RACINE, Wis. – Al Levie must be proud of himself.

The Racine teacher had his fifteen minutes of fame this month when he refused to accept an award from Congressman Paul Ryan at a Martin Luther King, Jr. event at a local college. A video of Levie’s antics, accompanied by a lame explanation for his defiance, is circulating online.

“Paul Ryan is a lackey for the one percent,” Levie contends in a video interview after the event.
The video made Levie an instant folk hero for leftists.

But our research shows that silly antics are nothing new for Levie, an ends-justify-the-means type who routinely uses his students to promote his personal political agenda.

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When I watched the video of the Wisconsin teacher snubbing Congressman Paul Ryan, I knew instantly he was little more than an activist teacher seizing his moment.  Respect-be-damned, it was his moment to stick it to an ideological foe.  He became an instant folk hero for leftists.

But the silliness was nothing new for Racine teacher Al Levie.  He has a history of using students in his personal political agenda.

Case in point is an article Levie penned for the National Education Association magazine, NEA Today, titled, “Don’t Scold, Organize!”  He concluded it by writing:

“By engaging students in real-life issues and encouraging them to act on a political level, we will transform schools into places where authentic learning takes place.

“At the same time, we will help our students become engines of positive change in our society.”

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Here’s another example that shows just how ‘accepting’ liberals are of people from all walks of life.

High School teacher Al Levie refused to accept an MLK award from Rep. Paul Ryan because, well, Paul Ryan is a conservative no matter how Levie tries to frame it. Levie stated that “Paul Ryan has no business being at an MLK event.” That’s a pretty bigoted action.

Levie’s speech can be found here.

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Let me build on Charles Krauthammer’s great Friday column, “The GOP’s Suicide March.” Krauthammer argues that just as President Obama’s class-warfare, soak-the-rich mantra started lagging in the polls, some Republicans on the campaign trail started making the case that Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital was involved in nothing more than vulture capitalism, looting companies, and destroying jobs. Keeping class envy alive.

I’m not going to name names, because everybody knows who these Republicans are. Instead, I want to go positive, and commend Mitt Romney himself. Romney did his best in the second South Carolina debate to fight for free-market capitalism and Adam Smith, and against the spread of Obama-style crony capitalism and class envy.

During the Thursday night debate, Romney launched this:

“You’ve got to stop the spread of crony capitalism. [Obama] gives General Motors to the UAW. He takes $500 million and sticks it into Solyndra. He stacks the labor stooges on the NLRB so they can say no to Boeing and take care of their friends in the labor movement. . . . He has to bow to the most extreme members of the environmental movement. He turns down the Keystone pipeline, which would bring energy and jobs to America.

“My view is capitalism works. Free enterprise works. . . . There’s nothing wrong with profit, by the way. That profit went to pension funds, to charities. It went to a wide array of institutions. . . . And by the way, as enterprises become more profitable, they can hire more people. I’m someone who believes in free enterprise. I think Adam Smith was right. And I’m gonna stand and defend capitalism across this country, throughout this campaign. I know we’re going to get hit hard from President Obama, but we’re gonna stuff it down his throat and point out that it is capitalism and freedom that makes America strong.”

Whoa. Tough stuff. The right stuff.

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I had the opportunity today to hear American Enterprise Institute (AEI) president Arthur C. Brooks preview his upcoming book, The Road to Freedom, at an AEI policy meeting in Beverly Hills, CA.

Brooks is concerned with what he calls the new culture war–not over the traditional social issues of “guns, gays, and abortion,” but over the moral virtue of the free market and free enterprise systems over the redistributionist, statist ethic.

Brooks cited Americans’ unprecedented dissatisfaction with government in the wake of the failed stimulus, the numerous bailouts, the government’s role in creating the housing crisis, and other statist failures. Proponents of free enterprise, he says, should be winning the argument. Instead, he points out, most Americans hold beliefs incompatible with a culture of free enterprise–supporting higher taxes, more regulations, and the like.

