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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:47 AM Mar 2014

Paul Ryan's Heartwrenching Tale of a Hungry Kid Also Appears in a Heartwrenching Book

Last edited Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:18 PM - Edit history (1)

ELSPETH REEVE

At the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, Paul Ryan told a touching anecdote of a poor boy who said he didn't want a free lunch at school, but a brown bag one, because "a kid who had a brown paper bag had someone who cared for him." Though Ryan presented this as a modern tale of government dependence and family decline — people don't want "comfort," Ryan said, but "dignity" — the author of the book the story appears to be cribbed from says she met the kid in 1986.

"You know, this reminds me of a story I heard from Eloise Anderson," Ryan said, referring to a member of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's cabinet. He continued:

"She once met a young boy from a very poor family. And every day at school, he would get a free lunch from a government program. He told Eloise, he didn't want a free lunch. He wanted his own lunch, one in a brown paper bag, just like the other kids. He wanted one, he said, because he knew a kid who had a brown paper bag had someone who cared for him. This is what the left does not understand."


But as a Talking Points Memo commenter noticed, the story appears to be cribbed from a 2011 book called An Invisible Thread. Author Laura Schroff says it's the story of her friendship with Maurice. Her website says, "We met on 56th street in Manhattan in 1986, when I was a 35-year-old single, successful ad sales executive, and he was an 11-year-old homeless panhandler." An except of the book:



more:
http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/paul-ryans-heartwrenching-story-about-hungry-kid-also-appears-heartwrenching-book/358902/

