In an opinion piece in today's USA Today, Stephen Prothero, takes issue with Ryan's professed belief in the philosophy of Ayn Rand:
....In Rand's Manichaean world, it is not God vs. Satan, but individualism vs. collectivism. While Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor," she sings Hosannas to the rich. The heroes of Atlas Shrugged (which, alas, is only slightly shorter than the Bible) are captains of industry such as John Galt. The villains are the "looters" and "moochers" — people who by hook (guilt) or by crook (government coercion) steal from the hard-won earnings of others.....
.....Over the last few weeks, various Christian groups have criticized Republican leaders for proposing a 2012 budget that in their view is both un-Christian and anti-life. First, dozens of professors, priests and nuns at various Catholic universities criticized House Speaker John Boehner for a legislative record on the poor that was, in their estimation, "among the worst in Congress." "Mr. Speaker, your voting record is at variance from one of the Church's most ancient moral teachings," they wrote. "From the apostles to the present, the Magisterium of the Church has insisted that those in power are morally obliged to preference the needs of the poor."
....In short, these Christians are telling the GOP that there is too much Rand in their budget, and too little Jesus.....
The Republicans who have embraced Ayn Rand are clearly into selfishness by trying to keep everything for themselves. As the author of the article said in this piece, "...Rand's trinity is "I me mine." Christianity's is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So take your pick....."
As Paul Ryan and the Republicans seek to obliterate Medicare, we need to know how they can reconcile adding $5-7 trillion to the national debt with their voucher plan and why they wish to punish old, sick, people.
