Paul Ryan Repeatedly Sought Stimulus Funds While Decrying Program

The Boston Globe:

In 2009, as Representative Paul Ryan was railing against President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package as a "wasteful spending spree," he wrote at least four letters to Obama's secretary of energy asking that millions of dollars from the program be granted to a pair of Wisconsin conservation groups, according to documents obtained by The Globe.

Read the whole story at The Boston Globe

Comments

[742]

09:41 AM on 08/15/2012

Stop with the facts!

Another politician caught doing just the opposite of what they say for consumption in the national press vs. local image!

Is it any wonder they're so hard to believe in anything they say?

[Veneita]

08:33 AM on 08/15/2012

This is the clearest example of the hypocrisy: he PRAISES the programs. The romney-esque refrain of 2010 will become the narrative: he retroactively did this to make sure his district got its due but his heart want in it. Trying to have it both ways.

[p456]

08:01 AM on 08/15/2012

More hypocrisy from Paul Ryan.

http://youtu.be/EnYlx3Rh-Lg

[Got2Go]

07:35 AM on 08/15/2012

Mr. Ryan one of your budget items calls for an increase in age for medicare to age 67. Currently employers health benefits stop at age 65. What happens during the 2 years before medicare kicks in.

[742]

09:43 AM on 08/15/2012

More pesky questions? .

He probably wants to delay answering you until he can read the 2,000 + page law he voted against. He might even find out that Mitt's plan included what he was against, before he was either against or for it, depending on who he was talking to, and of course, what day was it?

[tbone99]

03:33 PM on 08/15/2012

Hopefully,under the GOP plan,you die

[Got2Go]

04:58 PM on 08/15/2012

A true republican as defined by Webster dictionary 1836. Which says selfish, and non caring.

[carlosjl48]

06:12 PM on 08/15/2012

We
L, if you are dead, you can't vote

[modelaford]

02:50 AM on 08/15/2012

Ryan is a hypocrite. I hope to see this info in an ad before election.

Because you can bet the debate moderators won't be asking him about why he took TARP money while continuing to blast it.

[742]

09:45 AM on 08/15/2012

And if you think you'll get a straight answer, vs. one that's been rehearsed, I hope you won't get too frustrated at the lack of honesty or integrity that would be forthcoming.

[Sheldon archer]

11:41 PM on 08/14/2012

What the anti Ryan posters seem to lose sight of is that most Americans are not thinking people. This is why the Republicans rely of millions on dollars worth of negative TV advertising. "More sports for everyone, group spirit, fun, and you don't have to think, eh? Organize and organize and super organize super-super sports. More cartoons in books. More pictures. The mind drinks less and less..."...Fahrenheit 451 and so true.

[shothot]

12:18 AM on 08/15/2012

Low level, low IQ, dumb down American--the perfect Republican.

[742]

09:45 AM on 08/15/2012

Don't forget to restrict voting to protect against a non issue!

[Danchi]

11:37 PM on 08/14/2012

The hypocrisy of Ryan's Republican Democracy. But, he isn't the only republican that ranted against the stimulus money than stood inline with his hand out. The letter he wrote is I assume reminiscent of his "brown nosing" days in high school.

“I was pleased that the primary objectives of their project will allow residents and businesses in the partner cities to reduce their energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulate the local economy by creating new jobs,” Ryan wrote to Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Dec. 18, 2009, on behalf of the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation.

His face must hurt talking out both sides of his mouth. But, Ryan isn't the only republican that took stimulus money after voting against it. The money was available so why not utilize it for helping the people you represent. However some of the money went to questional projects I would call waste:
-top ten "Stimulus Projects to Remember" from the Senate GOP.
1. Studying radioactive rabbit poop ($330k).

2. Golf cart tax credit (Up to $5,500 per)

3. Syracuse study of co-ed sex habits ($219k).

4. Sunset Strip facelift ($1 million)

5. Renovation of facility to analyze invasive bugs ($2.3 million)

6. Snow-making machines for Duluth, Minn. ($6 million)

7. Social science survey of Facebook use. ($498k)

8. Pet neutering in Wichita. ($380k)

9. Florida "turtle tunnel." ($3.4 million)

10. Rockies/Diamondbacks training complex. ($30 millio

[DiBaskin]

11:02 PM on 08/14/2012

Governor Perry tried to bash the stimulus and said he didn't want it and wanted to leave the union. Then he back paddled and went and got it anyway. These greedy people won't turn down money no matter how much they hate having a black man in the white house and want him to fail.