The reason? “Proponents of free enterprise have nothing but materialistic rejoinders.” Put simply, those who favor individual economic freedom tend to debate using numbers, and technical arguments–while those who favor more government, such as President Barack Obama, are making moral arguments about the unfairness and injustice of the inequality that freedom may enable. They are winning–even though they are wrong. (more…)

Mitt Romney’s weekend interview in the Wall Street Journal seems to add weight to conservative doubts about his candidacy.

Romney doesn’t seem to get it: the 2012 election is about the size and cost of government.

We already have a “smart” president with ambitious plans who thinks he knows better. That hasn’t worked for our economy, and has damaged trust in our democracy.

Romney says “America doesn’t need a manager,” but his plans reflect what the Journal euphemistically calls “positive technocratic thinking.”

Though Romney may be more “sober” than his rival Newt Gingrich (or, less charitably, more timid than the former Speaker), he evidently shares with Gingrich an enthusiasm for what the federal government could do, if only he were put in control.

Given that Ron Paul’s radical foreign policy is a non-starter, and that several other candidates–however well-meaning–could not manage the mundane task of qualifying for the Virginia ballot, or withstand the media scrutiny of a long campaign, Republicans are feeling new doubts about the current field.

They are all better than Obama; the question is–are they the best Republicans can offer?

As Republicans have wrestled with that question, a few have floated the idea of a “brokered convention,” at which the party’s nominee would be chosen through back-room negotiations and contested ballots instead of the pro forma roll calls of recent decades.

Given Romney’s struggle to provide the clear alternative to Obama that Americans so desperately need, the party should consider whether a brokered convention is feasible as a fallback option.

Here, then, are the top ten Republicans who could be nominated at a brokered convention. Some declined to run earlier, and should reconsider; all would provide a stronger contrast to President Obama than Romney or Gingrich is providing at the moment.

***

10. Rep. Eric Cantor

The Whip united the caucus against the disastrous stimulus in 2009. In the debt ceiling debate, he reportedly held out against new taxes in any final agreement. Moreover, he has made clear that his vision for the country’s future is plainly different from Obama’s.

***

9. Sen. Jim DeMint

The conservative stalwart has provided key support to Tea Party candidates, and has challenged the compromise politics of the Republican establishment.

***

8. Gov. Bobby Jindal

Recently elected in a landslide to a second term, he has fought political corruption and brought competence and leadership to a state long lacking both. Despite a rocky national TV debut in 2009, Jindal is a ruthless and effective campaigner.

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There’s been a lot of discussion about Mitt Romney’s appeal – or lack thereof – among supporters of limited government.

To put it mildly, many libertarians and conservatives are underwhelmed by his less-than-stellar record on healthcare, his weakness on Social Security reform, his anemic list of proposed budget savings, and his reprehensible support for ethanol subsidies.

Notwithstanding this dismal track record, some advocates of free markets argue that anybody would be better than Obama.

But that’s not necessarily the case. Economic history shows that the burden of government often expands the most under Republicans, with Nixon and Bush (either one) being obvious examples.

On the other hand, even a skeptic like me has admitted that Romney’s record in Massachusetts is difficult to assess because he was governor of a very left-wing state and he had to deal with a state legislature with heavy Democratic majorities.

That being said, there’s a new development that suggests Romney may be an unacceptable alternative to Obama. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he basically said he is willing to consider a value-added tax for the United States. Here’s the relevant passage.

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Photo credit: Bill Clark/Roll Call

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), chair of the House Budget Committee, also leads the Prosperity PAC, a political action committee devoted to supporting his ideas for reform and to helping candidates who share them.

As the 2012 election approaches, Rep. Ryan is focuing his Prosperity PAC on grassroots education initiatives designed to change the terrain of national debate about the country’s fiscal future, and to elect reform-minded candidates to Congress.