-----------------

Lyin' Ryan was today awarded Four Pinocchios by the Washington Post for his claims in this speech:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014748000
66 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Paul Ryan's Heartwrenching Tale of a Hungry Kid Also Appears in a Heartwrenching Book (Original Post) DonViejo Mar 2014 OP
Now now Don Viejo JustAnotherGen Mar 2014 #1
Mea culpa, mea culpa,... DonViejo Mar 2014 #9
So once again Ryan was lying? Botany Mar 2014 #2
and remember the pots,pans, trays whatever were already clean luckykate54 Mar 2014 #23
And you don't wear a pressed shirt and tie along with a cotton apron to do dishes too Botany Mar 2014 #24
And check out how pressed and clean Le Taz Hot Mar 2014 #29
When doing dishes you wear a rubber apron not a cotton one if possible Botany Mar 2014 #31
I've only worked in one commercial kitchen Le Taz Hot Mar 2014 #34
didn't he lie about his running time, as well? niyad Mar 2014 #39
And about climbing most of Colorado's tallest mountains too Botany Mar 2014 #44
good heavens, I missed that one. I suppose he did them all in one day, too? niyad Mar 2014 #45
And he did it back wards and in the dark too Botany Mar 2014 #48
I read through some of the coverage after your post--"climbed" is such a vague word, isn't it? niyad Mar 2014 #53
I was just X-country skiing in western MD (New Germany St. Park) Botany Mar 2014 #55
according to his spokespuppet at the time, WE misunderstood--what lyin' ryan supposedly said niyad Mar 2014 #58
no matter... handmade34 Mar 2014 #3
good research by the author. These Republican don't research what they spout OKNancy Mar 2014 #4
There's a reason for that. atreides1 Mar 2014 #6
My daughter likes the hot lunch gollygee Mar 2014 #5
Most kids vankuria Mar 2014 #11
And many of those lunch packs have "lunchables" inside, yellowcanine Mar 2014 #38
Yes, absolutely! vankuria Mar 2014 #56
Too true! My kid likes wraps or salads or homemade soup, with fruit and yogurt. winter is coming Mar 2014 #63
Breaking News: Republicans to replace free lunch program with free brown paper bag program...eom Purrfessor Mar 2014 #36
You win the thread. geardaddy Mar 2014 #49
Lyin' Ryan strikes again... AzDar Mar 2014 #7
And the story doesn't say a freaking word about .... CANDO Mar 2014 #8
that's the second big takeaway jollyreaper2112 Mar 2014 #50
K & R ctsnowman Mar 2014 #10
I hate the narrative that this creates about parental caring. Blue_Adept Mar 2014 #12
My poor kids are the same boat. Borchkins Mar 2014 #17
Boy, oh, boy... Ivywoods55 Mar 2014 #13
So "free" food is ok and needed, but it needs to be in a bag. Hey, saves on all those trays, and the jtuck004 Mar 2014 #14
Ryan's RW spin is that poor people don't - and can't - love their children. baldguy Mar 2014 #15
A libertarian without an original thought. Rex Mar 2014 #16
Pathetic n2doc Mar 2014 #18
People want comfort and dignity, you fucker! HATRED! Ed Suspicious Mar 2014 #19
Full stomach, empty soul line also plagiarized Brainstormy Mar 2014 #20
+ 1 Botany Mar 2014 #28
You'd think Ryan wouldn't have needed to plagiarize the "empty soul" part. n/t winter is coming Mar 2014 #64
The Republicans seem to be devoid of any original thoughts........ Historic NY Mar 2014 #21
They are incapable of coming up with any ideas, why should we think they could come up with catbyte Mar 2014 #22
Figures. Ryan's story stunk. As a kid who got free hot lunches, they were the best meal of my day. SunSeeker Mar 2014 #25
Thanks for the link, good read! greatlaurel Mar 2014 #26
The sad thing is that a huge chunk of the GOP base Iliyah Mar 2014 #27
Not to mention that as a political argument, it's idiotic. Tommy_Carcetti Mar 2014 #30
Looks like Eloise Anderson plagiarized her EC Mar 2014 #32
Great example of a sociopath/politician manipulating people's emotions. QuestForSense Mar 2014 #33
1. 28 yrs ago is like a WWII story in 1973; 2. Makes clear these are SIMPLY MOUTHED WORDS, the kind WinkyDink Mar 2014 #35
ryan, I worked for a decade as a cafeteria worker and public school lunch cashier... Tikki Mar 2014 #37
What's Mr. Issa's thoughts on Congress being lied to? Thor_MN Mar 2014 #40
Not being about Benghazi OR the IRS OR the ACA it does not matter. yellowcanine Mar 2014 #42
WP Glenn Kessler awards Ryan and Anderson 4 Pinnochios. yellowcanine Mar 2014 #41
He's a psychopath. scorpiogirl Mar 2014 #43
Exactly. Trying to use human sounds to manipulate, not speaking to communicate. WinkyDink Mar 2014 #51
It's hard for me to fathom C0RYH0FFMAN Mar 2014 #46
welcome to du. please do not forget his "climbing most of colorado's 14'ers" niyad Mar 2014 #59
From the comments on Kessler's Pinnochio column ... yellowcanine Mar 2014 #47
Fake concern; fake apologies; hell, even fake 'wonkitude!' QuestForSense Mar 2014 #57
fake climbing colorado 14'ers, too. niyad Mar 2014 #60
Gee, who'd a thunk it? VA_Jill Mar 2014 #52
Even his lies are plagiarized FlyByNight Mar 2014 #54
I just googled "Paul Ryan is a Liar" and got this for one thing... "Paul Ryan, Pathological Liar" Cha Mar 2014 #61
What a co-winky-dink! FSogol Mar 2014 #62
that is really obscene. WhiteTara Mar 2014 #65
Mr. two-fifty something marathon is perfect as a Republican gulliver Mar 2014 #66

DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
9. Mea culpa, mea culpa,...
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:05 AM
Mar 2014

mea maxima culpa (through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault), I promise, I won't let it happen again!!

Botany

(70,508 posts)
24. And you don't wear a pressed shirt and tie along with a cotton apron to do dishes too
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:48 AM
Mar 2014

The cotton apron will get soaked and so will the dishwasher too. According to the
director of the social service agency in N.E. Ohio Ryan showed up after they were
closed for that photo op.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
29. And check out how pressed and clean
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:12 AM
Mar 2014

the apron is. If you're working in a professional kitchen like that, your apron gets food and water splatters on it. If that picture doesn't scream "photo op" I don't know what does.

If I were the director of that place, I would have said, "Come back tomorrow. Your shift starts at 5:00 am and you're finished at noon. Be prepared to work."

Botany

(70,508 posts)
31. When doing dishes you wear a rubber apron not a cotton one if possible
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:20 AM
Mar 2014


BTW a full day really working would kill Ryan

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
34. I've only worked in one commercial kitchen
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:27 AM
Mar 2014

and they didn't have the rubber aprons, but, admittedly, my experience is extremely limited. And yes, you're right, he wouldn't know HOW to do a full day's work. Most of these Congresscritters wouldn't.

