Watch: Paul Ryan Says 30% Of Americans Want Welfare — 70% Want American Dream
Tonight the Huffington Post published video of GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan claiming “Seventy percent of Americans want the American dream. They believe in the American idea. Only 30 percent want the welfare state.” Ryan made the comments — eerily similar to those made by Mitt Romney earlier this year, which went viral last month — “as part of his keynote address at The American Spectator’s 2011 Robert L. Bartley Gala Dinner,” the Huffington Post reported.
“Before too long, we could become a society where the net majority of Americans are takers, not makers,” Ryan added, although the Huffington Post notes that “it’s not definitively clear whether Ryan said ‘the welfare state’ or ‘their welfare state.’ HuffPost originally transcribed it as ‘their welfare state.’ Regardless, the comment was made in reference to people on government assistance.”
“Today, 70 percent of Americans get more benefits from the federal government in dollar value than they pay back in taxes,” Ryan said. “So you could argue that we’re already past that [moral] tipping point. The good news is survey after survey, poll after poll, still shows that we are a center-right 70-30 country. Seventy percent of Americans want the American dream. They believe in the American idea. Only 30 percent want their welfare state. What that tells us is at least half of those people who are currently in that category are there not of their wish or their will.”
Â
Ryan’s pertinent comments begin at about the 6:40 mark:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lx-x_FVnRdQ%3Fversion%3D3%26hl%3Den_US

Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |