Democrats Liked Paul Ryan's Acceptance Speech-Could That be a Problem for Him?

If you have read me at all you know I don''t spend a lot of time praising Republicans, mostly because for a long time they just have done nothing worthy of praise, Certainly nothing in the Boehner-Obama era.

However I have liked the kind of noises I've hear from Ryan from the start. He very reasonably called for the end of the Speaker trying to lead the House under the gun-he called for a 'demilitarization.' He rightly said that it makes no sense to accede to Freedom Caucus demand at the start as that's setting yourself up for failure.

He also sounds like he wants to waste less time on show votes like voting down the ACA 50 times which goes nowhere once it leaves the House.

And his opening speech certainly sounded like a leader should. He  is not engaging in the usual partisan cant but admitting that the House is broken and his own party is a big part of the problem. So he at least sees the problem. As I've said before-Greg Sargent also has-Ryan honestly may be better than Boehner-he can hardly be worse.

Boehner died by the same tactics he had his members use against the President in the first two years that they then trained on him, himself.

"Democrats are welcoming Thursday's changing of the guard in the House, expressing optimism that newly elected Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will have better luck managing the rambunctious chamber than his predecessor, Rep. John Boenher (R-Ohio)."

The Democrats say they're buoyed by Ryan's debut speech calling for more comity and cooperation, hoping the power shift will bring a new stability to the chamber and grease the skids for future legislative successes.

"It was an aspirational speech," said Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), head of the Congressional Black Caucus. "He seemed to suggest that he wants to work in a bipartisan way, and I believe if he delivers on that commitment we're going to have a better Congress and a better America."

"Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said she's hoping Ryan's allusion to the struggles of the working class will reignite the congressional debate over the minimum wage, childcare benefits and gender pay parity — issues Democrats have long promoted."

"The frame of reference that he had there this morning says that we have people in this nation who are struggling economically," DeLauro said. "Their jobs don't pay them enough, [and] wages have been stagnant for 30 years. He talked about the many and not the few. And so far, the few have benefited so mightily and the many have not."

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/258592-democrats-like-what-they-hear-from-ryan

Listen, I don't think he's going to become a liberal over night nor is there any reason to expect him to. He doesn't agree with for example raising the MW. Ideally he'd probably like to cut it.

But let's see if he isn't willing to pass a bill that looks at other ways that wages could be raised-by no stretch of the imagination is the MW the only way to do this.

Maybe he'd be willing to look for example at a payroll tax cut or raising the earned income tax credit.

Liberals like me don't have a right to expect him to get a lobotomy over night. But we do have a right to hold him to what sounds like a very good foot to being on.

I don't expect him to change his policy positions overnight, just the tone and the way things are run. He seems interested in promoting bipartisanship.

Leadership is about finding consensus not in polarizing the situation and scorched earth opposition. It's about agreeing to agree rather than agreeing to disagree. Ryan seems like he may know this

He seems interested in being more than just the Republican Speaker. He seems to get that he is the Speaker of the whole House and that Democrats and Republicans should work on the people's business rather than just opposing camps where every vote breaks down on a strictly party line vote.

You know me. No one is more skeptical and pessimistic about the Republican party. But I think Ryan is sincere here. He's saying the right things which is not enough but is the first step. Whether or not this really will be a change from the obstructionist shenanigans of the past remains to be seen. But this was a very good start I think.

Ryan sounded like an actual Statesman.

"We need to let every member contribute — not once they have earned their stripes, but right now," he told the chamber Thursday. "The committees should retake the lead in drafting all major legislation. If you know the issue, you should write the bill. Open up the process. Let people participate. And they might change their tune."

"A neglected minority will gum up the works. A respected minority will work in good faith," he added. "Instead of trying to stop the majority, they might try to become the majority."

"Ryan also took strides to reach across the aisle, calling for the parties to unite for the sake of their constituents and the country."

"A lot is on our shoulders. So if you ever pray, pray for each other — Republicans for Democrats, Democrats for Republicans," he said. "And I don’t mean pray for a conversion. Pray for a deeper understanding, because … wherever you come from, whatever you believe, we are all in the same boat."

"Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), who entered Congress with Ryan in 1999, was quick to hail the message."

"It sounded an awful lot like a Democrat speaking," said Crowley, vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus. "I think he's a good person and a decent guy. That came through, I think, today."

"But many Democrats, Crowley included, are wondering how long Ryan can keep the Republicans united in the face of the conservative unrest that led to Boehner's ouster."

"The message was good," Crowley said. "It's really a question of how that's followed through and how that actually happens, and whether it actually happens."

We'll see. I mean a lot depends on his own conservative members. He does seem sincere. But again, he said the right things. Saying the right things doesn't mean the right things will end up being done. But if he came in saying the wrong things it'd already be impossible

 So Dems like what he said and should for now start by taking him at his word. Only time will tell whether the House style of business-or not doing business-changes. He is inidcating he wants more good faith between the parties. Time will tell whether this happens or not. 

We should not expect conversions though like Ryan said. There are many things that both parties could probably work on that wouldn't violate the beliefs of either side if they goal were to get to yes-as Obama likes to do-rather than get to no. 

Look at the GOP Senate which at this point is actually functioning decently well under Mitch McConnell-they even recently passed a criminal reform bill recently. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/senate-reaches-compromise-on-criminal-justice-reform-214278

So the idea of actually functioning is not a pipe dream even if it's been so long since we've had it-not since the Gingrich Revolution. 

UPDATE: If it turns out that things end up no different at least both the debt ceiling is raised and the government is funded beyond sequester levels through the start of 2017.

That's all you can really expect out of the GOP House anyway. Anything else is gravy.

One way Ryan could show his sincerity and goodwill early would be to quietly shut down the Benghazi Committee. and not start the new Planned Parenthood Committee.