PHOTOS, PAGE 1

       Editor and prime reporter is Doug Terry, a veteran television and radio reporter in   Washington, DC, (details below)

DESPERATE REPUBLICANS LOOK TO RYAN AS PRESIDENTIAL TIMBER

If Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin ever decides to seek the American presidency, he should run on the anti-democracy ticket. At the moment, he is the best known, most visible spokesperson for rolling back our democratic accomplishments and returning us to some form of government ruled over by the few with greatly lessened "interference" from the unwashed masses. Believe it or not, he would get a large number of supporters on his side. I am guessing that perhaps 18 to 20% of the American public would sign on to the Anti-Democracy Party, about the same number who might now consider themselves supporters of the tea party group's ideas.

Ryan's proposals to end or alter most services offered by the Federal government, or through the redirection of tax revenues to the states and other entities, includes a whopper: require a 2/3s plurality for any future tax changes to be passed by the Congress. There would be several results from such a plan, none of them inviting:

                             1. The American government would cease to function because no agreement broad enough could be reached to move forward.
 
                             2. The minority in Congress would have a virtual veto over any tax legislation because their objections could stop necessary bills from moving.

                             3. The "will of the people" would be greatly muted because, as a large, diverse nation with equally varied opinions about what needs to be done, what the voters decide would not be adequately reflected in Congress. The voters, in fact, would be shut out, unless they could agree to go massively one way or another. Conversely, this would constitute a backdoor parliamentary system whereby one party, if they could achieve 2/3s of Congress, could get anything they wanted without fail.

                             4. The role of the president would be reduced from a leader who could use his powers of persuasion with the public to influence legislation to that of a beggar, which is where the Republican party would like to have Obama now. The presidency would be stripped bare. There would be no one to adequately represent the broadest interests of the public and little House Members from small districts would have a much greater voice. We need the presidency to give voice to the entire nation. The Congress most often speaks for state and regional interests pitted against one another.

                               5. America would cease to exist as a powerful, successful nation and would become instead a business enterprise with unfettered megacorps roaming the world ceaselessly in the name of greater profit and less responsibility. (Oh, I am in error. That's where we are now, it would only become worse, with corporate dominance unchallenged.)

Might I suggest that we have no more talk of Ryan for President until he actually does something? Yes, he put out a bold plan that lays bare the Republican agenda of tax breaks for the rich and nothing for the poor and near poor and for that we can give him a backward round of applause for making the true intentions of his party known. Along with the tea party groups stated desire to end direct election of U.S. Senators, the anti-democracy movement, with Ryan in the lead, has now been revealed for all to see. If that  makes you happy, stand up and cheer, America.

Doug Terry
4.21.11

CONTACT THE TERRYREPORT

       HOME PAGE

end