Paul Ryan's Playlist

Paul Ryan is everywhere. Republican Congressman to Wisconsin's first district, the youthful legislator first came to our attention during the health care debate last spring. In March, he challenged the President on the real costs of ObamaCare and criticized Democrats for ignoring the financial consequences of the new law. Today, if we don't see him on MSNBC or find his op-eds in the Washington Post or the New York Times, we know that he is running around Capitol Hill advocating his Roadmap for America. Currently serving his sixth term in Congress, Ryan is ranking member of the House Budget Committee, senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and a member of the President's Fiscal Commission where he is tackling the deficit. He is concerned about the unsustainable path of our government and believes his Roadmap is the solution. While you might not agree with his plan for our country's fiscal future, you cannot argue that Paul Ryan has made a name for himself in Washington as a person of substance and integrity. He has given hope to Republicans that there is something more to the future of the GOP besides Christine O'Donnell. He has brought fiscal guts to Congress. Needless to say, Paul Ryan is not going away.

So, as we formulate our opinion of the Congressman, what else do we want to know? We want to know what he is listening to on his iPod. Frequently found walking around House buildings plugged in, Ryan is always connected. Occasionally, viewers can even spot the Congressman's earphones popping out of his suit jacket on air. Our first inclination is to assume Paul Ryan is listening to podcasts such as the Economist Podcast for up to date analyses of international news and politics or the NPR Podcast for the latest roll call votes. However, upon further thought, it is possible that Paul Ryan is far too hip for podcasts. Considering the Congressman's home state and political positions, I've taken a shot at recreating Paul Ryan's go-to playlist.

1. Making his name inside the Beltway: A Country Boy Can Survive by Hank Williams, Jr.
2. A shoutout to his home state: Good Things by The BoDeans
3. Regarding the Democrats' control of the House: What Is and What Should Never Be by Led Zeppelin
4. Official view of Obama's spending: Take the Money and Run by Steve Miller Band
5. Our country's fiscal future: Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad by Grateful Dead
6. Hoping for a sweeping Republican win in November: World is Waiting for the Sunrise by Les Paul
7. Apparently a Facebook favorite: Fuel by Metallica
8. Bringing a pulse to Congress: Beethoven Virus by Banya

 

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Comments

[robbcoffee]

03:02 PM on 10/06/2010

Concerning actual regard for the non-rich: "No Feelings" by the Sex Pistols
Concerning deepest ambitions: "Elected" by Alice Cooper
Response to people who depend on Social Security: "Go to Hell" by Megadeth
Concerning his use to the GOP "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" by the Pet Shop Boys

This guy typifies the "Young Republican" image... the type of conservative who cares about money first and foremost but lacks the moral character that tempers the old-fashioned conservatives' appetites.

[Jimbo24]

02:28 PM on 10/06/2010

Paul Ryan is awesome, I wish he should run with Chris Christie. That is a guarantee winner combo next presidential election.

[Chris Rautmann]

01:24 PM on 10/06/2010

If Paul Ryan actually ran on his Roadmap, he wouldn't be around.
Cutting Social Security?
Eliminating Medicare?
A national sales tax?
Eliminating corporate taxes?
Cutting taxes on the rich AGAIN?

Please, Paul Ryan! RUN ON YOUR PLAN!

[ewilder]

12:48 PM on 10/06/2010

Ryan wants to get rid of Social Security and Medicare, which tens of millions of Americans rely on in order to survive.
Here are a couple of songs I sing to Reprehensible Ryan:
Jump on the Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne) and Hit the Road, Jack (Ray Charles); I ain't Working on Maggie's Farm No More (Dylan), but I AM Sticking With the Union (Guthrie).

[Box500]

12:15 PM on 10/06/2010

Ryan is from a largely working-class and rural area of Wisconsin, including Janesville where one of the oldest GM plants in America shut down last year. It was open since 1919. It has decimated its economy. Yet the salt-of-the-earth folks keep voting him in even though his republican policies continue to screw them. He is the poster boy for what's wrong with this country. He got his foot in the door because he comes from a wealthy family. He is a punk.

[ChiBloger]

10:20 AM on 10/06/2010

The man is a good looking empty suit. While his heads not as empty as your standard teaparty candidates he makes up for it by being willing to do or think what they tell him to.
That’s Paul Ryan in a nutshell. Who cares what he listens to? Chickaboom chickaboom don’t ya just love it?

