Ryan denies requesting stimulus funds
Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. listens to the crowd response during his speech at a campaign stop at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, on Thursday, Aug. 16.
/ AP Photo/Phil Long(CBS News) YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Rep. Paul Ryan told a Cincinnati television station in an interview airing on Thursday that he "never asked for stimulus" money made available by the Recovery Act, contradicting documents that show he advocated for Wisconsin companies that were seeking funds.
"I opposed the stimulus because it doesn't work, it didn't work. It brought us deeper into debt. It was about $1.1 trillion when you add the borrowing cost, it put us deeper in debt and further out of work," Ryan told WCPO in an interview.
Subsequently, after reports about the contradiction emerged, Ryan said he checked his files and amended his answer. He said that while he never personally asked for funding, his staff had written in support of it.
"They were treated as constituent service requests in the same way matters involving Social Security or Veterans Affairs are handled. This is why I didn't recall the letters earlier. But they should have been handled differently, and I take responsibility for that," he said. "Regardless, it's clear that the Obama stimulus did nothing to stimulate the economy, and now the president is asking to do it all over again."
(Listen to a clip of Ryan's 2010 interview with WBZ.)
The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday that Ryan wrote letters in 2009 to Energy Secretary Steven Chu supporting grant applications for Recovery Act funds. The Wall Street Journal subsequently published one of the letters.
"I am writing to express my support for the grant application submitted by the Energy Center of Wisconsin and its partners for the Recovery Act - Training Program Development for Commercial Building Technicians, Building Operators, and Energy Commissioning Agents/Auditors," Ryan wrote in one such letter. "I have reviewed the partners' grant narrative, and I believe that they would make effective use of the funds they would receive from the DOE."
Ryan similarly denied requesting stimulus money in a 2010 interview with WBZ's Nightside with Dan Rea.
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No more speculation about who it will be
now that Romney has finally named his presidential V.P.
The noise heard was a collective groan
when Mitt announced in choosing Paul Ryan he had picked a clone.
When Paul agrees with Mitt that money given to the wealthy to the poor trickles down
does he know he's quoting a phrase coined by a clown?
Humorist Will Rogers used the expression
to try to raise the people's spirits during the Depression.
Today like Romney the affluent place their ill-gotten gains
in off-shore accounts in places where it seldom rains.
And where the tax man is so kind
that when they pay few, if any, taxes he does not mind.
Paul is another who laps up Ayn Rand's skewed philosophy with unbounded admiration
and says for him it has always been an inspiration.
He agrees that giving to those in need is tommyrot
for one should always give to those who've got.
When he announces his plans for benefits like food stamps, Medicare and Medicaid
one can only wonder what he's imbibing with his lemonade.
Does he really expect voters to place their trust
in someone who believes prices paid by the poor do not rise but simply adjust?
Donald Trump, Ryan's supporter and infamous birther,
described by some as a Middle-Earther,
admonished him for announcing his budget plan
before the election was in the can.
Better to wait, he said, and not yet about his ideas brag
or he'd risk letting his cat out of the bag.
And Rupert Murdoch, that Antipodean epitome of fair play and straight dealing ,
agree s for America Mitt's and Ryan's plans are the most appealing.
Paul is advised by Cheney who, by some magical black art,
was finally able to acquire a heart.
Is Mitt's sidekick thankful to receive words of cheer
from the most notorious war profiteer?
If he's taking lessons from Dick about how animals to kill
he should remember that shooting is not his friend's greatest skill.
Paul should never consider inviting him on a deer hunting trip
or letting him on any kind of weapon get a grip.
As to Rush Limbaugh, to reject The Blob's blessing Paul would be wise
since his massive Viagra doses never helped him to any occasion rise.
Meanwhile Romney, by introducing Ryan as the next U.S. president with a ringing shout
shows he is still suffering from a serious case of foot-in-mouth.
When in the U.K. Mitt boasted that the Anglo-Saxons were the cream of the crop
in three of the Kingdom's countries a penny could be heard to drop.
In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales exasperation was felt
by each and every inhabitant who takes pride in being known as a Celt.
As we witness the continuing pre-election drama
there is one thing where no-one can deny Paul Ryan beats Barack Obama.
But the President will probably shed no tears
when he hears Paul declare he is the one who has the bigger ears.
*****
As for me, I make no apology
for not being taken in by Romney's harebrained Mittology.
www.philitics.com
FLOP, No I didn't ask for the money
FLIP, Yes I did ask for the money.
In HR662 there is continued funding for the above project. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), spoke in support of a motion to recommit the bill, with a very specific amendment, explained in his words, "This motion rescinds all remaining funds, about $183 million, provided for the planning, design, and construction of the two bridges under SAFETEA-LU" and that "According to the CBO this motion will reduce the deficit by $160 million by eliminating funding for these two bridges, nothing else."
3/2/2011 4:10pm: Floor summary: DEBATE - The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Polis motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the Committee on Transportation to report the bill back to the House forthwith with an amendment which inserts a section rescinding all unobligated balances of contract authority provided or reserved for planning, design, or construction of the Gravina Island bridge, Alaska, or the Knik Arm bridge, Alaska.[
In response Rep. Mica (R-FL), spoke in opposition responding "Well congratulations my colleagues welcome to the era of smoke and mirrors and that's exactly what this motion to recommit is and I urge its defeat. And you heard the gentleman describing bridges and he again is trying to mislead the entire house on this particular motion to recommit. It is smoke and mirrors, and I urge the defeat of the motion to recommit." which was the complete argument and explanation he gave, even though he was allotted a full 5 minutes to respond.
"On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 181 - 246, 2 Present"
You see this with Republicans, they talk about smaller government and lower taxes while they take their farm subsidies and defense contractor paychecks.
It is like the sign "keep your government hands off my Medicare", as if it came from somewhere else. They do not seem to make the connection and that is the problem.
If Ryan is really concerned about the national debt, why is he always advocating for tax cuts. Ryan's rhetoric does not match the facts.
I still think that Obama would do a better job in the economy, and in lowering our national debt in the future.
- 1/3 infrastructure projects.
- 1/3 money back to state governments.
- 1/3 tax breaks.
We needed it to create/save jobs and to stimulate the economy. It was the right thing to do during that desperate time.
At least the money didn't go to democracy in Iraq.
http://simonbau.blog.com/?p=35