Matthews: Stop bitching about the deficit and name some cuts – Congressman Ryan: OK, fasten your seat belt

This is a perfect example of why, when a Congressman knows his stuff, he can handle even the dumbest questions. Matthews demands, name one item you will cut from the budget. Ryan, I’ll name more than one. Here we go.

There’s so much in this one sound bite that it’s hard to just headline one aspect. Matthews tries to nail Republicans as hypocrites for “bitching” about the deficit, but unwilling to pose a plan. Congressman Paul Ryan, of course, has had an alternative budget for more than a year which Matthews should have know, but then again, Matthews, at the end of the interview,had to check his notes to remember what state Ryan represented. In the lefty world some people are foreigners, like Ryan.

First Matthews get’s his numbers wrong after Ryan explains his plain would cut more than $4 trillion dollars in long term spending, effectively balancing the budget.Ryan offers specifics, but Matthews, cannot comprehend. It’s delicious.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHBgsKgL9vo

BONUS VIDEO: Here’s a clip toward the end of the video where Ryan schools the spitter on the American tax system and why raising taxes on the upper bracket hurts small business. It’s a shame, but then again, why would Matthews know.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMHQSHNtBQo

Sorry Kate, but I had to do it.

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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

17 Comments

  1. Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 4:17 am

    That is what is called "getting schooled".  It is also what is called "not being prepared".  It sounded like he was fed a single meme, and couldn't go beyond it.  Did you notice that he keeps looking off camera, like his staff is trying to feed him information?  It would explain some of the distractedness in his questioning.  It doesn't explain why he wasn't prepared.  It like lawyers never asking a question to which they don't already know the answer.  Matthews seems to have the problem of "if it all can't be cut in one fell swoop, there's no point in trying" mindset.

     

    Isn't "bitching about the deficit" really "bitching about the spending"?

     

    Ryan ate him for lunch.  I just hope he had something strong to cleanse his palate after that!



  2. TomL on July 27, 2010 at 4:30 am

    I think Paul Ryan is the  only politician to read all the bills. Everytime I see him he is well versed and prepared to answer any and all questions presented then he respectfully schools them all by asking questions nobody is prepared to answer. I wish he was from here.



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 5:14 am

      Or better, put him in the White House.  I can't think of many that would be better, and his hands on participation in dealing with the deficit would be invaluable.



    • concernedat18 on July 27, 2010 at 6:14 am

      I think the guy with the best chance to beat Obama is Bobby Jindal.  His platform, "I was erecting barrier islands, trying to use skimmers, but Obama stopped me from doing it.  I would have cleaned up the spill Obama wouldn't let me."



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 7:47 am

      Jindal is everything we were told (or sold on) about Øbama.   Intelligent, well spoken, and a nice fat resume of accomplishment.  I'd back him in a heartbeat.  (he was one of my "many" that would be as good or better)



  3. sammy22 on July 27, 2010 at 4:56 am

    I like Paul Ryan. This time though, proposing to reduce the deficit by cutting money which has been allocated, but not spent seems a little slight of hand.



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 5:12 am

      Perhaps, but if that money was used to calculate the deficit, which it was, it is absolutely justifiable to use it to cut the same deficit.  In fact, it is the easiest of cuts to make, inasmuch as it has not yet been spent.



    • PatRiot on July 27, 2010 at 3:25 pm

      The real slight of hand is that Congress tagged all of the returning TARP money to be spent on something else instead of putting it back in the coffers.  That is the slight of hand that Ryan wants to rescind.

      This is roughly the same thought process that was used when they "borrowed" Social Security and Medicare money.



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 5:29 pm

      Between that, and the plan to spend the remainder at or around the election, shows the "stimulus" money etc., to be more of a way to buy votes than help the economy.



  4. brianh on July 27, 2010 at 8:22 am

    I'd already seen Paul Ryan "school" President Obama on 2 occasions, so I wouldn't expect anything less up against Mathews. I'll take Rep Ryan or Dr Coburn. They're at the top of the list of "new" Republicans that are our last, best hope. Although, Paul Ryan has given 3 reasons for not running in '12. [They're 5,7 & 8 y.o.]



  5. ehulbert on July 27, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    Is Chris Matthews dumber than dishwater?



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 5:28 pm

      He sure wasn't earning his $5 mill on that show!  I don't know how he earns his money, with low ratings and a pretty lousy interviewing style.

       

      I think he must have a picture of someone important in bed with a goat or something….



  6. PatRiot on July 27, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    It is my fervent hope that this was one of Matthews's highest rated shows.  In that way, Ryan just opened the eyes of alot of folks. 

    The Republicans had budget ideas that were pretty much squashed by the rest of Congress – a type of gag order as I recall.

    Of course the media did not do its investigative diligence and bring the Republican's plans into the light of day.



    • Dimsdale on July 27, 2010 at 5:26 pm

      It seems more and more that the media and due diligence are mutually exclusive.  And that is media in general.



  7. JollyRoger on July 27, 2010 at 6:55 pm

    Matthews is nothing more than Rosie O'Donnel with a d*ck!  No brains, no talent, no show-prep…  He'd be the butt of all humor on SNL, but for the fact that he's working for the state controlled media.



    • Dimsdale on July 28, 2010 at 6:53 am

      Have you ever seen the two of them in the same room?  😉



  8. winnie888 on July 27, 2010 at 11:26 pm

    OMG, he gets the examples of cuts that he asks for and still claims not to see any cuts!  This guy is wackier than a bag of hammers.  No wonder Kateinmaine always has her fingers jammed in her ears for Matthews' sound bites.

    But it's still entertaining….and positively enlightening….so, as long as he's willing to make an a** outta himself, I'll be willing to listen!



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