Haven’t seen too many of these this year, as the comments have mostly been us sniping at each other. However, this one is a good place to start:I actually heard that story and intended to comment on it but forgot. Paul Ryan sounds like an interesting person in this feature, even though I greatly disagree with his politics. I definitely disagree with his choice of favorite author, because Ayn Rand is painful to read.
On All Things Considered yesterday they gave a mini-bio for Ryan. They noted that 1) he requires all his staff to read The Fountainhead, and 2) he used to drive the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile. There’s no logical relationship between those two, but there certainly is an aesthetic relationship.
Actually, the story said he required his staff members to read Atlas Shrugged. I haven't yet read The Fountainhead, but Atlas Shrugged is just terrible libertarian science fiction. I am pretty sure that a man who invents an electric generator which converts static electricity into electric power would be a billionaire in our world, unless he is a ridiculously crazy, selfish asshole. The idea that the evil world of Atlas Shrugged somehow represents the existing American tax system is just plain stupid, and yet at least two members of Congress from Wisconsin (Senator Ron Johnson and Ryan) think it does. Apparently Paul Ryan went from driving the Wienermobile to driving the Clown Car of Republican economic and social policy. We are so screwed.
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile "Bologna" in Gilford, New Hampshire, August 19, 2007
I used to see this car driving around Erie, PA in the late 80s. I talked to the driver and looked inside. (it looked different then) It was moldy and smelly inside like the hot dog must have leaked water inside then baked in the sun. I wonder if the guy was Ryan.
ReplyDeleteDid he tell you he wanted to make sure you couldn't afford health care when you were old? If so, then it probably was him.
ReplyDelete