Paul Ryan lectures the pope

[hue]

http://www.salon.com/2013/12/27/paul_ryan_lectures_the_pope/

The Catholic conservative who insists he cares about the poor says Pope Francis doesn’t understand capitalism

When 1.3 million Americans lose their unemployment benefits on Saturday, they can thank Rep. Paul Ryan. He took the lead in negotiating a bipartisan budget deal with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, and on behalf of his party, held the line against continuing extended unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless.

Sure, a lot of Republicans share blame with Ryan. But he deserves extra-special (negative) credit for the deal, because he has lately had the audacity to depict himself as the new face of “compassionate conservatism,” insisting Republicans must pay attention to the problems of the poor. Friends say the man who once worshipped Ayn Rand now takes Pope Francis as his moral role model. Except he can’t help treating his new role model with arrogance and contempt.

It’s true that while knuckle-draggers like Rush Limbaugh attack the pope as a Marxist, Ryan has praised him, which I guess takes a tiny bit of courage since normally Republicans don’t like to buck the leader of their party. “What I love about the pope is he is triggering the exact kind of dialogue we ought to be having,” Ryan told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “People need to get involved in their communities to make a difference, to fix problems soul to soul.”

But he couldn’t suppress either his right-wing politics or his supreme capacity for condescension for very long. “The guy is from Argentina, they haven’t had real capitalism in Argentina,” Ryan said (referring to the pope as “the guy” is a nice folksy touch.) “They have crony capitalism in Argentina. They don’t have a true free enterprise system.”

[shenmue]

1. It would be neat...

if Ryan got excommunicated. Another supply-side, social Darwinist vampire hack.

[BeyondGeography]

2. One of the lovely things about this Pope

is that nihilists who purport to be doing Christ's work like Ryan and Scalia feel compelled to respond. They're at odds with The Pope. That's a big deal in Catholic World. And how small and pathetic they sound in response. The Pope doesn't understand capitalism? That's a winner, Ryan. Maybe 30 years and a huge chunk of wealth re-distribution upwards ago. I'd say the Pope's take is slightly more current...

[Thinkingabout]

3. Maybe someone should bust Ryan's bubble, there is crony capitalism in the US also.

I would hope Ryan would follow the teachings from Pope Francis and pay more attention to the poor and ill than he does to his rich friends and lobby.

[lunatica]

4. So the 1% are not cronies?

Arrogant is the perfect description of him.

[bemildred]

5. Oh good, now Capitalism is a mystery religion. "You have to have faith." nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

6. And ...

I think the "Catholic God" would say ryan doesn't understand Christianity.

So following belief sets ... If the Pope doesn't understand capitalism, but he demonstrates lack of understanding through his caring/advocating for the poor, at worst ... he doesn't get rich. If ryan doesn't understand Christianity, and demonstrates it by his lack of concern/advocacy for the poor, at worst ... he spend all of eternity in burning hell.

I think I'd rather face the Pope's wrongness.

[CTyankee]

7. Maybe Paulie could go over to Rome and try to have a little chat with

Francis. It won't happen but I'd like to be a fly on the wall when that conversation went down...

[Brigid]

9. So would I.

Yes indeed.

[JNelson6563]

8. Prepare to meet bell, book and candle motherfucker.

He needs to be excommunicated medieval style.

Julie

[Brigid]

10. Paul Ryan forgets something: Pope Francis is a Jesuit.

Ryan is waaay out of his league.

[hue]

11. Lol!! Very true!!

[tallahasseedem]

13. That Jesuit would run...

circles around Paul Ryan. Ryan really stepped in it this time...what a jerk.

[winter is coming]

17. LOL, I was thinking the same thing. n/t

[yellowcanine]

12. “They have crony capitalism in Argentina." Takes one to know one, Pauly.

[november3rd]

14. "They don't have a true free enterprise system" ?*#$%!

Guess what, PR: unless you have strict Federal legislation against monopolies, against political corruption and influence-peddling. against the concentration of wealth and resources into the hands of a small group of feudal overlords, and especially against an imperial military, you won't have "free" enterprise here either. If the rich don't want to pay their fair share of taxes, they are "FREE" to leave and go to Somalia or some other Libertarian paradise.

[lastlib]

15. "Paul Ryan lectures the Pope"...:

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All I can say is, "Jesus Christ!"