[PWM]

07:59 AM on 08/15/2012

From 2001 to 2010, Texas' state debt under Perry grew from $13.4 billion to $37.8 billion , according to the Texas Bond Review Board, Rick Perry increase the state debt over the last decade $13.4 billion to $37.8 billion (Increase 182.1%)
Compared to federal debt over the entire Bush administration and Obama as of today, 8/12/11 (Increase 152.9%)

Perry has a worse track record and when one considers over the last decade he got 20 billion from Washington in regular transfer payments (which don't need to be paid back), and from Obama's stimulus program added an additional 24 billion to Texas. So Texas under Perry borrowed 24.4 billion (which has to be paid back) and received 44 billion from the federal government.

Now to put this in its proper context of the Texas Miracle. Rick Perry is said to have created 800,000 jobs, but if we look at the amount of money he spent, 68.4 billion, that is a cost per job of $85,500. That is a great deal of money for low paying jobs with no benefits.

[Skye Moss]

09:06 AM on 08/15/2012

To lazy to look it up, in regards to Perry, but there was something about education money too.

[742]

09:48 AM on 08/15/2012

More pesky facts.

So much for the Texas miracle, low paying wages provided by citizens from other states.

If the USA is to grow, all states have to grow, not just one taking low paying jobs from another state.

[tangelan]

10:31 PM on 08/14/2012

Ruh, roh. Did that not come up during the vetting process? Was there a vetting process?

[742]

09:49 AM on 08/15/2012

Vetting? I thought he was "venting" at all of the bad things Obama's people were saying.

Never mind ......

[tangelan]

09:59 AM on 08/15/2012

Gotta check your own backyard first.

[ReservoirDog]

10:31 PM on 08/14/2012

OMG ! Ryan a "Hypocrite" ?
What gave it away ....... The (R) behind his name ???????

[Sisa]

10:12 PM on 08/14/2012

A republican a hypocrite? The h e l l you say?

[742]

09:50 AM on 08/15/2012

Are there really any of those? Thought if you talked louder than the next person that would take care of it???

[BlueKoi]

07:08 PM on 08/14/2012

During the Bush years Ryans pro Bush votes added 5 Trillion to the national debt.

[PWM]

08:00 AM on 08/15/2012

They learned from Reagan not to worry about the national debt unless a democrat is in the WH.

[742]

09:51 AM on 08/15/2012

And if you add two wars that haven't been "paid for", how much does that add to the debt, and to the repayment of that debt over the next couple of decades?

Going to be interesting debates as both sides twist facts with half truths.

[getsit]

05:51 PM on 08/14/2012

All of the Republicans, governors and Congress members, did it then took the credit for the jobs created. It makes me sick. Meanwhile the governors are laying off workers in droves. The private industry jobs are increasing but the jobs ARE NOT secure, decent wages and benefit jobs. They are part time, temp, with no job security and no benefits. So the quality of the jobs are worse. Then laying off public employees negatively hits the economy so we AREN'T GETTING ANYWHERE. More stimulus money to keep the government jobs in place-teachers, social workers, PHNs, police and fire, road crews, and on and on. All these workers stimulate the economy and laying them off is not getting us out of this recession. People need paychecks to spend in the local economies stimulating local businesses who then hire more employees and so on. Austerity DOES NOT WORK.

[Cavalierdoglover]

05:18 PM on 08/14/2012

This man and the Republican party just want to continue at the expense of the middle class, the Bush welfare program for the RICH and that includes corporations my friends, because as we all Know, CORPORATIONS are PEOPLE. The Republican ticket of Romnet/Ryan tell you this! Make sure you read both official websites of both parties. When Bush baby UNFUNDED
TWO WARS and lied to the Americans about WMD'S, he put us in a big Financial Hole that people seem to forget while cutting taxes on the RICH. So now, you have a ticket that wants to punish the poor, women,young adults who want to go to college, the middle class by taxing them more, taking Medicare/ Medicaid and privatizing it and tell you this is for the good of all while people like Romney, Ryan and other wealthy people will get tax cuts! People, educate yourself and read about the Paul Ryan Budget! You may come to your senses and realize that if these two men go to Washington,D.C. the Middle class will go away. You will be either Rich or Poor in this country!

[loynaz1]

03:04 PM on 08/14/2012

Oh, please! And we are surprised?