It also doesn't hurt that on some issues -- like the power of the Federal Reserve, the bailout of the banks and America's expensive wars overseas -- the questions Paul has been asking have gained in salience since 2008.
At the time, as a junior member with little clout, Ryan was a reliable Republican vote for policies that were key in causing enormous federal budget deficits: sweeping tax cuts, a costly prescription-drug entitlement for Medicare, two wars, the multibillion-dollar bank-bailout legislation known as TARP.