Ryan and THE HELP

So here’s the right link to my post on the movie. I actually think the movie adds stuff to our “narrative” about the South—both good and bad—that even Walker Percy misses.

And on Ryan: I’m more impressed by the case against him Pete lays out than the case for him. I’m going to say once again that the majority of Americans don’t agree with THE TEA PARTY that Medicare, Social Security, etc. are unconstitutional and their implosion is a new birth of freedom. Their reform and truncation ought to be regarded as more necessary than choiceworthy, and Republicans need to follow the lead of Jim Capretta and others in laying out the tough demographic realities, which aren’t really anyone’s fault. Ryan’s plan, I agree with Pete, is short on prudence. Having said that, he’s obviously a very fine and very able person, and, if he wants to be president, I think he should run. He’s someone I believe (with Pete) might well have what it takes to rise to the occasion.

Meanwhile (although I’m too lazy and perhaps too incompetent to link it), there’s a NEW REPUBLIC article this morning that accuses Perry of being very obviously a fake hyperevangelical. Because the article confirmed what I already thought, I of course was more persuaded by it than maybe I should have been. I also read that a very enthusiastic article claiming Perry combines features of George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, and Mike Huckabee. I can see how that’s true, but I don’t think he’s combining the good parts. But I’m still open-minded on the guy with the good hair and the somewhat appealing Texas swagger. Let the vetting process continue.