"I really don't have enough time to get into detail." "It's a little too wonky to get into here." "This really isn't the place to get into that now."
These are just a few of the Ryanisms we're already heard, and will likely hear, from Paul Ryan. Now where have I heard those excuses before? Hmmm...
Last summer, I wrote a piece here on Daily Kos about my interaction with Mr. Ryan at one of his town hall meetings here in Wisconsin. During the course of our conversation, whenever I asked him uncomfortable questions (e.g. about all of his votes that contributed trillions of dollars to the debt), the response was...one or all of the above!
At the time, his tone struck me as being evasive and arrogant, i.e. I couldn't possibly understand his budget, so why should he even bother explaining it to me? Without losing his smile or his cool, he treated me like some politicians treat regular voters: you don't agree with me; therefore you're either too stupid or too liberal for me to give you the time of day.
Lo and behold, a year later, I hear him giving the same responses to reporters! For example, did you catch his response to the reporter at the Iowa fair who asked him about his lack of support for the farm bill? Smile: "I'm just here to enjoy the fair and not talk about policy," i.e. this just isn't the place to talk about that. And his interviews with David Gregory and others have included a whole bunch of I-don't-want-to-get-all-wonky-on-you's.
Mr. Ryan, if here isn't the place, if now isn't the time to give details to the American people and get all wonky on us, when will the time and place be just right?