Recently, the Prosperity PAC released a new memorandum on health care policy. It shows that health care costs are the primary cause of rising national debt, and proposes patient-centered, market driven solutions to reduce those costs.

Specifically, the Prosperity PAC advocates premium support for Medicare, block grants to states for Medicaid, and tax reform that will enable patients to buy portable insurance plans.

I spoke with Rep. Ryan this morning about the Prosperity PAC’s latest effort.

Tell us about what the Prosperity PAC is doing about health care policy.

We’re trying to get activists informed and educated about what it takes to repeal and replace the President’s health care law, how health care costs are a driver of debt, and how health care policy is an indicator of economic and personal freedom in the future.

Our purpose is to get activists motivated, to bring people to Congress who will fight for these reforms–not those who will go wobbly when things get tough. We want to get committed reformers to Congress to help stave off a debt crisis, and to get grassroots activists informed about what changes are necessary.

The Supreme Court is going to rule on ObamaCare this term. If all or part of the law is repealed, would that change your agenda?

Even if we assume that in June 2012, the whole thing goes down, we are not going to get an agreement on new legislation with this President and this Senate in the fall of a presidential election. What we have to do is get Republican candidates to commit to an agreement on reform so that when we win next November, it will be a win for limited government and economic freedom. We believe that health care is the lynchpin of it all, and so during the campaign season is when you want make sure we have men and women running for Congress who know the stakes, who are ready and willing to do the right thing, and who are committed so that when they get to Washington they follow through.

Let’s consider several scenarios. Suppose President Obama wins re-election with a Republican Congress– (more…)

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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech are joined by Governor Jon Huntsman to discuss entitlement reform, China, the EPA and more.

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In a speech last week at The Heritage Foundation, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) spoke about saving the “American Idea.” Afterwards, he sat down for a short interview to discuss the President’s class warfare rhetoric and the nation’s looming fiscal crisis. He was clearly frustrated by what he sees as the President’s failure to lead on the important issues of the day.

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Herman Cain is the only GOP presidential candidate who wants to kill the tax code. That’s right. Put a knife in it. Junk the entire system. And people are cheering as he rises in the polls in his quest for the nomination.

Cain’s 9-9-9 plan is not perfect. But then again, the good should never the enemy of the perfect.

Congressman Paul Ryan gives the plan a thumbs-up. Supply-side mentor Art Laffer tells me it would be “far, far better than the current system.” And Chris Chocola, president of the free-market Club for Growth, calls it “a truly revolutionary tax reform that would amount to a massive job-creating tax cut on investments, savings, and income.”

As the world now knows, 9-9-9 translates to a 9 percent income-tax rate, a 9 percent value-added net sales tax rate on business, and a 9 percent national sales tax overall. Like many conservatives, I am troubled by the national-sales-tax piece. It reminds me too much of Europe. It could start low and then build on top of the other taxes. But I totally support the first two nines on personal income and business. In my view, these are vast improvements.

For his part, Cain argues that the sales-tax nine would pick up revenue and help to lower the rate for everybody, especially the middle class. His economic adviser Rich Lowrie told me in a CNBC interview that the sales tax is a replacement tax, not an add-on tax like you’d find at the state level. This is a key point. Lowrie said, “All we are doing is pulling out taxes that are invisible. We’re cutting the rates. We’re putting them back in at lower rates.”

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“Approximately one-fourth of government spending goes towards healthcare.” And it is our responsibility to fix a broken system.

What’s the first step? The full repeal of ObamaCare.

Congressman Paul Ryan argues that what is needed is increased choice and competition in healthcare. It’s time to turn ideas into policy, and transition from a benefit-oriented system to a market-based system.

So what is stopping us from repealing ObamaCare?  Many people recognize that Obama’s health care law is inherently flawed.  In fact, ObamaCare even dismantles basic programs related to health savings laws.

