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Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

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They don’t have outfits that big. nor codpieces that small.

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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Saturday Evening Open Thread: Your Periodic Reminder About Paul Ryan

Saturday Evening Open Thread: Your Periodic Reminder About Paul Ryan

by Anne Laurie|  February 4, 20176:53 pm| 68 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Venality, Ryan Lyin' Weasel, Assholes, Get Angry, Our Awesome Meritocracy

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For me & my family, heart disease is personal. As #AmericanHeartMonth begins, my staff & I stand in support of heart health. #GoRedWearRed pic.twitter.com/C4AJ9MRG5H

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) February 3, 2017

You stand for heart health but not affordable healthcare? https://t.co/R7k3xvH3c7

— Boney Hurdle (@eclecticbrotha) February 3, 2017

My daughter has congenital heart disease and will be uninsurable if you take away Obamacare. Personal for this family too, you poseur creep. https://t.co/pvKkunfC2i

— Susan Gardner (@SusanGDailyKos) February 3, 2017

Donald Trump is sucking up all the media attention, but the Zombie-Eyed Granny Starver remains an ongoing threat to everything that is honest and decent in America.

"They are growing on me," House Speaker Paul Ryan says of Trump's tweets, on Fox News. "This is going to be an unconventional presidency."

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 2, 2017


.

Apart from continuing the Resistance, what’s on the agenda for the evening?

Sun AM, our kitchen:

Wife: Will we all die in a nuclear blast?
Me: Up to Ryan & McConnell
Wife: I’m going to mass https://t.co/6eFqnjVpYt

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) February 2, 2017

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Reader Interactions

68Comments

  1. 1.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 6:59 pm

    Watched Gone Girl the other night.
    Doesn’t she have to find those junkies that robbed her? She has to find them and kill them, right?

  2. 2.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    Love that picture up top. Someone should take a sharpie and cross a big black X through the percentage of woman that might die due to heart health issues this year. Then send it back to him.

  3. 3.

    Princess

    February 4, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    There was a large protest outside Ryan’s office in Janesville WI today — about a thousand people according to a friend who was there. It begins.

    https://www.facebook.com/johnamcmahon/posts/10100801099117943?pnref=story.unseen-section

  4. 4.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    Where is Black Bloc when one really needs them?

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    “They are growing on me,” House Speaker Paul Ryan says of Trump’s tweets, on Fox News. “This is going to be an unconventional presidency.”

    Anyone else just see that clip of trump talking to o’reilly? discussing Putin, OR says “He’s a killer” trump responds: “You think our county’s so innocent? We’ve got lots of killers”

    Grow on that, Paulie

    I’m waiting for the never-trumpers, the ones who have been talking about the 25th amendment for for a week, to weigh in. Should make the Sunday shows interesting

  6. 6.

    Feebog

    February 4, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    The second Twitter response is perfect. Poseur Creep indeed.

  7. 7.

    Baud

    February 4, 2017 at 7:07 pm

    “This is going to be an unconventional presidency war.”

    Fixed.

  8. 8.

    neldob

    February 4, 2017 at 7:09 pm

    This kind of presidency is very conventional in third world countries. It’s called either a kakistocracy or an autocracy. Very conventional. The most conventional. Terrifically conventional.

  9. 9.

    MattF

    February 4, 2017 at 7:10 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Apparently a lot of T’s tweets are direct responses to O’Reilly statements. Good to know where our policies are coming from.

  10. 10.

    Timurid

    February 4, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    For those who remain silent at the President’s latest outrages but cluck anxiously whenever overgrown children break windows, a visual aid.

    Feel free to share..

  11. 11.

    James Powell

    February 4, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    On the long list of lamentations that begin “Why don’t the Democrats ever . . . ” is the fact that they allowed this a-hole Ryan to establish himself as a serious policy wonk, whose numbers make sense, whose proposals are doable and not at all extreme. The Republicans expended the time and effort to turn centrist Democrat Nancy Pelosi into Demon Witch of Socialism.

    Now, with Insanity, Inc., in the White House, Ryan, a RW radical, is easily able to portray himself a serious policy wonk, whose numbers make sense, whose proposals are doable and not at all extreme.

    Lamentation concluded.

  12. 12.

