Krugman on Ryan as 'The Unserious Man'

The NYT columnist, just back from vacation, with first column for print in tomorrow's paper, picks up theme I've harped on for past week: the "accolades" for Paul Ryan from pundits based on...what exactly?  "Ryanomics is and always has been a con game, although to be fair, it has become even more of a con since Mr. Ryan joined the ticket...

"What Mr. Ryan actually offers, then, are specific proposals that would sharply increase the deficit, plus an assertion that he has secret tax and spending plans that he refuses to share with us, but which will turn his overall plan into deficit reduction. If this sounds like a joke, that’s because it is. Yet Mr. Ryan’s 'plan' has been treated with great respect in Washington. He even received an award for fiscal responsibility from three of the leading deficit-scold pressure groups. What’s going on?

"The answer, basically, is a triumph of style over substance....Also, self-proclaimed centrists are always looking for conservatives they can praise to showcase their centrism, and Mr. Ryan has skillfully played into that weakness, talking a good game even if his numbers don’t add up."