Paul Ryan -- Who Hates Government -- Owes His Wealth, Education, Career & Healthcare To Taxpayers

During my research into Paul Ryan these past few days I learned an amazing irony. I knew the man's politics, reputation and budget. I knew he is among the most ardent claimed supporters of small government. (While his voting record reveals the opposite, let's pretend to take him at his word.) His budget does make clear an intent to fundamentally transform the federal government into something much smaller.

So why then have I learned that Ryan, more than perhaps any politician I have ever studied, owe nearly everything he is or has to the federal government? How can that be you say, not Paul Ryan, not this fiscal, small government purest, Ayn Rand devotee! I dare you read on.

1. Family wealth
Ryan, together with his wife, is a multimillionaire. Contrary to what Romney puts out there (that Ryan is a product of the middle class), Ryan was born privileged. His dad was an attorney, but the family moneys comes from, and continues to come in from, the construction company his great grandfather launched in 1984. The company today has many divisions, some with frequent DoD contracts. (Not surprising why Ryan's budget proposes massive increases in defense spending.) But guess what the family business built?

But on the website for Ryan Incorporated Southern, headquartered in Florida (there are various divisions of Ryan and, yes, still from the company founded by his great-grandfather that's run by Ryan's cousins), it's a bit more explicit: "The Ryan workload from 1910 until the rural interstate Highway System was completed 60 years later, was mostly Highway construction.

Yep, that's right. The family business made most of its money over decades in federal and state contracts, aka government projects paid by taxpayers. rudepundit.blogspot.com...

That's some hypocrisy there, especially as his budget guts federal spending on infrastructure.

2. His Home
Ryan, when back in WI, lives in a stately home on the quiet, wealthy side of Janesville, WI. His home is inherited and comes with 6 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. So what's this have to do with the federal government? His home is officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places, giving him access to grants, special deductions, even federal support for some home maintenance. Check out the full benies here:
www.ohp.parks.ca.gov...

3. His Education
Born into privilege, Ryan's family could afford to put him through school at Miami University in Ohio. Ryan likes to say he paid for school with his own savings. Well that true, if you consider that most was paid for via Social Security Survivor benefits he saved following his father's death. His family did not need the money to live by, so he piled it up and used it to pay for most of his education.

His father’s death provided Ryan with Social Security benefits until his 18th birthday, which he saved to pay for his education at Miami University of Ohio.

en.wikipedia.org...

Okay, I've no beef with this...except that now that he has his, he wants to keep others from the same benefits since he is on record wanting to privatize Social Security, forcing us all to the whims of the rigged stock market. Well, there's always Pell Grants for our kids for school right? Oh yeah, Ryan's budget guts this most successful of programs that invests in America's future.

4. His Career
Ryan was elected to Congress at age 28. Prior to that he served as an aide in the service of Kansas federal politicians. He did work briefly at McDonald's and did part time personal fitness training. But, essentially, Paul Ryan has been drawing a federal paycheck since he was about 22. Of course, now with 14 years in Congress, our tax dollars will be paying for a full comfy Congressional pension, as well as picking up his healthcare insurance for life.

So for a guy widely known in political circles for ONE thing -- proposing a budget that guts federal spending (except for the military), don't you find it amazing he should has this attitude given how much federal government has built him? I mean, do you ANY other person where practically everything he has is a product of our tax dollars, of government money?

Ayn Rand is surely choking in her grave and where ever she is, she's screaming "Fraud! Poseur! Hypocrite!"

P.S. - He may believe himself a small government guy, but his voting record says very clearly he supports massive government spending and government intrusion into your lives.

Learned a lot, good post.

While I don't support Paul Ryan totally, he is certainly courageous and is probably the best Republican at articulating their position.

I agree with some of his concepts. Why are we sending money to Washington only to have them send it to the poor and seniors? Wouldn't it be more efficient to have a localized aid system?

People live next door to the elderly and do nothing to help them...

reply to post by MassOccurs


Thanks. My point here is that Paul Ryan is a complete hypocrite. He has benefited personally more from government than arguably any other national politician, literally yet he claims he wants to gut the federal government.

Just vote Gary Johnson if u don't like any of this candidates.

So Paul Ryan "hates government". Really? From the post it sounds like you hate anyone who is wealthy.

reply to post by jjkenobi


You have issues with reading comprehensive. I don't begrudge earned wealth. I do begrudge hypocrites who now that the feds have given them theirs, everyone else can screw off.

The man has never had to pay a mortgage, pay for healthcare, pay for his education, worry about putting food on the table, etc. How can he possibly relate to the lives of most of us?

reply to post by pajoly


He worked at Macdonalds?

The whole premise of this thread is embarrassing to the op and dumb. Please stop these weak meaningless attacks and address the real issues. No wondering America is circling the drain with democrats running the ship.

This is America!

Who cares what he does?

Pay attention to what he says!

