Ryan and Romney are both string puppets operated by super wealthy hands. Hands that want cheap labor, no taxes for the rich, and no government regulations. Hands that want to eliminate social security and medicare or any benefits for the poor.

Why Paul Ryan's stance on Medicare matters?

Florida.

The longer version- Sandy, I think your analysis should look closer- because the plutocrats are not a homogenous group. But why would any faction of puppet masters go along with a Ryan nomination- surely they can read polls and know how Ryan will play in Florida.

Why indeed. Unless you think that all GOP operatives are certifiably insane people, you have to wonder what the more level heads in the GOP leadership are thinking. Steve Schmidt was talking on one of the GOP primary election nights about how oftentimes political operatives know very well what the likely outcome of an election will be long before the primaries are over. That has not been the case in this cycle up until July when the Romney campaign consistently demonstrated its incapacity to play at the level of Axelrod and the other pros running the Obama team.

There are very big businesses which depend on the the government being able to pass bills: the defense bill, agriculture bill and transportation bills. These folks have ideological points of view but push comes to shove, ideology takes a back seat to getting their money.

The problem? Their bills are no longer a sure thing.

This second group of puppet masters are not happy with the American Tealiban because bills in the Teavangelical dominated Congress are no longer a sure thing. This group of business interests long for the days of country-club milquetoasts like Bob Dole, the Bushes, and Ford who basically would do whatever their industry-captured advisors told them to do.

In corporate politics, sometimes the jujitsu way to defeat a trendy group in power is to step out of the way and let them destroy themselves. That is when you look at how bad mechanically this decision was, you look for explanations like this. Maybe the GOP establishment decided the best way quickly subvert the Teavangelical momentum is recognize them as political Wile E. Coyotes- and to simply step out of the way and let them run off the edge of the cliff- the more spectacularly the better. In their wake of their destruction, the cooler heads who have survived the purges- the Boehners and McCains- can get back to business as usual and pass the torch to someone like Chris Christie in 2016.

The Jerry Fords of the GOP decided, either through guile or cowardice that sometimes it is best to step out of the way and let the Wookie "win".

The trouble is, that the GOP disaster of 2012 will be blamed on Romney, just as the GOP turned on Bush as not being conservative enough. They won't learn and Ryan knows he can use this to burnish his credentials against Christie- so that he creams all moderates in the primaries and is perceived as next next in line in 2016. Behind closed doors he will reassure the puppetmasters he can be trusted to get their bills passed.

Hey Chris, the Affordable Care Act didn't defund Medicare by 500 billion dollars. It defunded Medicare Advantage by 500 billion dollars.

MSNBC pundits need a class on the Affordable Care Act. They do not, repeat, do not know what they are talking about when it comes to the Affordable Care Act, unless they're reading from a teleprompter, generally speaking. This morning the panel helped further the GOP misinformation campaign concerning the legislation. It's ridiculous.

this to chris who appeared on wypr in baltimore- hosted by dan rodric ks

Enjoyable show with Chris Hayes (a rebroadcast on 8/14).
I felt you were all too polite- as if at a dinner party. I could hear the clinking of the wine glasses.
You guys giggle, smirk and, in Chris's case- speak awfuly fast.
One caller calls to ask what he could positively do- and with yr answers- all falls apart.
At no time is capitalism mentioned- at no time will the boat be rocked- we had movements in the 60's- which Dan might remember- that you could point to as a model for action.
Thus- YPR is like the other institutions mentioned that are untrustworthy- not perversely so like a WBAL (right wing am station in Balto)- but still.
I say- honor those who are less polite.

dvid eberhardt
baltimore poet/activist

cc: hayes, various

I think the most interesting tangle will be between Ryan as a devotee of Ayn Rand and his alleged commitment to the Catholic faith. Chris hope you have those nuns on who are trying to talk with him about his understanding of helping those in need and his being a disciple of Rand.

Must reads:

http://mondoweiss.net/2012/08/nyt-publishes-op-ed-saying-there-are-too-many-palestinians-and-arabs-in-israel.html

http://www.raceforiran.com/

http://non-intervention.com/

http://www.juancole.com/

http://www.emptywheel.net/

Make no mistake about it: the main Medicare weapon against the Romney/Ryan 2012 presidential race--and congressional Republican elections--must be Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION. This is the Achilles Heel of the Ryan Plan.

And the deadly association of Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION
should be the 2008 FINANCIAL MELTDOWN.

Democratic campaigns—and their associated Super Pacs—should use
the same “buzzwords” that dominated the financial crisis in the public
discourse during the Housing Bubble, the consequent Financial Meltdown, and the
unpopular Bailouts.

