It's the moment we've all been waiting for -- both Democrats and Republicans alike. Mitt Romney has officially announced his running mate and the potential next Vice President of the United States as one Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Who? Well, I'm going to tell you who. Here's his photo and everything.
Doesn't he look like he's ready to shake up Mitt Romney's campaign? Ryan joked in 2010 that he had been "reading federal budgets since I was 22 years old" and admitted that's "kind of sick." However, you might be surprised ... this dude's reputation in Washington isn't as dull as he looks.
Okay, so perhaps Paul Ryan isn't known for his political charm and flair (something Romney's campaign could arguably use), but he is known for something. Being extremely conservative in all arenas but particularly fiscally. The still-ailing economy is at the forefront of every American's mind so clearly that's where the Romney campaign is putting their bazillions of dollars -- investing their dough in the Ryan Plan.
The facts:
1. Paul Ryan was born in 1970; Ryan is 42 years young.
2. A member of Congress since 1999.
3. A Catholic and a married, father of 3.
4. According to the NYT, Democrats "view him as the epitome of the Republican vision of deep cuts in social spending and entitlement programs."
5. Unlike Romney, Ryan has spent nearly his entire career as a Washington insider, in or around the federal government.
6. His so-called Ryan Plan, which he proposed as House budget chairman, has some very radical, controversial plans for overhauling the country's budget and spending priorities.
7. Ryan is solidly pro-life, unlike Romney himself.
8. Opposes same-sex marriage, hate crimes, and protection for gays and lesbians.
9. Climate denier.
10. A favorite of the conservative, anti-tax, limited-government Tea Party.
The opinions:
1. Oh, I see what they're doing here. He's the tough, no-nonsense fiscally conservative guy our country (and Romney) needs. Here's the guy who's going to finally clean up George W. Bush's our country's ginormous financial mess ... by, no doubt, cutting the crap out of social programs for the elderly and poor (cue the Mighty Mouse theme song!).
2. Did you hear that Florida -- hardcore cuts for seniors!?
3. Six very foul words swirling around Ryan: giant tax cuts for the wealthy. Why god?
4. From what I've seen, there's simply no denying Ryan is insanely bright and good at crunching numbers (just what our country needs!). My concern is his conservative idelologies and how his brand of number crunching could further harm our already ailing country.
5. Weee, another conservative white guy to be in charge! That's different. Sigh ...
What are your thoughts on Paul Ryan? Are you excited to see him alongside Romney?
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Comments 89
Your claim that you "didn't say would couldn't pay off the just the debt he added" is disingenuous. This is what you said "The woman/mother in me with take the rich, white, conservative, straight males over Obama, who has threatened my kids' futures by saddling this country with so much debt that we couldn't pay it off even if we taxed EVERY wage earner 100% of their income." (emphasis mine). That very clearly lays the blame for the total national debt, which exceeds 100% of the gross national income, at President Obama's feet.
Oy vey. I did, indeed, clearly lay blame at Obama's feet, because that's where it belongs. His policies - his spending - increased our debt past the point of our earnings. You can play "But BUSH!!!" all day long, but it doesn't change the fact that Bush didn't do it. If you think spending, annually, more than your salary makes good fiscal sense, then by all means, use your earnings increase to invest in some lube, grab your ankles, and vote Obama.
Rightside.
I did not play "But Bush!!!" I don't play in talking points as so many, including you, do. I play in facts. If you want to close your eyes to the debt from every other President before President Obama, you may. Just know that when you make statements that are clearly partisan, and untrue, you hurt your argument. Also, when your retort is of the crudest nature, involving lube and ankle grabbing, you reveal your inability to form a rational fact based argument. You may continue to parrot the views of others without doing any research of your own, that is your God given right, but when you are ready to put a little effort into your opinions you will see that no one side has all the answers, no matter how loudly or crudely they may proclaim just that.
itica, you make me laugh. I hope you stick around and comment more - it's exceedingly helpful to the R/R ticket to have people who blame prior administrations for the current administrations actions, claim they're not doing so, and offer zero counter-points. Keep up the good work!
rightside - Assuming Romney wins, come 2016 the country will likely still be in the same spot we are now. You conservatives will be playing the "But Obama!!!" card and I will laugh as I remember your statement right there.
And I know, I know, I know, you all think it's impossible that the country would be anything but rainbows and unicorn farts the second Romney took that oath.