Villian or Villiage Idiot

Pundits on the left have a love-hate relationship with Paul Ryan.  Widely derided as a great publicist for himself as a serious and honest policy wonk, but also as an intellectual lightweight who has been pushed by the right as their answer to liberal policies they hate.   He is also criticized as a Midwest Machiavelli who is always a half step ahead of the opposition.   With the rollout of the republican answer to Obamacare, this dichotomy is on full display.  Half of the critics are complaining the replacement is an obvious slipshod mess which represents 7 years of republican thoughts on an alternative to the ACA.  Virtually no one who was not involved in crafting the bill has any kind words for it as it so transparently seeks to restore the status quo by ensuring failure over a 4 year period.  The strategy would seem to be to ram this thing through congress before the CBO can give it the score which would be the kiss of death.  The other narrative is Ryan is crazy like the proverbial fox and is putting forward a plan he knows will be rejected.  That way the GOP majorities can continue to slowly hamstring Obamacare so it will eventually wither away.  Meanwhile the republicans can run against.  Which is the real Paul Ryan?  I would guess it is a combination of someone who is in over his head.  His flailing legislative agenda and continued chaos in the White House make this bill the default mode for the republicans.