2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Phillip V]

This continued Republican infighting at the highest levels of power is hilarious.

Next, I want Trump to tell his supporters to egg Romney's houses.

[Valmy]

There is no damn way Paul Ryan thinks he can win the nomination in 2020. He is just trying not to be lynched by his fellow Representatives.

[Phillip V]

There is no damn way Paul Ryan thinks he can win the nomination in 2020. He is just trying not to be lynched by his fellow Representatives.

Paul Ryan now risks getting lynched by the voters.

[alfred russel]

There is no damn way Paul Ryan thinks he can win the nomination in 2020. He is just trying not to be lynched by his fellow Representatives.

Paul Ryan now risks getting lynched by the voters.

By "getting lynched by the voters" I assume you mean "getting pushed into a lobbying career that will triple his pay, with additional lucrative speaking engagements on the side."

[Valmy]

By "getting lynched by the voters" I assume you mean "getting pushed into a lobbying career that will triple his pay, with additional lucrative speaking engagements on the side."

Oh yeah tons of people are going to be lined up to listen to him speak.

[Eddie Teach]

Not a very high risk, I'd say. If Wisconsin voters prefer Ted Cruz to Trump, it's likely they also prefer Paul Ryan to Trump's stooge candidate and Sarah Palin.

[alfred russel]

By "getting lynched by the voters" I assume you mean "getting pushed into a lobbying career that will triple his pay, with additional lucrative speaking engagements on the side."

Oh yeah tons of people are going to be lined up to listen to him speak.

I don't think that corporations pay lots of money to former politicians for speaking engagements because they are such compelling speakers.

[Valmy]

I don't think that corporations pay lots of money to former politicians for speaking engagements because they are such compelling speakers.

Well the assumption being is that they have connections that the Corporation can use. If a politician is in disgrace and has few allies in Congress then what good is he?

[alfred russel]

I don't think that corporations pay lots of money to former politicians for speaking engagements because they are such compelling speakers.

Well the assumption being is that they have connections that the Corporation can use. If a politician is in disgrace and has few allies in Congress then what good is he?

He is speaker of the house--the majority of elected republicans support him as their leader. Trump is the most divisive candidate of our lifetimes and is likely to lose in a tsunami.

I'm not sure how he ends up in disgrace or with few allies in congress (unless the tsunami taking out Trump takes out most house republicans as well).

[Berkut]

Getting slammed by Sarah Palin. Gee, that has to hurt.

[The Minsky Moment]

Stating the obvious, but Marti is wrong about the Treasury issue.  The US treasury market is foundational to the existing international financial system and treasury securities have a key role as collateral.  It's one thing to have some worries about debt/GDP ratios or interest rate swings, but talking about failure to redeem at par is another thing entirely.

The basic problem as I think berkut identified - is that the skills required to be a successful NYC real estate operator don't readily transfer over to the conduct of public policy.

[Ed Anger]

[sbr]

 

[alfred russel]

Getting slammed by Sarah Palin. Gee, that has to hurt.

Something that used to be a lot more common before the parties stabilized in their current political gridlock was congressional party switching. If the Republican Party starts to realign, I wouldn't be surprised to see some defections.

Sarah Palin looks eager to push the process along.

[jimmy olsen]

Probably be good for both of them. Seperates Ryan from Trump which is good for him once Trump goes down in flames. It's good for Trump because it makes him look strong.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/09/politics/paul-ryan-donald-trump-convention-chairman/

Paul Ryan will skip chairing convention if Donald Trump asks

By Tal Kopan, CNN

Updated 0021 GMT (0821 HKT) May 10, 2016

Washington (CNN) — House Speaker Paul Ryan would back out of chairing the Republican National Convention in July, if Donald Trump asks him to, his office confirmed Monday.

Ryan first made the comments to a home-town paper, telling the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "He's the nominee. I'll do whatever he wants with respect to the convention."

The two are set to meet Thursday in Washington, after Ryan told CNN last week he was "just not ready" to throw support behind Trump, after rivals Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich both suspended their campaigns making Trump the presumptive Republican nominee.

Trump will also meet that same day with Senate Republican leaders. Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said the meeting will take place at the National Republican Senatorial Committee near the Capitol at 11:45 a.m.

Trump said Ryan's comments "blindsided" him.

Trump responded with a statement saying he wasn't "ready" to embrace Ryan's agenda.

Ryan repeated that he did not rule out supporting Trump in the future, but had concerns he wanted addressed first.

"I never said never. I just said (not) at this point," Ryan told the Journal Sentinel. "I just want to get to know the guy ... We just don't know each other."

And Ryan said that he wasn't in the camp pushing for a third-party candidate to run against Trump.

That "would be a disaster for our party," Ryan told the Journal Sentinel. "I have communicated that to plenty of people."

Ryan is scheduled to preside over the GOP convention in Cleveland in July as part of his role as House speaker. He said even though he's not ready to back Trump, he would continue to fill that role regardless.

One of Trump's highest profile surrogates, Sarah Palin, announced on Sunday that she would back Ryan's primary challenger in Wisconsin.

"I think Paul Ryan is soon to be 'Cantored,' as in Eric Cantor," Palin said, referring to the former Republican House majority leader who was ousted in a shocking upset in his 2014 Virginia primary race.

Asked about Palin's comments on CNN, Trump called Palin "very much a free agent" and said he wasn't aware of her plans to back Ryan's opponent.