1. The mother of all associations: PRIVATIZATION. Like a mantra, over and over again (ad-nauseum) the notion of one’s Medicare and Social Security in the hands of greedy, unscrupulous, and predatory Wall Street speculators, should be
   emphasized. All media communications (from magazine and newspaper articles, to Op-eds, to blogs, to official and Super Pac political ads and, principally, the rounds in the talking-heads shows), should begin and end with this argument. The key is message discipline: always finish strong with the Meme of MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION IN THE HANDS OF GREEDY AND PREDATORY WALL STREET SPECULATORS.
2. The next most emotionally charged buzzword should be TOXIC ASSETS. Emphasize the idea of one’s Medicare and Social Security “vouchers” becoming worthless financial instruments after the “Vulture Capitalists” siphon off all the value from them, pocket all the profits, and cast off the fleshless bones. Imagine: you are a retired senior citizen in the twilight of your life, on a fixed income, and failing health…and the Medicare and Social Security that you depend on to survive are TOXIC ASSETS that no one would want to buy or trade!
3. Remember “Derivatives” and “Mortgage-Backed Securities?” Now, it is not a stretch to conjure up the notion of MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY-BACKED SECURITIES. In other words, the “vouchers—or “shares”—of every retired person in America being “bundled” (like sausage being made from all meat parts of various animals) into new-fangled trading financial instruments: SENIOR CITIZENS DERIVATIVES. And, just like home titles, which after the
   mortgage crisis ran its course, nobody knows who the legitimate owner is, if
   Medicare and Social Security get bundled no one would know who legitimately “owns" YOUR medical and retirement! One thing is for sure, because your “vouchers” (Senior Citizens Derivatives) got sold over and over and over again, YOU WON’T OWN THEM, somebody else will.
4. And who can forget “Collaterized Debt Obligations.” The very idea of greedy
   Wall Street speculators using senior citizens’ Medicare and Social Security
   benefits as “collateral” to run another massive Casino Gambling Scheme should
   send shivers up and down the spine of every retiree. How would you feel if somebody grabbed the money for you cancer treatment, or your rent, or your next week’s grocery bill, and gambled it on a game of Craps…and lost it all? Where would that leave you? Under PRIVATIZATION, this will happen.
5. It is one thing to insure YOUR car, and YOUR home, and YOUR life. But Credit Default Swaps, insuring assets that you don’t own, brought the meaning of “sleaze” to a whole new low. But, because of the “Greed Is Good” philosophy of Gordon Gekko, what is the disincentive for a new generation of Wall Street speculators from placing “Insurance Bets” against YOUR Medicare and Social Security? More odious still, what if they insure against a loss, and then manipulate the market to ensure that, indeed, the value of your Medicare and Social Security “vouchers" go down in value!!!
6. Lastly, BAILOUTS. After most Americans’ Medicare and Social Security “vouchers” become devoid of any value, and the “Senior Citizen Market” collapses, make no mistake about it: the Banks and Wall Street will be bailed out. And, to add insult to injury, the very citizens who were hurt in the whole sordid scheme, the American taxpayer, will end up paying the bill. That’s the
   central argument: Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION will, almost
   inevitably (given the greedy nature of Wall Street), result in another
   financial collapse—similar to the collapse of the housing market and the banks—we will end up with another BAILOUT for the banks and Wall Street (the 1%)..paid for by the rest of us (the 99%).

   President Obama, and other Democrats present a rather timid and weak debate when they say, “they (the GOP) will take us back to the policies that created this mess in the first place.” They need to be more aggressive, using more descriptive and graphic rhetoric, to positively link privatizing Medicare and Social
   Security to the disastrous human toll of the Mortgage Crisis and the Financial
   Meltdown.

   This is the nucleus of the Meme: we will not let the Republicans do to your Medicare and Social Security what they did to your stocks & bonds, your IRAs & 401Ks, and your home mortgages. We will not let them PRIVATIZE Medicare and Social Security. We will not let the banks and Wall Street raid your Medicare and Social Security benefits and gamble them away.

Make no mistake about it: the main Medicare weapon against the Romney/Ryan 2012 presidential race—and congressional Republican elections must be Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION. This is the Achilles Heel of the Ryan Plan.

And the deadly association of Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION should be the 2008 FINANCIAL MELTDOWN.

Democratic campaigns—and their associated Super Pacs—should use the same “buzzwords” that dominated the financial crisis in the public discourse during the Housing Bubble, the consequent Financial Meltdown, and the unpopular Bailouts.

1. The mother of all associations: PRIVATIZATION. Like a mantra, over and over again
(ad-nauseum) the notion of one’s Medicare and Social Security in the hands of
greedy, unscrupulous, and predatory Wall Street speculators, should be emphasized. All media communications (from magazine and newspaper articles, to Op-eds, to blogs, to official and Super Pac political ads and, principally, the rounds in the talking-heads shows), should begin and end with this argument. The key is message discipline: always finish strong with the Meme of MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION IN THE HANDS OF GREEDY AND PREDATORY WALL STREET
SPECULATORS.

