whining....what will they try next. People are paying attention to the Congress and not liking what they see.

[yowzayowzayowza]

(10-31-2011 09:21 AM)jaxx Wrote:  People are paying attention to the Congress and not liking what they see.

Yep, repubs don't have a viable reason to sit on their hands for the next year and a President who appears anxious to get to rubbing their nose in it.

[Ikonoklast]

They lost control of the national discussion; before OWS it was "DEFICIT, CUTS, BUDGET!!"; now the narrative is "Tax The 1%!!"

Kinda backfired on them, dinnit? Classic over-reach, and reaction.