ON UKRAINE: The Obama administration has projected weakness, invited aggression…but is making the proper responses
RYAN: There are a lot of moves that this administration has made in the area of foreign policy with respect to the Russians, Syria, missile defense, that I think has projected weakness. And, I think when you have the world superpower having a foreign policy that, in my opinion, is weak and a defense policy now that shows weakness, I think it invites aggression. I think that it creates a vacuum that is filled by these types of actions.
But, let's be really clear. Who is to blame for this? Vladimir Putin is to blame for this. And, I think the administration is making the proper responses.
Ukraine crisis: Western leaders pile pressure on Russia
And, it all comes back to … the Keystone Pipeline
RYAN: We should move forward on natural gas exports very quickly. I think we should approve an LNG terminal on the East Coast to go to Europe. I think we should approve the Keystone Pipeline. I think we should show that the U.S. is going to be moving forward on becoming energy independent and supplying energy to Europeans -
BOLDUAN: Moving forward with the Keystone Pipeline -
RYAN: Absolutely.
BOLDUAN: - that development would take years though to actually make that happen.
RYAN: Kate, the signal that America is open for energy business and America is going to be helping our allies with energy resources so that they can be less dependent on Russian energy resources. The signal is very, very important.
Keystone pipeline report boosts supporters, deflates environmentalists
ON THE BUDGET: It’s an election year and the President isn’t fooling anyone with his budget proposal
RYAN: This is more of a campaign brochure. He moved farther to the left of this budget. In past budgets, he would put proposals that were trying I think to narrow the difference between Republicans and Democrats - work towards common ground. There's no illusions of that here.
So, this is nothing but a big tax increase, massive increase in our debt. It’s a budget that never balances, adds $8.3 trillion to the debt, $1.8 trillion in new taxes half of which goes to more spending. He does gut the - he cuts the military greatly in my opinion not for deficit reduction but for more domestic spending.
Obama's budget: Help for workers, taxes for the rich
And, it all comes back to … 2016
BOLDUAN: Hearing you talk about Ukraine and hearing you talk about priorities in an election year makes me wonder – is there any good reason why Paul Ryan should not be running for president in 2016?
RYAN: I’ll get to that stuff later. Right now we’re in the majority -
BOLDUAN: Where are you in your process?
RYAN: - I’m keeping my options open. And I have decided after this election, we're in the majority here I have responsibilities in the House of Representatives. I’ll focus on those responsibilities and after this session then Janna and I are going to sit down and give a really good long hard look at this.
I'm no fan of either party because we seem to have become over-run with corrupt kleptocrats. None of this is new or different.
I do have to give him credit for the idea of selling energy in whatever form to Europe. The premature rush to wind and solar has left much of Europe dependent on French nuclear or Russian oil. We need to give them options.
I really disagree with the Keystone pipeline because I see no need to help Canada sell oil to China when we could drop oil prices in America by having refineries near the Canada border.
Gotta agree with the GOP on this one. This is what happens when you let people get away with things. It only invites worse behavior of this type. You cannot negotiate with terrorists. You cannot compromise with countries that fabricate stuff and you cannot expect people to be good when you protect or promote their negative actions. It would be nice if this was a decent world and everyone could be trusted to just do the right thing. But unfortunately it isn't. Hopefully the discussions with Russia goes well. Ultimately it will be innocent people who suffer the most if they don't.
People, the Republicans are a fatal infection you must fight against. Each day they add new LIES against Obama. If you don't fight that fatal infection of Republicans you will not survive. There mission is to destroy you. So it you against the Republicans. The big defeat will be voting in November both for state and federal positions. The list is long that Republicans are attacking against the American people. Don't believe their LIES.
Face the facts Obammy is a wimp and Putin is bending him over. If you remember the inept one said he would be more flexible after the election. I see Putin agreeing with that !!
So many Republicans find it easy to forget when Pres. Bush met Putin and he said: "I shook his hand, looked him in the eye and saw his soul." Then Putin invaded Georgia. Did Ryan et al have anything to say about Bush being duped? Of course not. The hypocrisy of the right is pathetic. Bush was duped as much as anyone . . . and I still haven't forgotten the "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" ploy. Where was Ryan et al to criticize the Bush Admin then? The Republicans are the Einsteins of Hypocrisy!
The very same Republicans that were silent along with G. Bush are the ones attacking Obama now. The American people must defeat the Republicans or they will be defeated.
Cons say dems blame everyone else for our problems yet look at this buffon. Blame, block and attack, that's the republican game plan.
Forget about it Ryan.republicans will not win a national election.you do however have a responsibility to do your job.get these hateful teapublicans to stop being childish and move our country forward.