Poverty Scold Paul Ryan Retiring at 48 to Join the Ranks of Idle Rich
“There’s some irony in the fact that Ryan, who famously called poverty a ‘culture problem’ of ‘men not even thinking about working,’ who said the social safety net is a ‘hammock that lulls able-bodied people into complacency and dependence,’ and who extolled the virtues of children seeing their father working, will be quitting his job at 48 in order to do less work for more money. Corporate board seats are famously cushy gigs that involve, typically, attending a meeting every few weeks, max. By the Boston Globe’s estimates, board members usually work fewer than five hours per week per board. The positions are so lucrative and coveted that critics say some people are discouraged from raising questions about C.E.O. pay or other issues for fear of losing their seats, which we’re sure will never been an issue for the deeply principled Ryan.”