    Kathleen

    February 4, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    @Corner Stone: I loved the book but just hated the movie for some reason. Side note, in NYT interview about books Obama said he liked Gone Girl. Another side note, the author Gillian Flynn, is from Missouri. I read her book Sharp Objects, which focuses on a community in a rather remote section of Missouri. The picture she paints of the people there is very sinister, or as the NYT would say about Hillary, cloudy and shadowy.

  13. 13.

    hellslittlestangel

    February 4, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    I see Paul Ryan also owns an African-American.

  14. 14.

    The Dangerman

    February 4, 2017 at 7:14 pm

    This may be for other thread but I’ll ask here; how does calling someone a “so called judge” not end in a notice to appear in a contempt proceeding?

  15. 15.

    Mnemosyne

    February 4, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    I know the idea of a general strike has been floating around, but I have another modest proposal to float out into the universe: either the day before or the day of the next recess of Congress, block every airport in the DC metro area with protesters so the Congresscritters can’t get home.

    Since I live on the West Coast, I’m basically suggesting an action that will get other people arrested and possibly injured, but I think it would send an effective message to trap all of them in DC for hours if not days.

  16. 16.

    Kathleen

    February 4, 2017 at 7:16 pm

    @James Powell: I propose we refer to him as Representative Get Sick Shut Up And Die but that would take up too many characters on Twitter.

  17. 17.

    Yarrow

    February 4, 2017 at 7:16 pm

    @MattF: A lot of his tweets seem to be responses to what he’s watching on TV. The Chicago one was just after a Fox segment on violence in Chicago.

  18. 18.

    Yarrow

    February 4, 2017 at 7:18 pm

    @Kathleen: You could shorten it to Rep GetSickAndDie. Fewer characters.

  19. 19.

    Quinerly

    February 4, 2017 at 7:18 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    I just saw it. Same stuff he was saying during the campaign. I still don’t understand how a majority of the military supported him. He’s basically comparing them to Putin.

  20. 20.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    February 4, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    @Corner Stone:

    Wonder if that one black guy in the back gets lonely in the office.

  21. 21.

    Farthestnorth

    February 4, 2017 at 7:23 pm

    Still on a sort of contact high from not one but two rallies in Denver today. First one outside Gardner’s office (he of course is in Florida with his real constituents, big money donors)was kinda disappointing and showed how important organization is I guess. I was late because public transportation took longer than usual, thought the crowd was a little small. Turns out that after half an hour the organizers had told everyone to leave and go to some congresscritters office. So by the time I got there there were just a few dozen people chanting Save our schools;no to DeVos” etc. Which was still fun but allowed the paper to dismiss us as 100 teachers. sigh.

    The Support Our Muslim Neighbors one was more satisfying. Thousands of people of all description. Bought some thin mints from an enterprising young Girl Scout with a sign “Resistance is hard. Have a Cookie” People from a local mosque and refugee assistance organization were giving away free water and cookies which was great

  22. 22.

    Patricia Kayden

    February 4, 2017 at 7:23 pm

    @Kathleen: Never read the novel but love the movie. Every time it comes on, I’m watching it as if I’m seeing it for the first time. Even Tyler Perry was great.

  23. 23.

    Patricia Kayden

    February 4, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    @Farthestnorth: Applause!! Good to see so many BJ’ers out there resisting Trump. Having so many of your fellow citizens protesting your Presidency within a few weeks of your inauguration should be alarming. This is unprecedented.

  24. 24.

    rikyrah

    February 4, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    Never a more apt nickname:
    Zombie Eyed Granny Killer ????

  25. 25.

    cain

    February 4, 2017 at 7:27 pm

    One thing we all need to do is repeatedly attack Congressional healthcare. It is a simple message, one anybody can understand and keep repeating it at every talkshow. After all, Paul should be on the same healthcare we are. Let’s see how personal heart issues are to him when he’s on the same shit healthcare we are.

  26. 26.

    rikyrah

    February 4, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    @Corner Stone:
    Never read the book. The movie made me purse the lips.

  27. 27.

    Yarrow

    February 4, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    Does Ryan have his arms around the two young women on either side of him? Gross. The other men seem to know better than to do that. What’s up with Republican men groping young women?

  28. 28.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    @rikyrah: I have not read the book. The movie makes no sense. None. She shows up at home covered in blood and I have the media take a thousand pictures of her alive and say, “Told you I did not kill her. Honey, I am so very glad you are alive. I am sure you will need a long time with people who love you, so you can heal and get better. That’s not me. I just filed for divorce. Peace be unto you.”

