Paul Ryan Loves Him Some Stimulus Money

Stimulus money is good when I get it.

Paul Ryan hates stimulus. It doesn't work, and he'll vote against it every time (except when Bush was president). He also hates stimulus money, except when he gets his hands on it.

The Hill:

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) laid into GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan on Friday, calling him a "two-faced," "typical Washington politician" for privately asking for stimulus dollars while denouncing the program in public.

The Wisconsin lawmaker admitted he asked for stimulus funds in 2009, The New York Times reported Thursday. He told a Cincinnati TV station earlier that day that he had not asked for the stimulus money.

Okay, I see how this works. Paul Ryan says one thing until, ah, he's busted. Got it. Jake Tapper noticed this, too:

After repeated denials, Paul Ryan has admitted he requested stimulus cash even after sharply criticizing the program.

Ryan had denied doing so as recently as Wednesday, when he spoke to ABC’s Cincinnati affiliate, WCPO, in Ohio.

“I never asked for stimulus,” Mitt Romney’s new running mate said. “I don’t recall… so I really can’t comment on it. I opposed the stimulus because it doesn’t work, it didn’t work.”

Two years ago, during an interview on WBZ’s NewsRadio he was asked by a caller if he “accepted any money” into his district. Ryan said he did not.

“I’m not one [of those] people who votes for something then writes to the government to ask them to send us money. I did not request any stimulus money,” the congressman answered.

But as we’ve now learned, Ryan did write letters. He did request stimulus funds.

It's fun to watch the video:

Of course, even after you're busted, it's best to stick to your guns. Paul Ryan issues a statement:

After having these letters called to my attention I checked into them, and they were treated as constituent service requests in the same way matters involving Social Security or Veterans Affairs are handled. This is why I didn’t recall the letters earlier. But they should have been handled differently, and I take responsibility for that.

Regardless, it’s clear that the Obama stimulus did nothing to stimulate the economy, and now the President is asking to do it all over again.

 That explains why you asked for the money, Paul, because it wouldn't do any good? Right. Just so we know how you roll.

Wait. What did you say, Paul, back in 2002 about stimulus?

"What we're trying to accomplish today with the passage of this third stimulus package is to create jobs and help the unemployed," Ryan said, in comments unearthed by MSNBC's "Up with Chris Hayes" and provided to HuffPost. "What we're trying to accomplish is to pass the kinds of legislation that when they've passed in the past have grown the economy and gotten people back to work."

 I see. For Bush, yes. For Obama, not on your life. You're a real American, Paul Ryan, you really are.

Update. MSNBC has made the video of this available: