Mr. Austerity losing his sheen
by David Atkins
It turns out that most people don’t like Paul Ryan all that much anymore. Even Republicans are tepid these days:
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is viewed favorably by just 35 percent of American voters, according to a Rasmussen poll released Monday. Fifty-four percent view him unfavorably.
A bare 52 percent majority of GOP voters gave Ryan positive marks, down from 83 percent when he was selected as the Republicans’ vice presidential nominee in August 2012.
The GOP has a regular habit of trotting out these golden boys, then watching them crash and burn as the weight of their unpopular policy positions takes its toll. But it doesn’t stop them from coming out with the next supposed savior, and it doesn’t stop the traditional media from dutifully latching onto the frenzy.
A word to the wise would be to look past the personality and examine instead the policies on offer. That will be a better indicator of long-term popularity than whatever obsequious lionizing happens to be occurring in the moment.
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