Paul Ryan, representing Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, met with Hoover Institution to discuss why Obama’s health care law isn’t working and why we need to replace it. To hear more of Paul Ryan’s argument, watch the full episode below.

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Get a load of how some in the Left view the role of the media:

While covering the latest demonstration outside the office of Congressman Paul Ryan, MacIver News Service’s Bill Osmulski learns some protesters are upset that he has not been helpful to their cause. Because he has consistently and accurately reported what’s been going on in Wisconsin, some liberal activists attempted to prevent him from working.

Their idea of a real journalist is apparently someone who is ‘helpful.’

“Obviously you’re doing something wrong as a journalist if people don’t want you here that badly,” one protester told him.

That some protesters think a reporter’s job is to be helpful to their liberal cause should be offensive to every traditional, mainstream, journalist.

Well, you’d like to think so.

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BILL DALEY: Boehner’s office just called, sir.  He’s changed his mind.  Says you can address the joint session next Friday at 2:00 a.m.

OBAMA:  Cheeky b**tard.  All right, accept.  Eric, have Federal marshals available to round up and escort legislators to the Chamber.  Encourage them to be rough with Republicans.

JAY CARNEY: Our dirty tricks team affixed a wireless speaker under Joe Wilson’s seat, sir. We’ll trigger it to replay “You lie!” four minutes into your remarks.

BRIAN WILLIAMS:  Afterward, our technicians will enhance the audio, pinpoint the source, and nail him.  Wilson will deny, but voiceprint analysis confirms it’s his voice.

OBAMA:  And another firestorm.  Man never learns.

DAVID PLOUFFE:  Lotta voters throwing the Kool-Aid back in our faces, sir.  I wonder if a speech touting investment in urine-powered cars and prefabricated bamboo homes will help your numbers.

OBAMA:  Anyone with a better idea?

CARNEY:  Do a 180, sir: have a “Come-to-Jesus Moment” before the whole country, announcing you’ve finally realized you’re a socialist ideologue. (more…)

In his first on-camera interview since his August announcement that he would not run for President, Paul Ryan sits down discusses what went into his decision making process and what his political future may hold.

Congressman Paul Ryan sat down in his Janesville, Wisconsin district office with MacIver News Service’s Bill Osmulski for this exclusive one-on-one interview.

• What went into his recent decision to not run for President in 2012?

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[As the Republican nominee begins his opening statement, President Obama reflects.*]

I

Ooooh . . . he speaks, the right’s Orion!

Expel your foul dis-charges—phew!

Could glares steal breath, Paulie Ryan,

‘Bout now you’d be turning blue!

Huh?  Big spending cuts are needed?

Ah, Fed tax rates mustn’t rise.

And these . . . “facts” I’ve not conceded?

Why?  They’re falsehoods, damn your eyes!

II

In the past we’ve had discussions–

“Paul–thanks for coming!”—I must bear

Rants on Market repercussions,

Treas’ry futures, budget snares.

Our job outlook’s pathetic; rarely

Has it been this bad, I think.

Want a deal to face this squarely?

Want emetics in your drink? (more…)

So we got ourselves a Super Congress…hopefully, Boehner will put himself, Paul Ryan, and Joe Walsh on it.  I want the imperfect Tea Party freshman who allegedly owes child support to have a voice.   They are all likely imperfect; I prefer one who has already been sullied, and argues well on MSNBC.    But if not Joe Walsh, then tap Ron Paul.

Job #1 of the Super-Congress is Tax Reform.  This is our best chance to simplify American tax policy so a second grader can explain it.

Grover must pledge: Cutting the Tea Party's taxes matters most!

Crucial point: Grover Norquist is a good guy, but my main concern is not do taxes go up overall?

What I care about is: Do the Tea Party’s taxes go down a lot?

If we see overall tax revenues increase because GE is not getting green dollars, while all the small business owners are paying MUCH MUCH less – we have a winner.   You hear that Pelosi?  I just gave you some solace; render unto the patriots their due, and at least you can show your team some Fortune 1000 scalps.  Of course they won’t donate to your team any longer, but you should only get donations from the lower classes anyway.

