Appearing on CNN, newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan “explained” why he had promised conservative Republicans that he wouldn’t attempt to pass immigration reform legislation as long as Barack Obama is president. “Specifically on this issue, you cannot trust this president,” Ryan said, claiming that the president’s executive actions intended to improve the lot of illegal aliens proves that on this issue he can’t be trusted.
But in fact, as this posting by the National Review’s Mark Krikorian demonstrates, it’s Ryan, not the president, who’s the focus of right-wing fears. Titled rather testily “Paul Ryan’s Selection as Speaker Represents All That’s Wrong with the GOP,” Mark nails Ryan as “a Kempite supporter of the free movement of people into the United States,” which is not Mark’s idea of a compliment. Mark, and other right-wingers, see Ryan’s “no deal with Obama” pledge as meaningless, like promising never to sign a peace treaty with ISIS. They figure Ryan is really setting them up for a post-Obama giveaway.
Ryan also promised right-wingers a reinstatement of the “Hastert Rule” (not a wrestling hold), which requires the House Speaker not to bring legislation to the floor unless it’s backed by a majority of Republicans. But, as Ryan told Fox, “There are always exceptions to the rules, and when circumstances dictate, we have to look at all options available. But I believe it’s important going forward that we operate on a consensus basis.”
Yep, that’s Paul Ryan. A man of his word, whatever it is.