Botany

(70,508 posts)
48. And he did it back wards and in the dark too
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:20 PM
Mar 2014

Ryan's Mt. Climbing story got a looking at in 2012 w/ his veep run and
so when that story came out a member of a Colorado mt. climbing
organization started fact checking Ryan's claims and he figured out that
Ryan didn't have enough time in the state to have climbed all those mountains.

Ryan issued a correction that he had been "on" some of those mountains and
hadn't really climbed them and how he was taking out of context.

niyad

(113,315 posts)
53. I read through some of the coverage after your post--"climbed" is such a vague word, isn't it?
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 01:37 PM
Mar 2014

I "climbed" the steps the other day--not all the way to the top, mind you, but that counts, doesn't it? and he started this when he was 12? so impressive. I know what is involved in climbing the 14ers--not exactly a stroll in the park. (and not something I have any inclination whatsoever to do!)

Botany

(70,508 posts)
55. I was just X-country skiing in western MD (New Germany St. Park)
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 01:53 PM
Mar 2014

and one of the trails went from 2,340 ft to about 2,700 ft and it whipped both my son and
I (we are both in good shape) just to make it to the top. So the idea that Paul climbed
all those mts. ..... some of which are technical climbs ..... is pure bull shit.

I wonder how he is going to explain his latest "error?"

niyad

(113,315 posts)
58. according to his spokespuppet at the time, WE misunderstood--what lyin' ryan supposedly said
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 08:15 PM
Mar 2014

was that he had climbed some 28 peaks some 38 times (really, paul, you climbed each of those 28 peaks 38 times??? that is the way it is phrased). now, I have friends who do the 14-ers, and I can guarantee you that each of them knows EXACTLY which peaks they have reached, and how many times. none of this vague "well, something around 28 around 38 times, starting when I was 12).

has this self-absorbed lying pos EVER spoken a word of truth??

handmade34

(22,756 posts)
3. no matter...
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:53 AM
Mar 2014

what Paul Ryan (and his ilk) will never believe or comprehend is that the Left DOES understand... to their core!! the right is merely cheapening the conversation

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)
4. good research by the author. These Republican don't research what they spout
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:55 AM
Mar 2014

I'm thinking these Republicans who are getting into trouble for plagiarism, or spouting off from fiction, or twisting facts let their unqualified staff of true-believers write their stuff.
They don't do the research themselves, or fact-check themselves... or even have the reported experience themselves.

atreides1

(16,079 posts)
6. There's a reason for that.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:00 AM
Mar 2014

Ryan knows that those who will be voting for him don't care about the truth...he knows that his supporters would never question anything he says.



gollygee

(22,336 posts)
5. My daughter likes the hot lunch
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:56 AM
Mar 2014

but it's expensive. And stuff to put in the brown paper bags can also be expensive, especially when you consider you can't bring peanut products in most schools and you can't have food that might go bad if it stays warm for a while. It limits options.

So we'll cut the hot lunch program right after cutting food stamps. Poor parents will have more meals to prepare with less money.

Great idea, Paul Ryan! /sarcasm

Also: see my signature.

vankuria

(904 posts)
11. Most kids
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:07 AM
Mar 2014

bringing lunches don't even use "brown bags", they have little lunch packs that keep their food fresh. My niece is in a school lunch program and I doubt for a second she or any of the other kids are feeling deprived or unloved because they get a hot lunch prepared at school.

This whole argument is so contrived and stupid, but I guess it's a break from Benghazi.

yellowcanine

(35,699 posts)
38. And many of those lunch packs have "lunchables" inside,
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:48 AM
Mar 2014

not hand made sandwiches and fresh fruit. These often are loaded with extra salt, fat and preservatives and are costly as well. And they come with propaganda as well - the picture shows fresh fruit but in fact Lunchables do not come with grapes or any other kind of fruit or vegetables. A school lunch is generally a better choice in both cost and nutrition.

vankuria

(904 posts)
56. Yes, absolutely!
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 02:19 PM
Mar 2014

School lunch programs save time and $ for parents as well as provide nutritional lunches for kids. With childhood obesity at such high levels this is a winner all the way around/

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
63. Too true! My kid likes wraps or salads or homemade soup, with fruit and yogurt.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:36 PM
Mar 2014

The other kids think her lunch is strange, but it's what she likes. She's allergic to peanuts, and the school menu isn't truly peanut-free, so she always brings her lunch. Since they don't get much time to eat lunch, she's just as well pleased not to stand in line.

