So actually two questions: are people finally willing to concede that Ryan is not now and has never been remotely serious? And — I know this is probably far too much to ask — are they going to do a bit of soul-searching over how they got snookered by this obvious charlatan?
The establishment will always consider Paul Ryan to be serious because they don't think he's a Republican fire-eater. The fact that his policy proposals are silly and lopsided doesn't really matter to the DC establishment and press. But here's the thing: he's one of the flamethrowers, too. Off the top of my head, I distinctly remember him appearing on the Glenn Beck radio show and telling the morning zoo disc jockey that he loves him while agreeing that "progressivism is a cancer." It doesn't get any zanier than that.