# Paul Ryan's legislative record **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 12, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307 "2012-08-12T22:03:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/41 "2012-08-13T16:19:13Z")
I mentioned that Ryan had passed a budget. Another poster said it was a laughable budget. I responded that it got more votes than the President’s. That is entirely on topic. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/42 "2012-08-13T16:33:14Z")
You posted 5 times about the President’s budget in this thread alone. You’ve done this in other threads in this same forum. Get your own discussion and stop hijacking the shit out of every other one. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/43 "2012-08-13T16:35:34Z")
When people trash the Republican budget, how am I not to bring up the President’ budget as a point of comparison? It’s not my fault that other posters want to argue with me on the rather simple matter that Ryan’s budget got more votes than the President’s. That’s a fact, but apparently some posters don’t like it, so we have long discussions on it whenever it’s brought up. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/44 "2012-08-13T16:48:32Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > When people trash the Republican budget, how am I not to bring up the President’ budget as a point of comparison? It’s not my fault that other posters want to argue with me on the rather simple matter that Ryan’s budget got more votes than the President’s. That’s a fact, but apparently some posters don’t like it, so we have long discussions on it whenever it’s brought up. If you don’t jog today, me saying I’ve jogged a mile today, and thus I’m a better runner than you is a stupid argument. Are you capable of understanding that? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/45 "2012-08-13T16:50:13Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > When people trash the Republican budget, how am I not to bring up the President’ budget as a point of comparison? It’s not my fault that other posters want to argue with me on the rather simple matter that Ryan’s budget got more votes than the President’s. That’s a fact, but apparently some posters don’t like it, so we have long discussions on it whenever it’s brought up. Bullshit. You are a straight up one trick pony. [Will the choice of Paul Ryan as VP doom Florida for Romney?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=661723) [Post 2:](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15372277&postcount=2) > [@adaher](#): > > Obama has as yet not only failed to pass a budget, but failed to get a single vote for a budget since 2010. Same thread, post 4: > [@adaher](#): > > Obama’s budget was brought up for votes in both chambers and went down unanimously two years in a row. Same thread, post 12: > [@adaher](#): > > As I said, Democrats could bring it up any time they wanted. Not a single one wants to be on record supporting the President’s budget. You were called out on it in post 13. > [@joebuck20](#): > > The OP was asking about the effect this will have on Romney’s campaign in Florida, and the thread veered off into a discussion of Obama’s budgets. In a thread about [blatant lies in political ads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=661381): > [@adaher](#): > > When his budget gets a single vote, it will exist. We get it. You have a hard on for the President’s budget. But _you’re_ the only one who keeps bringing it up, presumably because you want to talk about it _so damn much_. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/46 "2012-08-13T17:52:21Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > If you don’t jog today, me saying I’ve jogged a mile today, and thus I’m a better runner than you is a stupid argument. > > Are you capable of understanding that? Nevertheless, when someone criticizes something, responding with “compared to what?” is a legitimate rebuttal. ANYTHING can be made to look bad when compared to nothing. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/47 "2012-08-13T17:54:29Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You posted 5 times about the President’s budget in this thread alone. You’ve done this in other threads in this same forum. Get your own discussion and stop hijacking the shit out of every other one. I mentioned it once, other posters had a problem with it, which caused the argument to continue. You are not the arbiter of what arguments can and cannot be employed. If a thread is getting off topic, it’s fair to point that out and I’ll be the first to get back on topic. But you cannot declare an argument illegitimate because it might lead to an off topic debate. If you don’t like me comparing budgets posters choose to criticize with the President’s budget, then stop responding to that argument and it won’t go off topic. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/48 "2012-08-13T17:59:37Z")
Uh, no. You don’t get to blame people for responding to you when you’re the one who continually derails the thread into a more adaher-appropriate line of discussion. It’s not an argument, it’s a hijack. And you keep doing it because you seemingly can’t have a discussion about anything vaguely reminiscent (and sometimes not!) of a budget without bending it into a discussion about the President’s budget. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/49 "2012-08-13T18:04:43Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Two bills sounds consistent with small government. Two bills- one that covers the tax on arrows (apparently, Ryan is an avid bowhunter), and another that renames a post office. Small government, sure. Just not, apparently, \*necessary \*government. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/50 "2012-08-13T18:53:34Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > All I ask is that the guy who said Ryan’s budgets are laughed at be shown to be laughably wrong himself. Ryan’s budget passed the House. No other budget proposal has done as well. Or even come close. _ahem_ This is what you seem to think I said: “Ryan’s budgets are considered ludicrous, and worse than Obama’s”. Here’s what I actually said: > [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > And, of course, his budget proposals have been laughed at by **everyone with half a brain**. Emphasis mine. I said nothing about Obama’s plans, or lack thereof. I merely pointed out that Ryan’s budget plan is about as agreeable and sensible as jamming steak knives in your eyes to deal with your cataracts. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/51 "2012-08-13T19:11:55Z")
I think of it more like performing a circumcision with a chain saw, but yours works well enough. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/52 "2012-08-13T19:29:53Z")
And again, it’s fair for me to respond, “Compared to what?” Are there any other budgets plans that got more votes than Ryan’s? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/53 "2012-08-13T19:46:07Z")
Yup, Continuing Budget Resolution for 2011. Three appropriations bills for 2012, including the debt ceiling deal. You can find some details here: [2012 United States federal budget - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_States_federal_budget#Budget_legislation_passed) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/54 "2012-08-13T19:56:26Z")
Paul Ryan’s budgets pass the House on nearly party line votes, and **adaher** thinks it is an amazing legislative achievement. Obama and Boehner basically write the Budget Control Act of 2011 without Ryan being in the room, and it passes with bipartisan support and actually gets signed into law. Somehow, **adaher** argues that this does not count for blah blah blah reason. Look, being a legislator isn’t like being a baseball player: there’s no quantitative measure of one guy having a better batting average than another. Effective legislators often work behind the scenes as well as having their names attached to things. Sometimes legislators succeed not by having laws enacted with their names on it, but sometimes by raising issues to national consciousness. I think Ryan’s budget proposals are terrible. But, he’s had a significant impact on the national debate. A LOT of congressmen never achieve that. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/55 "2012-08-13T20:05:20Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > No shit, Sherlock. When the Republicans vowed Jan 20, 2009 to NEVER give him a SINGLE VOTE for ANYTHING, does it really fucking surprise you that the Republican-controlled House wouldn’t pass an Obama budget? > > Stats on member-sponsored bills don’t mean squat to me. Sponsoring bills is for showhorses, committees are where real work gets done. Any member can have significant influence on a Congress without sponsoring any bills. Amen to both points. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307/56 "2012-08-17T02:23:48Z")
I’m proud to say I used information (and, frankly, direct quotes) from this thread [in a letter in our local journal of record](http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/croupiers-gambling-with-their-health-20120816-24bh3.html) (“Obama vs Ryan”) to rebut one of our local right-wing talkhards’ [puff piece on Ryan a few days ago](http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/game-on-as-romney-picks-fox-news-champion-for-his-sidekick-20120815-248ze.html). Lines like > [@](#): > > President Obama came to the White House in 2008 with a meagre legislative record made for an easy rebuttal! Thanks, **Little Nemo**! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paul-ryans-legislative-record/631307.md?page=2)