2. The next most emotionally charged buzzword should be TOXIC ASSETS. Emphasize the idea of one’s Medicare and Social Security “vouchers” becoming worthless financial
instruments after the “Vulture Capitalists” siphon off all the value from them,
pocket all the profits, and cast off the fleshless bones. Imagine: you are a retired senior citizen in the twilight of your life, on a fixed income, and failing health…and the
Medicare and Social Security that you depend on to survive are TOXIC ASSETS
that no one would want to buy or trade!

3. Remember “Derivatives” and “Mortgage-Backed Securities?” Now, it is not a stretch to conjure up the notion of MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY-BACKED SECURITIES. In other words, the “vouchers—or “shares”—of every retired person in America being “bundled” (like sausage being made from all meat parts of various animals) into new-fangled trading financial instruments: SENIOR CITIZENS DERIVATIVES. And, just like home titles, which after the mortgage crisis ran its course, nobody knows who the legitimate owner is, if Medicare and Social Security get bundled and sold as derivatives, no one would know who legitimately “owns” YOUR medical and retirement! One thing is for sure, because your “vouchers” (Senior Citizens Derivatives) got sold over and over and over again, YOU WON’T OWN THEM, somebody else will.

4. And who can forget “Collaterized Debt Obligations.” The very idea of greedy
Wall Street speculators using senior citizens’ medical and social security benefits as “collateral” to run another massive Casino Gambling Scheme should send shivers up and down the spine of every retiree. How would you feel if somebody grabbed the
money for you cancer treatment, or your rent, or your next week’s grocery bill,
and gambled it on a game of Craps…and lost it all? Where would that leave you? Under PRIVATIZATION, this will happen.

5. It is one thing to insure YOUR car, and YOUR home, and YOUR life. But Credit Default Swaps, insuring assets that you don’t own and pocketing the profits when they fail (and Wall Street brokers KNEW they would fail), brought the meaning of “sleaze” to a whole new low. But, because of the “Greed Is Good” philosophy of Gordon Gekko, what is the disincentive for a new generation of Wall Street speculators from placing “Insurance Bets” against YOUR Medicare and Social Security? More odious still, they could very well insure against a loss, and then manipulate the market to ensure that, indeed, the value of your Medicare and Social Security “vouchers” go down in value!!!

6. Lastly, BAILOUTS. After most Americans’ Medicare and Social Security “vouchers” become devoid of any value, and the “Senior Citizen Market” collapses, make no mistake about it: the Banks and Wall Street will be bailed out, again! And, to add insult to injury, the very citizens who were hurt in the whole sordid scheme, the American taxpayer, will end up paying the bill. That’s the central argument: Medicare and Social Security PRIVATIZATION will, almost inevitably (given the greedy nature of Wall Street), result in another financial collapse—similar to the collapse of the housing market—we will end up with another BAILOUT for the banks and Wall Street (the 1%)..paid for by the rest of us (the 99%).

President Obama, and other Democrats present a rather timid and weak argument when they say, “they (the GOP) will take us back to the policies that created this mess in the first place.” They need to be more aggressive, using more descriptive and graphic rhetoric, to positively link privatizing Medicare and Social Security to the disastrous human toll of the Mortgage Crisis and the Financial Meltdown.

This is the nucleus of the Meme: We will not let the Republicans PRIVATIZE Medicare and Social Security. We will not let the banks and Wall Street raid your Medicare and Social Security. We will not let them do to your Medicare and Social Security what they did to your stocks & bonds, your IRAs & 401Ks, and your home mortgages.

To Chris Hayes MSNBC UP Saturday August 18

Brilliant Opening Statement!

Could I humbly add:

It is Legislators of Government who passed the Bankruptcy Laws and govern the SEC who allow Capitalist like Romney's Bain Capital to take over businesses then end paychecks and pensions for the worker for Capitalist financial gain without protection for the workers well being.

It is the current Legislators of Government who passed TARP with ONE PAGE of terms that bailed out the Capitalist BANKS with no concern of adding terms to the BAILOUT Legislation that would protect the tax paying citizen who paid the price of the BAILOUT and then lost their jobs, their homes and a CRASH of the economy for YEARS!

SSN is INSURANCE, I have paid for since I was 16! Will these legislative ideologues NEXT PLAN be to allow Car Insurer Capitalist Corporations to change the terms of coverage paid by the car owner to take the premiums paid then spend them on their corporate (e.g. WARS) and then renege on benefits instead of regulating them to protect the insured when it is needed?

The Romney/Ryan Team are worse than hypocrites, they are truth twisters and charlatans interested in governing only for their in their own personal gains at the expense of the middle class tax payer.

MADMollieMN