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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Paul Ryan versus Joe Biden sets up Irish Catholic political showdown - Lace curtain Irish Ryan against Shanty Irish Biden a contest for the ages

Posted on Sunday, August 12, 2012 at 08:17 AM

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Paul Ryan vs. Joe Biden

Paul Ryan versus Joe Biden sets up Irish Catholic political showdown - Lace curtain Irish Ryan against Shanty Irish Biden a contest for the ages

There will be an Irish American Catholic vice president of the United States next January we can now say with certainty.

Joe Biden and Paul Ryan may appear similar in ethnicity and religion but there are as many differences as similarities.

Their Vice Presidential debate will be the first ever between two Irish Catholic contenders for the VP slot. It will make for fascinating viewing as it would be hard to find two politicians who are further apart on how to fix what ails America.

Their views of the role of government could not be farther apart. Ryan is a disciple of another famed Irish American Ronald Reagan, who was always keen to limit government’s growth. Biden is a child of the New Deal and an apostle of the era of Kennedy and LBJ when massive new government programs lifted millions out of poverty.

Ryan is lace curtain Irish, enjoying the benefits of a wealthy upbringing, thanks to a construction company fortune and a successful family legal practice.

Ryan’s home growing up had eight bedroom and six bathrooms and was registered as a state historical residence. Friends describe it as a mansion.

Biden on the other hand grew up mostly in poverty, shanty Irish was the term often used. The family moved in with their Finnegan relatives but still could not make it in Scranton, Pa, and moved to Delaware where Biden’s father became a used car salesman.

Perhaps it is their uniquely different backgrounds that color both men’s politics. Personality-wise both men are seen as affable and popular and not just in their own parties but with opponents as well.

Ryan suffered terrible personal tragedy, coming home from high school and finding his father dead in the bed. Biden too suffered enormously losing his first wife and a daughter in a dreadful car accident.

How will Irish Americans react to the contest.?

Washington Post reporter Melissa Bell had an interesting account from one Irish woman she encountered on the trail with Romney on Saturday.

She wrote: ”Alice Butler-Short, a 70-year-old Irish dance teacher who grew up in Tipperary, Ireland, and now lives in Norton, Va., was clad head-to-high-heeled-toe in American-flag-themed attire as she stood at the front of the line waiting to get into the Manassas event.

“He’s absolutely phenomenal,” she said of Ryan. “Romney couldn’t have done better. He didn’t pick the guy who could help him win this state or that state... He picked the best person for the country.”

“Amen,” said a woman in the crowd next to her.

Will most Irish Catholics feel the same way? How the Catholic vote goes will decide this election

We’ll know in 86 days.

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106 comments

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cabocla | Aug 13, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT

Let´s forget about MATERIAL things that each: RYAN or BIDEN had or have. Let´s talk about of they have inside to give to Americans. RYAN is an INTELLIGENT person. BIDEN is a DUMB STUPID with nothing to offer. RYAN has credentials to be VICE or PRESIDENT. BIDEN is a SHAME even DEMOCRATS. YOU CHOOSE!

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michaelidaho | Aug 13, 2012, 09:06 AM EDT

seanomelb, Where are you getting your information about Paul Ryan never having worked a day in his whole life? This contradicts everything I have read from CNN, Boston Globe, wikipedia, etc.

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obeollain | Aug 13, 2012, 09:01 AM EDT

Biden and Obama have had 4 years to turn the economy around and they've been a dismal failure. LBJ (not Kennedy)and his Great Society haven't lifted anyone out of poverty. They just made poverty and goverment dependence a way of life!

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eiriamach | Aug 13, 2012, 08:46 AM EDT

Go ahead, Niall: push the "Irish Catholic" label. It won't hurt Joe Biden. Every day someone calls for the Church to excommunicate him for his political views. He does not toe the Church line. But Ryan, who votes the bishops' agenda on social issues, has the support of orthodox extremists who'd like to ban contraception, impoverish seniors, and grow the number of working poor so that the wealthy can drain increasing taxes from workers' ever-shrinking paychecks. If Romney picked Ryan to woo Catholic voters, he made a stupid miscalculation. The Church's censorship of theologians, the nuns, and anyone with humane political views has had much press. The result is that the Church's influence in politics is now only negative for any candidate whom the bishops support with their "Guide" for voters. I predict serious shock setting in on election night, as the nation sees the power of the backlash against Catholic anti-equality politics in American political life. The resounding rejection will come not only from voters the Church dubs "secular," but also from more than half the Catholic laity themselves.