  29. 29.

    SiubhanDuinne

    February 4, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    @hellslittlestangel:

    I see Paul Ryan also owns an African-American.

    One out of 33. Hardly representative of the racial distribution in Wisconsin, let alone in the U.S. (which I mention was not because the ZEGS is supposed to be Speaker for the entire Congress, not just for Republicans and not just for his state.

  30. 30.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    @Yarrow: I think his left hand is on that young lady’s ass. Ala Jared y Ivanka.

  31. 31.

    James Powell

    February 4, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    @Kathleen:

    There’s nothing we can do now. His brand is permanently fixed. An opportunity lost.

  32. 32.

    debbie

    February 4, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    @Kathleen:

    Gone Girl was the first book I read where I didn’t like any of the characters, which felt odd.

    Has anyone mentioned that CNN turned down the administration’s offer of Kellyanne for their Sunday morning show? More of this, please.

  33. 33.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 4, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    @Corner Stone: Here’s Blok if that helps:
    http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/0/0f/Blok_(Pre-Zero_Hour)_002.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110805150145

  34. 34.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    I mean, she has to kill those junkies though, right? She can’t ever actually sleep again waiting for them to come and blackmail her for the in between segment she never told the cops.

  35. 35.

    debbie

    February 4, 2017 at 7:38 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    It’d be simpler to just lock the doors while they’re all in the building.

  36. 36.

    concerned in Canada

    February 4, 2017 at 7:40 pm

    Big mistake. Big mistake.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/02/04/florida-heroin-bust-reveals-something-bizarre-drugs-covered-in-donald-trumps-face

  37. 37.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 4, 2017 at 7:41 pm

    @Baud: You’ll need this:
    https://www.marxists.org/archive/giap/1961-pwpa.pdf

  38. 38.

    HinTN

    February 4, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    @Kathleen: Simplify to Get Sick And Die (GSAD). Works for me.

    ETA @Yarrow: got there first

  39. 39.

    Corner Stone

    February 4, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: That’s…not really helpful.

  40. 40.

    Yarrow

    February 4, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    @Corner Stone: So gross.

  41. 41.

    zhena gogolia

    February 4, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I got all excited and thought you were talking about great Russian poet Aleksandr Blok.

  42. 42.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 7:45 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: John Podhoretz ‏@ jpodhoretz 9m9 minutes ago
    If Obama had said it, Hannity and Ingraham would have called for his impeachment.

    Mark Salter ‏@ MarkSalter55 33m33 minutes ago
    This is what the President of the United States thinks of our country. He’s unAmerican and his election should shame all who voted for him.Mark Salter added,

  43. 43.

    Mnemosyne

    February 4, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    @debbie:

    There are probably secret tunnels that were installed during the Cold War that will let them sneak away. Block every airport within 50 miles so they can’t get home.

    Heck, if Congress is still on their lazy-ass 3 or 4 days a week schedule, just pick a random day when we know the majority is heading home.

  44. 44.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 7:49 pm

    Mindy Finn ‏@ mindyfinn 2m2 minutes ago
    realDonaldTrump is on point with the Kremlin talking points, so he does have message discipline potential.

    America is great. We are not perfect. We don’t “usually” let thugs run the country.

    President Trump doubles down on stated respect for murderous dictator V. Putin. American pride is incongruous with saying we’re just as bad.

  45. 45.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 4, 2017 at 7:50 pm

    @zhena gogolia: Nope just the Legionnaire from the planet Dryad.

  46. 46.

    zhena gogolia

    February 4, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    My Blok is cuter.

  47. 47.

    debbie

    February 4, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    Actually, I think there’s some sort of trolley/subway underneath. Poor dears can’t be expected to walk all the way to where they have to do their dirty work.

  48. 48.

    Mnemosyne

    February 4, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    @debbie:

    See? Gotta block the airports to prevent them from getting home. And if you can really flood the zone, you make it hard for mass arrests to happen just from the sheer number of people involved.

    It’s probably a federal crime to block the TSA, but we can start a defense fund.

  49. 49.

    The Dangerman

    February 4, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    @efgoldman: But he’s a party in the proceedings, yes? Well, kinda.

  50. 50.

    debbie

    February 4, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    @Mnemosyne:

    I don’t remember the layout there, but if there’s a gateway or only one access road, it’d be a snap.