 

CANDO

(2,068 posts)
8. And the story doesn't say a freaking word about ....
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:04 AM
Mar 2014

a free lunch at school. And ultimately, the kid IS getting a free lunch from someone who cares about him. The point the righties never fucking get, is that kids need fed REGARDLESS of how or whether it's free! Food in the stomach is a good thing, but to the right it's an opportunity to spin some Randian tale for ideological reasons.

jollyreaper2112

(1,941 posts)
50. that's the second big takeaway
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:35 PM
Mar 2014

1. He's a lying scumfuck who steals. But this we knew.
2. He warped the message of the story.

He doesn't deserve to share the same air as civilized society. What a selfish, grasping fuckspat.

Blue_Adept

(6,399 posts)
12. I hate the narrative that this creates about parental caring.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:13 AM
Mar 2014

WTF? I haven't done brown bag lunches for the kids in a couple of years. Largely because the changes made to nutrition and meals at the state and federal level have turned once ordinary and unappealing school lunches into something diverse, appealing and far healthier than what I could pack at a fraction of the price. I guess because my kids buy lunches, I don't care about them.

Borchkins

(724 posts)
17. My poor kids are the same boat.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:23 AM
Mar 2014

I must not love them enough to make their lunch, forget the fact that they prefer the hot lunch at school.
B

Ivywoods55

(131 posts)
13. Boy, oh, boy...
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:15 AM
Mar 2014

Does any of these people have decency, morals, or scruples? Plagiarism runs rampage among these folks. But I guess none of them would call this stealing, probably not, huh? Pathetic.

 

jtuck004

(15,882 posts)
14. So "free" food is ok and needed, but it needs to be in a bag. Hey, saves on all those trays, and the
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:15 AM
Mar 2014

kid has a point.

Maybe a Congress Person will introduce the Lyin' Paul Ryan Brown Paper Bags For Meals in Public Schools Because We Care Bill.

Could pay for it by ordering one less bomb for the defense department, yes?

 

baldguy

(36,649 posts)
15. Ryan's RW spin is that poor people don't - and can't - love their children.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:19 AM
Mar 2014

And therefore the welfare of those children must be ignored, dismissed & neglected, and they should be cast aside by society.

From what I've read, I think Laura Schroff would disagree.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
18. Pathetic
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:31 AM
Mar 2014

Heartwrenching would be if the kid in the story died of a preventable disease due to lack of affordable health care. This is just a kid wanting to fit in. They could have easily been asking for the latest sneakers.

Historic NY

(37,449 posts)
21. The Republicans seem to be devoid of any original thoughts........
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:35 AM
Mar 2014

they have to lift the writing and materials of others. It reminds me of the kids in school that cheat by looking at others papers.

catbyte

(34,393 posts)
22. They are incapable of coming up with any ideas, why should we think they could come up with
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:35 AM
Mar 2014

their own "touching, heartbreaking" stories? What a bunch of frauds. I get so pissed off about this--and the M$M ALWAYS gives them a pass. Remember the shit Biden landed in when he cribbed portions of that speech back in the late 1980's? He was lucky he was able to save his political career. Now, it's just "ho hum" whenever one of these despicable baggers is caught in a lie.

It really rots my socks, grrrrrrr...




SunSeeker

(51,559 posts)
25. Figures. Ryan's story stunk. As a kid who got free hot lunches, they were the best meal of my day.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:51 AM
Mar 2014

And no, they didn't make me feel unloved. What I felt was guilty. I knew my poor mom was going without a decent lunch.

greatlaurel

(2,004 posts)
26. Thanks for the link, good read!
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 10:51 AM
Mar 2014

Wow, Ryan received social security when his dad died when Ryan was a teenager, but Ryan would deny poor children a warm lunch. Can we start an effort to attach hypocrite to his name whenever there is a web search for him. Maybe lyin' Ryan can go wash some more clean dishes at a soup kitchen.

I still cannot believe the Village Media consider this fool as "serious". Why are the Washington media so in love with gutting benefits for the needy? Are they all overpaid?