It's because it IS America - where we hate anyone who has something that we don't

reply to post by pajoly


I don't begrudge him his wealth, but I'll never vote for a non-producing parasite who lives off the Federal teat while campaigning on his contempt for others who receive benefits.

Awesome cliche republican campaign phrases from my home state:

"We need to reduce the size of government."
-But please elect me so I can be part of this gigantic government. I promise I'll work to make it smaller as long as it doesn't include firing me or giving me less money....or benefits....or anything else that benefits me.

"We need to turn this country around."
-This implies a 180 degree turn where we change every single thing about the country. This is just dumb but I know this is what you want to hear.

"We need to cut spending."
-I do not plan on cutting my salary as a congressman

"My opponent is a typical Washington bureaucrat."
-Please elect me so I can also be a Washington bureaucrat.

"Look at me--I'm standing on this Natural Gas rig with a hard hat."
-I know it's ironic that we have all of this drilling and the highest energy prices in the US, but this is what you do if you want to get elected in this state.

"I'm a businessman."
-I inherited a business while everybody under me ran it, but this is the new thing to say if you want to get elected.

"I love Jesus"
-I'm more than likely an Atheist but I could never actually say that. And this is what you say to get elected in this state.

So yes, these dudes are total hypocrites. Ryan is of course a hypocrite.

Another thing I don't understand is why people want to yell about class warfare when we bring up how much money Romney has. Look, Romney cannot understand the majority of Americans because of his wealth.

Romney is the typical rich guy who has become bored and wants power. That's why these dudes get into politics. Geez, I guess I can't blame them to some degree--the president may get to know the truth about UFOs and stuff. That could be cool.

Paul Ryan

What you need to know.

Spoken from the mouth of Democrats!
Erskine Bowles: Ryan budget is "sensible...honest, serious



www.youtube.com...#!

reply to post by Logarock


Yes, briefly. www.politico.com...

Flipping ­­burgers at McDonald’s, steering the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, slinging cheap margaritas, and toning abs and pecs. That’s about the extent of Rep. Paul Ryan’s private sector experience.

For all the talk about how the young vice-presidential prospect’s budget blueprint would pose a political risk to Mitt Romney, there’s been little mention about how his résumé would so glaringly clash with the message of the GOP nominee-in-waiting.

But as the Ryan-for-veep buzz grows louder some of his rivals are pointing out that it may seem discordant for Romney to choose someone whose adult work experience comes almost completely in the worlds of government and politics.

I don't have a problem with someone using the government to get ahead and then making it easier for FREE MARKETS to exist. I do have a problem with someone using the free market to get ahead and then THROWING THE FREE MARKET LADDER DOWN on everyone else as soon as they got to the top.

Originally posted by burntheships
Paul Ryan

What you need to know.

Spoken from the mouth of Democrats!
Erskine Bowles: Ryan budget is "sensible...honest, serious

www.youtube.com...#!

edit on 14-8-2012 by burntheships because: (no reason given)

Yes, Ryan worked with Bowles on the deficit commission, helping to craft the plan....and then Ryan went on to lead the scuttling of that same Simspon/Bowles plan. Seems he is not so serious after all when it comes time to put his vote where his mouth is.

I dont like Ryan but I cant fault him for taking advantage of government.

I work in government and I'm an apocalyptic anarchist.

If people arent supposed to milk government contracts or practice shady nepotism or rip taxpayers off then maybe government should cease being such a handy vehicle for waste and abuse.

Sure, if I leave a bowl of money out on the street I might be able to claim I was robbed the first or second time that bowl of mine disappears but after a while shouldnt I sto and ask why the hell I'm leaving a bowl of money out in the street?

It's like government wants you to take advantage of it. But only if you dont need it. If you do need it you wont get a dime.

Another thing I don't understand is why people want to yell about class warfare when we bring up how much money Romney has. Look, Romney cannot understand the majority of Americans because of his wealth.

reply to post by yadda333


That's so true. He called Ryan middle class because to him with at least 1/4 of a BILLION dollars, Ryan with only some $3-$7 million in assets is middle class. He simply can't conceive that the true norm for family wealth in America is less than $100k.

A rare survey of U.S. households, first performed in 2007 but repeated in 2009 in order to gauge the effects of the recession, reveals the median net worth of households fell from $125,000 in 2007 to $96,000 in 2009.

Originally posted by pajoly

That's so true. He called Ryan middle class because to him with at least 1/4 of a BILLION dollars, Ryan with only some $3-$7 million in assets is middle class. He simply can't conceive that the true norm for family wealth in America is less than $100k.

What I'm hearing a lot from class-warfare fans is that the poorer you are the better a person you are.

So Romney is the antichrist with 200 million.

Ryan being "middle class" is a joke with his 7-8 million.

So what's Obama with his 12 million? A man of the people? Salt-o-the-earth sort of guy?

Just wondering since rich=evil apparently. If 12 million is a typical guy next door then I'm in really, really, really bad shape.

Oh, and many of these same class-warfare type people seem to love Soros and Buffet. How does that work?