Let’s be straight forward about what we want to see in a new tax policy:

1. The bottom half of America must pay at least as much as they pay now.
2. The Wall Street investor class and the Fortune 1000 management can pay more.
3. The owners of small businesses across the US, the savers, the scrimpers, the Tea Party faithful pay MUCH LESS.

Because when we say “broaden the base, end the loopholes, and lower the tax rates” – the above is exactly what we really mean.    And we can’t let Grover Norquist’s Tax Pledge screw us up.

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Liberals are already licking their wounds from the debt ceiling debate, wondering how it is that Republicans managed to get Democrats to abandon tax increases and shift the terms to spending cuts and entitlement reforms.

Though there are many conservatives who are critical of the bill that House Speaker John Boehner passed, and worried about splits within the Tea Party, the fact is that the left feels it lost the deal as well as the debate.

EPA/Stefan Zaklin

The left did lose–or, more precisely, it lost more than conservatives did–partly because it has failed to confront economic and financial reality.

In April, when Standard & Poor’s first warned of a possible downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, the White House reacted with denial. President Barack Obama’s chief economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, said that S&P’s warning was a “political judgment” that didn’t deserve “too much weight.” (more…)

Back in the 80s, Wendy’s, the fast-food giant, ran a very successful ad campaign known as “Where’s the beef?”…

Perhaps the Republicans should revise the famous line for an ad campaign and call it “Where’s the plan?”.

Obama has spent his entire presidency talking about “his plan” while denigrating and disparaging plans of other serious legislators or endorsing plans crafted by busy tax-and-spend congressional Democrats. He famously referred to “his plan” during the health care debate, promising all sorts of goodies to everyone with an interest with statements like “if you like your like plan, you can keep it,” while assuring us all that his plan would lower costs and insure more individuals, regardless of the economic illogic of this argument.

In the end, the law forever stamped as “Obamacare” was a 2,000+ page hodgepodge thrown together by years of busybody work from the desk drawers of congressional staffers, professional theorists and lawyers, all with an interest in increasing the regulatory and taxation State. We never actually saw Obama’s Plan, because there wasn’t one. None of his comments or predictions had to be true, because, well, at the time the plan wasn’t his. Now he owns it.

When Paul Ryan presented his Road Map — a serious long-term budget proposal that seeks to incrementally decrease the burden of runaway entitlements with as little pain as possible — Obama dismissed it as “anti-American”. Reasonable people can disagree with aspects of Ryan’s plan, but to simply dismiss it as anything less than a serious attempt to get us on the road to fiscal recovery is not serious leadership.

At best, it’s agitation from a community organizer.

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OBAMA:  Ryan’s the one who’s giving their caucus spine.  And he still won’t budge?

VALERIE JARRETT:  No, sir.  His family . . .  release them?

OBAMA:  Not yet.  Give it another day or two.  Let Mrs. Ryan have formula for the baby, though.

BILL DALEY:  What about Kucinich?  He’ll block the House from doing anything that passes muster with Senate Democrats.

OBAMA:  Get him on the horn.

[Daley dials, hands phone to President]

Hey Dennis, how ya doin’?  Look, if the Boehner plan blows up in the House, we think we can get the Senate to swallow the Reid Plan.  But first we have to get it through your chamber, and as long as you don’t . . . .  Well, yes, I remember our discussion.  [sighs] Yes, I agree to your terms.  [hangs up]

DAVID PLOUFFE:  What did you just promise him, sir?

OBAMA:  On my next overseas trip, we’ll install a booster seat in Air Force One’s co-pilot chair, and he’ll pretend to fly the plane.

JARRETT:  Well, that’s not too bad.

JOE BIDEN: I hate to bring it up, Boss, but I busted my butt with the Gang of Six, and uh, you said . . . . (more…)