Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney.ROMNEY/RYAN
In the midst of the political dog days of August, Mitt Romney gave his party and America a Vice Presidential pick that was part surprise but also expected. Romney’s choice was U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. On the USS Wisconsin, Romney introduced Ryan saying that this move was the recasting of the GOP as the Grand Opportunity Party. Ryan, a seven term Congressman adds youth, ideology and fiscal vision (depending on your view) to the ticket. Here are the advantages:Ryan is young and makes a good case for what he believes in. He can articulate his plan well. Plus this pick plays to the Republican base, a segment of voters cool and distrusting of Romney as another McCain moderate not capable of winning a big national election. Ryan’s credentials will fire up the Tea Party as well as those Republicans who are trying to change the economic course of this country.
In Ryan they have an unabashed supporter of fundamental change in the way the country is funded. There will be no mistaking the fiscal path the U.S, will take if these guys are elected. Vice President Joe Biden accuses the GOP of not hiding the ball in saying they will change social programs. Ryan not only holds the ball, he yells out the plays at the line of scrimmage. Wisconsin has been a Democratic state the last few times in a Presidential race. This changes that equation and puts those electoral votes in play during a close election.
On the negative side, the Ryan pick does the following:
It energizes the Democratic base who aren’t thrilled with the Obama Presidency. Progressives look at it as a lost opportunity for social change in this country. Even though they felt Obama let them down in some areas, the prospect of a Romney/Ryan pairing is downright scary. You’ll most likely see an upswing in party fundraising.
The Democrat policy people will ramp up the Medicare machine. Right now seniors who will not be affected by any changes are still going to be targeted as anti GOP voters. For years the thoughts was there. The naming of Ryan will only reinforce that.
The Ryan pick will also give the President the opportunity to outline what he plans to do in his next term. He can certainly say what the Ryan plan will do but he will be forced to really explain how he plans to change entitlements. He has made a few steps in that direction to the horror of the Democratic party stalwarts. But it would be ironic if this pick moved him further to the right.
Finally the Ryan pick gives this election a firm and clear choice.
If you think government should be in your life as a safety net, then you’re going to go with Obama/Biden. If you think that government should let you take care of yourself, even if you are down and out through no fault of your own, then you go Romney/Ryan. If you think that a true partnership between business and government is the way to go in building the economy, you’ll go with Obama/Biden. If you think corporations need more tax breaks to create jobs, then you’ll go with Romney/Ryan. If you think the middle class payroll tax cuts you have been receiving the last few years are the way to strengthen the middle class, you’ll go with Obama/Biden. If you think the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in this country gave us a good economy where every person won and prospered equally, then you’ll go Romney/Ryan. If nothing else, this choice paints the picture of this election in very different shades and colors. It’s either black or white. Let the games begin. For real.
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