Paul Ryan's Votes on Fiscal Cliff and Sandy Could Haunt Him Four Years From Now

These are the two Paul Ryans.

There's "Pragmatic Paul," the compromiser, who on Tuesday voted against most of his GOP House colleagues and with President Obama to raise taxes on wealthy Americans and, on paper at least, add $4 trillion to the national debt.

And there's the uncompromising budget hawk who opposed a bill that allows the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to take on $9.7 billion in new debt to help people and businesses devastated by superstorm Sandy.

It is a case study for a man who has built up his brand as an intellectual leader, on the one hand, and someone who might have his eyes on higher office in four years.

The Sandy vote was less surprising as he had already spoken out against some of the extraneous items in the legislation and Friday he said, "It would be irrespo