  51. 51.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 8:03 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Tom Nichols ‏@ RadioFreeTom 2m2 minutes ago
    If I walked around talking about Putin and Russia like this, someone would report me as a possible security problem.

    Lou Genoux @ louisgeneux
    @ TheRickWilson how often do you wonder what it will take for him to be removed?
    Rick Wilson ‏@ TheRickWilson 5m5 minutes ago
    Hourly

  52. 52.

    grandpa john

    February 4, 2017 at 8:07 pm

    @Baud: add incompetent,irrational, and indefensible to the statement

  53. 53.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 4, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: They’re now directly injecting Russian propaganda. The bullshit request for information about “Poland making border incursions into Belarus” is a complete lift from Russian propaganda. The statement to O’Reilly about America/Americans “not being so innocent” is a direct inject of a common Putin talking point about the US.

    This is not going to end well. Putin will continue to have his Little Green Men probe into Ukraine. He will continue to look for an excuse to do something in regard to Poland. He will continue to have his Serbian proxies agitate in regard to Kosovo. Why? He wants to draw NATO into a dispute and invoke Article 5. And he then expects that the US will not respond to that. This will break NATO. He tried this unsuccessfully with Turkey until he realized he could just co-opt Erdogan.

  54. 54.

    Yarrow

    February 4, 2017 at 8:14 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    This is not going to end well.

    Nope. It sure isn’t.

  55. 55.

    Mike in NC

    February 4, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    Will need to check out SNL tonight to catch the latest in Trumpian idiocy.

  56. 56.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    John Schindler ‏@20 committee 44m44 minutes ago
    USA ain’t perfect. We’ve had our share of gangsters & war criminals.
    But unlike in Russia they don’t run the country.

    Well, b4 Jan 20th.

  57. 57.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    February 4, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: it’s terrifying.

  58. 58.

    lol chikinburd

    February 4, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Indeed. As in “You know who else used a supposed border incursion by Poland as flimsy pretext?”.

  59. 59.

    jl

    February 4, 2017 at 8:30 pm

    I can reassure Dana Houle and his wife that if we all die in a nuclear blast during the Drumpf regime, it will be stupid BS over nothing, almost certainly caused by a few nutcases who captured the executive branch of the US govt. At least we will know that.
    I suppose during Cold War, there would be an agonizing doubt over whether it was really worth it. The stakes were high in some ways.

  60. 60.

    Skepticat

    February 4, 2017 at 8:45 pm

    I’m certain that heart disease is indeed personal to him. He has a totally black, shriveled, rotten heart (if he has one at all, that is).

  61. 61.

    Millard Filmore

    February 4, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    @debbie:

    some sort of trolley/subway underneath.

    There are 2. One for senators, the other for reps. They go from the senate wing of the capitol to the senate offices, and from the rep wing of the capitol to their offices (essentially they go underground across the street). The two do not meet, they are separate.

    It is more like a wide walkway with a path for the “subway”, which is more like a big golf cart.

  62. 62.

    Millard Filmore

    February 4, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    trump responds: “You think our county’s so innocent? We’ve got lots of killers”

    Where are the right wing purity ponies? The ones that get upset when USA history classes view the expansion west through the Indians’ eyes. Or try to put a personal face on slavery. Or resist changing the name of the Washington Redskins NFL team.

  63. 63.

    maryQ

    February 4, 2017 at 9:39 pm

    Am I the only one who apple rather die quickly in the nuclear blast than live after it, without a job and without health insurance?

  64. 64.

    Adam L Silverman

    February 4, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    @maryQ: Depends, do you like irradiated, mutant humans? How about cockroaches that have hyper evolved because of the fallout? And don’t forget the sentient, twinkies that survived the nuclear holocaust and also hyper evolved and are now contesting with the cockroaches for global hegemony across the nuclear wasteland?

  65. 65.

    Vhh

    February 4, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    @rikyrah: Starver, but that is a technicality.

  66. 66.

    Mnemosyne

    February 4, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    @maryQ:

    Move to a large urban area — I live in Los Angeles, so I’m sure to be vaporized immediately and won’t have to worry about that whole pesky living envying the dead part.

  67. 67.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    February 4, 2017 at 10:43 pm

    @MattF:

    Good to know where our policies are coming from.

    And from Bannon’s hindquarters… too… also…

  68. 68.

    Regime Touchon

    February 4, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    @neldob: You forgot the “Believe me!”

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