Paul Ryan Seeks House Ways & Means Chair

by JASmius

Because, of course, that's the natural destination for a Budget Committee chairman that helped boost discretionary spending by $65 billion by popping the caps off the Sequester that had lowered discretionary spending in consecutive years for the first time since the Korean War:

Ryan said he aims to succeed [current Chairman Dave] Camp [R-MI1], who will be forced to step down as chair after 2014 under the Republicans' self-imposed term limits. "That is my plan," said Ryan. He predicted the next Ways and Means chairman likely will have to focus on the hotly-debated issues of revamping entitlement programs and replace ObamaCare.

Assuming, of course, that the Republicans retain control of the House.  Which the UCLA (Unaffordable Care-Less Act) has happily made inevitable, or as close to it as myopic Tea Party intransigence will permit.

Hey, it could have been worse - Eddie Munster could have opted for the Appropriations Committee chair instead.

Ryan, who ran as the GOP vice-presidential candidate in 2012, is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2016 and also as a future speaker of the House.

The former?  Not a chance in all the hells.  The latter?  Well, that'd make Boehner's decade, and I'd have popped for it before.....

Ryan worked out the recent bipartisan budget deal with Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA).

....because now the grassroots will always look on Ryan with at least veiled suspicion.  Kind of like how Cowboys fans look at Tony Romo - yeah, he has great stats and enormous talent, but when the game's on the line, you can always count on him to throw the fatal pick.

If I were Ryan's career advisor, I would suggest a different path: Run for governor of Wisconsin after Scott Walker ascends to the presidency (assuming there are any more elections) in 2016, continue Walker's resolutely resounding fiscal conservative legacy, get re-elected, and then prepare to, er, "intercept" the Dems' next "messiah," then-Texas Governor Julian Castro, in 2024.  I can't think of a more effective way of sloughing off the stink of Murray-Ryan.

The agreement helped elevate his standing, despite the criticism he received from tea party leaders and conservatives for modifying short-term spending caps.

Elevated his standing with whom?  Do we even want to know the answer?

I've shown you the path, young Ryan; I suggest you follow it.