Simpson Praises Ryan as ‘Spokesman of Hard Truth Against Fakery”

Paul Ryan is “a spokesman of hard truth against fakery” who knows the issues, former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson said.

Simpson, who co-chaired the Simpson-Bowles commission on debt and deficit reduction, said on Fox News that Ryan — Mitt Romney's vice presidential pick — “encourages me. Erskine [Bowles] and I felt he was one of the sharpest guys we dealt with. He doesn’t have to have a staff member there feeding him stuff and little memos. He can go a half an hour without a note. He knows the issues.”

Simpson, a Republican who served in the Senate from 1979-1997, said of Ryan, “He also said to us — I think a year and a half ago — you know, ‘If we can’t get something done in America, there’s no need for me to smash my head into the wall around here, I have things to do back in Wisconsin,’” he recalled, according to Politico.

“And now, this thing [the GOP vice presidential nomination] comes to him, I don’t think he was seeking it, but let me tell you, he becomes a spokesman of hard truth against fakery.”

Simpson was not confident Congress will address the “fiscal cliff” before the election.

“These guys will do nothing, either party, nothing, just B.S. and mush, the whole way through,” he said, according to Politico. “Then, between the Nov. 6 and Dec. 31, they’re going to be really mucking around in 5 to 7 trillion bucks of quicksand. And it will have to be discussed.”