Iliyah

(25,111 posts)
27. The sad thing is that a huge chunk of the GOP base
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:09 AM
Mar 2014

are on programs such on "free" lunches for their children going to school. A huge chunk of their constituents are on SNAP and receive some sort of assistance (Medicare - Medicaid) from the US government whereas tax payers, a significant portion comes from Blue States.

But alas, their constituents are so misinformed and will believe every word that their political party tells them.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,182 posts)
30. Not to mention that as a political argument, it's idiotic.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:13 AM
Mar 2014

So we shouldn't give poor kids free lunches because it offends their dignity. But starving doesn't.

EC

(12,287 posts)
32. Looks like Eloise Anderson plagiarized her
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:22 AM
Mar 2014

story to explain her way of thinking and then Ryan used her plagiarized story as a source. Does that mean he plagiarized too, since his cite is bogus? It would also seem that Republicans always seem to come away from a story with the wrong lesson learned. Anyway don't any of them have an original thought?

 

WinkyDink

(51,311 posts)
35. 1. 28 yrs ago is like a WWII story in 1973; 2. Makes clear these are SIMPLY MOUTHED WORDS, the kind
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:29 AM
Mar 2014

Dubya once uttered, trying to wear a mask of non-psychopathy.

Tikki

(14,557 posts)
37. ryan, I worked for a decade as a cafeteria worker and public school lunch cashier...
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:41 AM
Mar 2014

Last edited Fri Mar 7, 2014, 02:17 PM - Edit history (1)

So many times a student from the affluent part of the district would come to the breakfast
or lunch window and plead for a breakfast* or lunch because mom and or dad left early, had their mind on
something else, didn't make breakfast or pack a lunch and forgot to give them money to eat at school.
Many times we had to send a note home to recover the money.

ryan, for students, rich or poor….Eating Is Fundamental


Tikki
*especially breakfast...

yellowcanine

(35,699 posts)
41. WP Glenn Kessler awards Ryan and Anderson 4 Pinnochios.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 11:57 AM
Mar 2014
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/03/06/a-story-too-good-to-check-paul-ryan-and-the-story-of-the-brown-paper-bag/

Anderson for claiming the story as her own and adding the school lunch part in Congressional testimony and Ryan for not checking a story included in a major speech because in Kessler's words, it was "too good to check."

scorpiogirl

(717 posts)
43. He's a psychopath.
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:01 PM
Mar 2014

He uses innocent children to promote his sick agenda. His fb page is covered in photo ops using his own kids. So obvious and contrived

C0RYH0FFMAN

(20 posts)
46. It's hard for me to fathom
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:09 PM
Mar 2014

That he thought he could get away with that? Lying about his running time, putting out totally phony reports, pretending to wash dishes, stealing a story about a kid and a brown paper bag? Hubris.

yellowcanine

(35,699 posts)
47. From the comments on Kessler's Pinnochio column ...
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 12:10 PM
Mar 2014

LisaMaire
10:33 AM EST

So, fake brown paper bag story, fake marathon running story, fake dishwashing at the homeless shelter...

Cha

(297,249 posts)
61. I just googled "Paul Ryan is a Liar" and got this for one thing... "Paul Ryan, Pathological Liar"
Fri Mar 7, 2014, 09:16 PM
Mar 2014

January 23, 2013 |

"Last seen blaming “urban” voters (you know who he’s talking about) for his and Mitt Romney’s bitter November defeat, Rep. Paul Ryan returned to the prevaricating ways he made famous throughout the campaign on Tuesday. There were his silly lies about his marathon time, of course, and perhaps more serious, his serial lies in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention in Tampa, Fla., last August, on welfare, GM restructuring and the 2009 stimulus bill. It’s hard to know exactly what words to use to describe his campaign appearance “helping” at a soup kitchen that turned out to be a photo op showing him scrubbing already clean pots and pans, but “honest” isn’t one of them.

Now Ryan is trying to squirm out of the lasso in which the president captured him in his inaugural address Monday. “The commitments we make to each other through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us,” Obama said with indignation. “They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great.”

Everyone who followed the 2012 campaign knew Obama was talking about Ryan as surely as if he’d said his name."

More..
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/paul-ryan-pathological-liar

Mahalo Don~

gulliver

(13,181 posts)
66. Mr. two-fifty something marathon is perfect as a Republican
Sat Mar 8, 2014, 11:31 AM
Mar 2014

How can anyone stand to be in the same party with that liar, much less turn him into a leader?

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