Once upon a time, people could go to university to study economics. Then, as higher education got bigger and better, you could also study political economy. Well, now we are at biggest and best. You can get in on the ground floor of a brand new (but certain to grow) discipline: political mathematics.

That’s a rigorous analysis of a numerical system where “a lot” is a valid number. But I yield the stage, because only a Republican can do justice to this major intellectual advance:

Last week, the House GOP presented its alternative budget proposal. Members of the media, including conservative commentators, widely panned the document for being scant on details and appearing more as “campaign-style talking points.” Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), ranking member of the House Budget Committee, has said he will release yet another budget proposal, but this time with more specifics.

Though Ryan has been most critical of the deficit impact of Obama’s budget, he has been unable to assess the deficit impact of his own budget. After being repeatedly asked this weekend by Bloomberg’s Al Hunt about “how large” the deficit would be under the Republican plan, Ryan finally respond (sic), “A lot”:

HUNT: But the Obama budget deficit is $1.4 trillion. How, roughly, how large will yours be?

RYAN: Their budget deficit is $1.8 trillion. […]

HUNT: Gimme an idea of how large yours will be?

RYAN: A lot. Let’s put it that way.

HUNT: Pardon me?

RYAN: Now I can’t give you the specific numbers because we’re still waiting for some numbers back from CBO. But clearly we don’t want to have this kind of run up of deficits and debt.

They totally have a budget proposal. For real.

Too bad Ryan — who’s one of the main architects of the proposal — can’t tell us if his is bigger than Obama’s. (Nullus?)