[tk-baldwin]

10:08 AM on 10/06/2010

"The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing" by Frank Zappa, although that could be on the play-list for the entire Republican party.

[ekattisretah]

09:09 AM on 10/06/2010

Budget Chairman Elect Paul Ryan. It sounds great and will be great for America.

I notice he doesn't use teleprompters.

[Cheryl2]

10:51 AM on 10/06/2010

I take it you are rich, you will need to be if Paul Ryan becomes budget chairman. Anyone else will be starved and killed off due to lack of safety net programs, especially the elderly.

[ekattisretah]

10:57 AM on 10/06/2010

Like most progressives you jumped to the wrong conclusion.

We have nothing to discuss because you are incapable of thinking past your talking points.

But do enjoy election night. It will be fun.

[thegreatdaveo]

11:16 AM on 10/06/2010

He actually does. I attended one of his speeches and there was indeed a teleprompter there.

[Countess]

09:05 AM on 10/06/2010

Paul Ryan is promoting the same extreme capitalist position that the republicans have been pushing for over 30 years which is to put the burden of debt reduction on the backs of the poor and the middle class in order to protect the privileges of the wealthy. There is nothing new or creative about his ideas.

[Jimbo24]

02:32 PM on 10/06/2010

Opposed to the extreme socialist position the president and Dems are doing now. Having a minority of unproductive people poor in a successful capitalist society is far better than everyone being poor and without freedoms. Your political vision for the country is bankrupt and will never be come to fruition. Sorry to break it to you.

[Trieux]

06:58 AM on 10/06/2010

Don't we already have a playlist person @ Huff?

[lbrillante]

06:19 AM on 10/06/2010

Well in order to prove that government is the problem everyone should listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege_RBhh37A it's hilarious:)

but the better response is to


Fight The Crazy!

Please ‘like’ and help us get the word out on this facebook page to defeat John Boehner and Hold the House!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kick-John-Boehner-Out-Of-Congress-Hold-The-House/149196308454642

Spread some enthusiasm! Pass it On. Thanks

[General Public]

03:21 AM on 10/06/2010

While at first I didn't like this article you wrote, I looked into your group's website and apparently you are actually concerned young people who want to solve the problem of the national debt and don't seem to be affiliated with either party. Still, the whole playlist thing is a little odd, making up a playlist about what songs Paul Ryan would like, and not really saying anything negative about Paul Ryan, just positive things, but your website and your Twitter do show that you are just as engaged with the Democrats and aren't affiliated with the Teabaggers or anything, and were actually concerned with the national debt during the Bush Administration too, so you folks are legit. Still, I have to say you could probably have written something better about Rep. Paul Ryan than a make-believe playlist of what songs he'd listen to. I do share your concern about the national debt, and at 28 I might be a little older than you if you are all college-age, but honestly I know Paul Ryan's plans are basically to slash spending on social programs without raising taxes at all to help eliminate the deficit. I think his approach is very misguided, and I also think during times of economic turmoil like right now, with our lousy job market (I am unemployed myself), deficit spending is sometimes needed, as it was done during the Great Depression as well. Also, balanced budgets require tax increases, something Republicans won't ever do.

[stdragon]

09:31 AM on 10/06/2010

The deficit spending should be on economically useful things like building infrastructure. It shouldn't be on propping up entitlement programs. It's just a fact, we're less rich than we were a decade ago, and that means poor people will suffer just like everyone else. It's suicide to try to sustain the unsustainable when you're no longer growing... and just look at our population profile.

It reminds me of people who have lost their job but still want to keep their new car and new house. So they blow through all of their savings before making any changes in their lives. Then suddenly it's emergency time and the changes get really harsh and beyond their control.

[MunyaBuddya]

02:44 AM on 10/06/2010

Paul Ryan is actually quite weak in the ideas department. He is one of the main authors of the Republican responses to the economic crisis and health care reform, both of which were roundly laughed out of Congress for being both vague and counterproductive. Though he is skilled at winning elections in his home district, he barely leaves Washington, and has a history of refusing to take part in debate against challengers. Only time will tell how long this strategy continues to work for him, especially after unemployment has recently skyrocketed in his home district. He seems driven by an obsession to privatize Social Security. Otherwise he has offered very little.

[tangolas]

11:41 PM on 10/05/2010

9. Privatizing Social Security : Brother can you spare a Dime by Al Jolson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4yT0KAMyo

[scott81]

11:41 PM on 10/05/2010

Paul ryan listens exclusively to the sounds of poor people starving to death. It gets him excited.