Could Paul Ryan be a creep, failure, and a hero all at the same time?

This is worth a read.

Paul Ryan has that same sheen of the generically handsome – walking and talking like a robot sent from the future to bomb Iran. If the Tea Party of 2012 could have created a test-tube candidate in a lab, it would have looked exactly like Paul Ryan. His has the face of a man who never even considered premarital sex let alone condoned it. Truly, that is the visage of a guy who DVRs reruns of Matlock and eats pudding from a plastic cup. I assume that when he works out, he’s not listening to EDM or podcasts, but the sound of the mighty Mississippi river rushing or the incessant caw of the majestic bald eagle.

Looking like he should be important has allowed him to continually fail upwards in politics. They say dress for the job you want, but Paul Ryan took it a step further and was simply born like that. In true American style, he’s blundered his way to prominence – first as a freshman congressman, then a disastrous vice-presidential nominee, and now an unpopular speaker of the House. At this rate, Speaker Ryan has a decent shot of being named Supreme Galactic Emperor before his time is up.

Trump has shown no particular interest in moderating his stance. In that same New York Times article, he’s quoted as saying: “You win the pennant and now you’re in the World Series – you gonna change? People like the way I’m doing.” He uses his electoral mandate as justification for telling the GOP establishment to lock themselves in a panic room until November.

The only hope of the congressional contingent is that Paul Ryan channels his inner Subway manager – firm, resolute, unyielding.

Just like the manager of a Subway will tell you over and over again that avocado is extra; that they are definitely out of Italian herb and cheese bread; and that yes, the bathroom is for customers only, Paul Ryan must stand up to Donald Trump – the very definition of an entitled, pushy fast-food customer who thinks the world owes him extra cheese. History will either remember Paul Ryan for being an underachieving vessel for rightwing talking points or an honorable man who refused to be bullied by Donald Trump. It’s entirely up to him.

I’m betting that when all is said and done, Paul Ryan will be judged not as a leader of the Republican Party, but as a purported “leader” who was unable to stand up to the bully that is Donald Trump.

Then again, that seems to be what’s wrong with today’s Republican Party – it’s full of “tough guys” who aren’t afraid to denigrate women, people of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ population, or anyone who doesn’t fit into their narrow definition of what it means to be acceptable and normal, but who can’t stand up to a bully within their own ranks.