The Paul Ryan American dream -- fleeing famine in Ireland to Vice Presidential ticket

Rugbyplayer, at least you didn't attack him for being a Packer's fan. Every pol has a romaticized backstory, just look to our current glorious leader who imagines himself a prince (his spouse surely tries to live like royalty).

Welcome to liberal America Central.

After a joke like that, it could be a case of saving VPC Ryan? Can intuit the cash register eyed bar owners of Tipperary (and/or Kilkenny), already running around licking their lips in anticipation of a genealogically inspired marketing opportuntiy for the intoxication industry. Apropos cutbacks in welfare, I'm reminded of a quote attributed to President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK), who is reputed to have said that revolutions don't just happen, they are caused. And that we had better give them reform or they will give us revolution. Food [stamps] for though - perhaps?

"Ryan's current philosophy - laissez-faire capitalism - was the British policy that let the Irish starve during the potato failure years" false - it was a tightly controlled mercantile oligarchy after the Irish people had been robbed of all property and economic rights.

I agree with many of the comments here. There is no Irish voting block. The Irish and their children in America are free thinkers. There are no Irish "leaders". We have no Al Sharpton's telling us what to do and how to think. We may be liberal or conservative. We may believe that Obama and Biden are wonderful, the bees knees,or we may believe that he is a low life communist neer-do-well who managed to become President with the help of the Media and guiltridden liberal intellectuals. Whatever. I wish Irish Central would give us the news from Ireland, promote Irish culture in America, but stop being waterboys for the Goddamn socialists in this great country.

O'bama has already cut Medicare,he has reduced amount paid to Doctors by 12%,signs already up from some doc's that they won't take Medicare patients-I have already seen such a sign-Thanks O'Bama!

Seanaci; the cause of the mass starvation was the removal of food by Brit army forces , fifty percent of which was assigned to Ireland and removed the food at gunpoint

Mmmmm ... and you all should hear what some demos are saying: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cut-ad-clinton-cos-ryan-guy-amazing_649942.html ... "This guy [Ryan] is amazing!" says the former Clinton Whitehouse chief of staff.

" roots dating back to the Famine"????. Accuracy does not seem to be a major concern for Ryan but why would he reach back 200 years to defame his own people? see www.irishholocaust.org

This site is a joke ....seriously there is no Irish American vote or community these men are neither of them Irish Americans...Irish Americans have been absorbed into mainstream white society a long LONG time ago....they are part this and that and it silly to suggest otherwise...there is no Irish political position or view...

carollover suffers from transferrance. #1 Obama wants to axe Medicair. #2 let's all have our hands out like Europe! See how the redistribution of wealth is fairing in France.

Ok, lets just put it out there - neither Biden or Ryan have ANYTHING to do with being Irish so Irish Central just needs to cut the crap...

I work i the travel industry and my CIe rep is a Ryan she said they come from all over because of the size of the clan, so they would not marry a cousin LOL

More Irish jingoism with Paul Ryan's "humble Irish roots!" Another potential VP candidate, Marco Rubio, claimed his parents had fled Cuba because of Castro's persecution. That turned out to be a lie. Rubio's anti-immigrant stance was challenged when it was revealed that one of his own grandfathers came illegally to the US and lived and worked illegally for years in Florida. Ryan comes from a wealthy family that was well-off for generations. Every Republican candidate now it seems has to claim humble beginnings and how these beginnings did not hinder their grasp of Randian capitalism which turned them into self-made moguls. Phooey!

Jackinnj, failure of the potato crop was the trigger, but CitizenWhy is right that the UK parliament's policy of laissez faire - now called "free market" - was the cause of the mass starvation. Ryan's proposals are closer to Charles Trevelyan's than someone with memories the famine. Trevelyan was against food distribution to protect market prices. The pittance given to already starving people for public work was wholly inadequate to buy food - just as Ryan's voucher plans would be for healthcare. The result for the weakest section of the population is a matter of tragic record. Let's not repeat history, but learn form it.