Congressman: Democrat Leadership Threatening 'Retribution' for Dems Who Co

[Walt Starr]

Congressman: Democrat Leadership Threatening 'Retribution' for Dems Who Cooperate with White House
by Allan H. Ryskind
Posted Feb 10, 2005

Rep. Paul Ryan (R.-Wis.) was asked at a CATO conference in Washington yesterday whether he had persuaded any Democrats to back his plan to rescue Social Security from its financial troubles. Under his legislation (HR 4851), no new taxes would be needed to pay for "transition costs," participation in the new system would be voluntary and individuals would be allowed to divert a portion of their payroll tax into a mutual fund.

A questioner from the audience, stressing his own Democratic credentials, said he believed Ryan's plan should attract members of his own party and wondered whether the Wisconsin lawmaker had secured any Democratic sponsors. Ryan said he had been working with friends on the "other side of the aisle" who were favorable toward his solution, but he faced an enormous problem: intense pressure on his colleagues from the minority leadership.

"We were in planning stages ," said Ryan. But each essentially told him: "I like what you're doing. I like this bill. I think it's the right way to go. But my party leadership will break my back. The retribution that they are promising us is as great as I have ever seen. We can't do it."

<snip>

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=6564

It's a conservative source. If true all it demonstrates is the Democratic Party has learned from the Republican Party that lockstep is a requirement.

[ohtransplant]

1. Hence the term "Whip" n/t

[liveoaktx]

2. Good deal-hope this is true-it would mean Dems Get Spine

[TWiley]

3. Like the republicans did not attack McCain

when he stumbled out of step.

Their hipocracy knows no bounds. As i have said, if a republicans lips are moving, then they are lying.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. I think it proves that "Social Security's financial troubles"

are a myth being propogated by Bush and they have decided it is best to ignore the bait, and move on to more pressing, immediate issues.

[sybylla]

5. Paul Ryan is a pathological hater

Why on earth would anyone besides a conservative rag take his word for anything about Democrats. He's just projecting the pukes own failings on the Dem party. If it weren't for his "we're better than them and if we aren't they're doing it too" mentality, he would never be able to sleep at night.

[Sterling]

6. I agree we need to put feet to fire.

Fragging traitors is the order of the day.

[Squeech]

8. Yeah, but

I don't see why SS privatization should be the issue. Voters hate it; the Idiot Dauphin is having obvious difficulty getting votes from his own party.

The time to draw the line should have been Gonzales. If any Democrat really thinks one of his constituents was going to ask him, "Why do you hate Hispanics?" he could always answer "I don't, but I *really* don't like torture!"

Betcha can't guess what I think of Joe Lieberman.

[Sterling]

9. I think it should apply accross the board.

No cooperating period. On anything.

[EC]

7. Paul Ryan's plan for SS would invest 10% not just 3-4%

which would cause more problems with the deficet...He lies allot, that is why I think we have to get him out...they are grooming him for something big...


On edit: there are many Democrats here in Wisconsin that like him, I don't know why, he repeats the party line with every question he answers and in everything he does he completely supports Chimpy...