At long last: a Republican who talks about Republicanism and free markets in a way designed to reach Americans who aren’t CEOs or hedge fund managers.
The Republican’s name is Paul Ryan. And in two different venues these past few days — first at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, and then at Benedictine College in Kansas — the 2012 vice-presidential contender made his pitch for a GOP agenda centered around free markets, limited government and a public square thick with churches and charities.
He contrasted this view from the Democrats: “Barney Frank once said government is the name for the things we do together. But that’s just one name. There are lots of them: the church meeting, the neighborhood watch, the food bank, the small business, the health clinic, the homeless shelter. We like to call these things ‘mediating institutions.’ But in the end, they’re just people — people working together.”
Free markets and free associations bring Americans together in a voluntary way. And Ryan says this kind of community is especially vital for people born without inherited wealth or connections. It’s their path to living the American Dream.
The Wisconsin Republican picked up this thread at Benedictine College’s commencement on Saturday, where he took on the “straw men” used to undermine capitalism. The greatest straw man, of course, is the idea that markets are based on greed and the government on compassion.
“Free enterprise doesn’t reward greed,” said Ryan. “It rewards value — because competition checks greed. And there’s no greater opportunity for greed than government cronyism. Greed knows how to exploit the books of regulations and the whims of bureaucrats. It knows how to navigate the halls of power. So if we’re concerned about greed, we shouldn’t give it more opportunities to grow.”
As New Yorkers look out at a corrupt, bloated government overseen by politicians increasingly leaving office in handcuffs, it sure would be refreshing to hear a Republican make this argument where it’s most needed: Here.