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EamonnDublin | Aug 13, 2012, 04:24 AM EDT

What a terrible, awful, superficial opinion piece. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.

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righton | Aug 12, 2012, 11:44 PM EDT

shanty Irish is a slur - don't use it to describe Joe Biden's family. I believe it had to do with Irish who worked on the railroad and lived in "shanties," small, dismal homes near the tracks. Lace curtain Irish lived in houses with curtains on the windows, not cardboard. Also, in America we usually don't refer to people as "Irish Catholics" -- Irish is what we say. Besides, the term -"Irish Catholic" seems to be something used more by Irish from Ireland. . .For instance, an Irishman, who upon hearing my last name, referred to it as an Irish CATHOLIC name." (for what it's worth.)

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harp579 | Aug 12, 2012, 11:28 PM EDT

Per Wikipedia and with apologies to readers of German ancestry:............................................ "[Paul Davis]Ryan was born and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin, the youngest child of Elizabeth A. "Betty" (née Hutter) and Paul Murray Ryan, a lawyer.[6][7][8] He is of Irish and German ancestry,[9]."

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cillowen | Aug 12, 2012, 10:49 PM EDT

how come they pick such a measima of souls who are but the middle who will take the slings and arrows from both their own, their lessers and their betters. Picking a Jew would not fit in the scheme of things. The maleable set best suits as it has been since the founding. Throw 'em a bone if its fighting you want and shower them with ridicule to excite other ethnics into a sort of comic relief. Thusly the sheep are carefully managed. Vote on jokers.

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irishamrep | Aug 12, 2012, 09:43 PM EDT

Good for you mairint! I'm getting older and I have seen a lot! People like Biden and obama rob people of their dignity! Here in the US the poor are given free housing (better than the "working class" can afford) and food stamps, they "need" nothing! They WANT more and more! Certainly there are poor people who need it but it's a corrupt system and many trur poor do without because of it! Biden is a dishonest crazy man that has turned his back on his Church and his God for political gain! And by the way he is a very rich man!

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Kendall | Aug 12, 2012, 09:29 PM EDT

Jamthecat, Isimply ask what is the basis of you conclusion that Ryan's plan would bankrupt SS AND Medicad? I looking for statistical data not an inflammned knee jerk analysis.

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JimmyJK | Aug 12, 2012, 09:28 PM EDT

let's get rid of all health care supported by the government. Also let's get rid of BIG GOVERNMENT! We need to get rid of food stamps and ANY and ALL assistance to the poor. We have to reform our tax laws... why should those making over 250K a year be paying for those below it. If those below it worked harder they wouldn't need the extra tax money. Please privatize all agencies especially social security, the financial sector is doing God's job and keeping our country afloat! We have much too much government let's privatize everything.... our teachers, police, parks, emergency assistance.... all privatized! But let's keep our military going strong especially overseas where we can use our contractors to help the indigenous build much better existences for themselves so they can abandon their inefficient way of life.... is this what we want ? Do you want this? Is this good?

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mairint | Aug 12, 2012, 08:30 PM EDT

In spite of Mr. O'Dowd's old fashioned and even quaint terminology in his article, the twist does not quite work. Paul Ryan is apparently a straight forward decent man. Just because his ancestors were successful does not mean he did not have to work hard himself. It seems he managed to get himself through his uni. studies with the insurance received from his Dad's early death. Good luck to this man, a good choice and in a far more qualified category than Mr. Biden who has been quite a disaster. We begin to see a glimmer of hope for a rebirth of the once great nation of the United States of America.

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irishamrep | Aug 12, 2012, 08:19 PM EDT

I hope it's you Niall that's so damned stupid and lacking in knowledge and not the majority of the Irish readers? At this reading I would hate to be ashamed to be Irish for the first time in my life!

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JimmyJK | Aug 12, 2012, 07:13 PM EDT

This is an about face in political and moral viewpoints for Irish Catholics. Tip O'Neill, Hugh Carey, John F. Kennedy and so many other Irish Catholic politicians would be very sad to see an Irish Catholic America that has turned their back on the values of the hard working middle class that the Irish in America still dominate.... How can Paul Ryan go to mass and then still want to take relief away from children, the elderly, the poor and others in need??

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oaklongan | Aug 12, 2012, 06:55 PM EDT

Haven't heard Lace Curtin, Shanty since I was a teenager from my mother. Black Irish more...At least the Presidential 'contest' is more clearly-defined now between less vs. more government, but either way Corporations win...

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