Nice Pick

[DSUrocks07]

Meh...makes more sense to have him as a part of the Romney cabinet as Treasury Secretary...

Much better picks out there. I mean we're talking about the VP slot here...not really much power inherent in that position of government.

[GSUAlumniEagle]

I like Paul Ryan a lot. He's actually been able to put out some ideas and speak the truth about the financial situation the country's in. I really do like him a lot.

I'll probably have no problem voting for him for President in 2016. Ain't no way I'm touching him at the bottom of a Romney ticket, though.

[Pwns]

I like Paul Ryan a lot. He's actually been able to put out some ideas and speak the truth about the financial situation the country's in. I really do like him a lot.

I'll probably have no problem voting for him for President in 2016. Ain't no way I'm touching him at the bottom of a Romney ticket, though.

You like Ryan, but prefer Obama to Romney? Does not compute.

[BDKJMU]

Ryan's Bio realesed by Romney camp this morning:

"U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan is in his seventh term in Congress representing Wisconsin’s First Congressional District. He is Chairman of the House Budget Committee, where he has worked tirelessly leading the effort to reign in federal spending and increase accountability to taxpayers. He also serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he has focused on simplifying the tax code and making health care more affordable and accessible.

In January 2010, Ryan gained attention nationwide after unveiling his “Roadmap for America’s Future,” a proposal to eliminate the federal deficit, reform the tax code, and preserve entitlements for future generations.

Representative Ryan was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on January 29, 1970. A fifth-generation Wisconsin native, Ryan was the youngest of four children born to Paul Ryan Sr., who worked as an attorney, and Betty, a stay-at-home mom.

In April 2000, Ryan proposed to Janna Little, a native Oklahoman, at one of his favorite fishing spots, Big St. Germain Lake in Wisconsin. Later that year, the two were married in Oklahoma City.

The Ryans reside in Janesville with their three children, Liza, Charlie and Sam. The family are parishioners at St. John Vianney Catholic Church.

Upon entering Congress in January of 1999, Ryan was the youngest member of the freshmen class at the age of 28. Prior to running for Congress, Ryan served as an aide to Republican Senators Robert Kasten Jr. and Sam Brownback, former U.S. Rep. and Vice Presidential Candidate Jack Kemp, and as a speechwriter for Education Secretary William Bennett.

Ryan is a graduate of Joseph A. Craig High School in Janesville and earned degrees in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio. He is an avid outdoorsman and is a member is of his local archery association, the Janesville Bowmen."
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/iph ... 49749.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

Meh...makes more sense to have him as a part of the Romney cabinet as Treasury Secretary...

Much better picks out there. I mean we're talking about the VP slot here...not really much power inherent in that position of government.

I think it came down to Ryan, Pawlenty, Portman, and Rubio. Interesting that 3 of those final 4 are midwesterners.

[GSUAlumniEagle]

I like Paul Ryan a lot. He's actually been able to put out some ideas and speak the truth about the financial situation the country's in. I really do like him a lot.

I'll probably have no problem voting for him for President in 2016. Ain't no way I'm touching him at the bottom of a Romney ticket, though.

You like Ryan, but prefer Obama to Romney? Does not compute.

Romney's an empty shirt willing to say whatever he can to get elected. Whether I agree with or don't agree with either of them, I at least think that both Obama and Ryan actually believe what they say.

Doesn't matter. I'm voting for Gary Johnson this year anyway.

[BDKJMU]

Video of Ryan's speech this morning:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx379BMyvsQ[/youtube]

[BDKJMU]

Ryan's votes the last 12 years:
http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/26344/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

People say he's young for VP, but will be 43 on inauguration day, which if elected would make him the 7th youngest VP ever, a position currently held by Al Gore. The list goes:
1. Breckenridge: 36 yrs/47 days
2. Nixon: 40 yrs/11 days
3. Quayle: 41 yrs/351 days
4. T Roosevelt: 42 yrs/128 days
5. Tomkins: 42 yrs/256 days
6. Calhoun: 42 yrs, 351 days
7. Gore: 44 yrs/295 days
......
.......
......
44. Biden: 66 yrs/61 days
45...
46...
47...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Vi ... _ascension" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bronco]

-
Great Pick

Very sharp guy

It will be fun seeing him debate slow Joe

[Grizalltheway]

Meh...makes more sense to have him as a part of the Romney cabinet as Treasury Secretary...

Much better picks out there. I mean we're talking about the VP slot here...not really much power inherent in that position of government.

Apparently you missed the Cheney era.

[SDHornet]

Best pick available, but will scare the **** out of boomer voters. He's a one dimensional specialist, but will school biden in a debate.

He's a good person from a solid family. He's smarter than Romney and Biden, but not Obama. His pitch is well polished cuz he's been giving it, the exact same one, for 20 years.

Brawldy or any of the other whackstick conk groupies, if you want his autograph, let me know.

Somehow I feel like this ticket is backwards, at least in terms of how excited people would be if Ryan was about 5-6 years older and running for Prez himself.

I agree with you that he's the best pick. He's one of the sharpest kids on the block, but I'm just not sure America thinks we need to be having the fiscal discussion he is going to bring. That is our downfall.

This. The general public doesn't know or care about budget issues. After all, deficits don't matter.

[Seahawks08]

The question is how does this help Romney in swing states? I'm assuming he just gave Florida to Obama. But I guess it helps him with Wisconsin, Iowa, and maybe gets Minnesota into play. Other than that, I don't see much changing. I think the auto bailout will ultimately help Obama take Ohio. And if that's the case, we are down to NH, VA, CO, and NV. Not enough for Romney to win. In other words, I think Rubio would have been a better choice. Romney won't even sniff getting any more Latino voters on his side now.

[JohnStOnge]

The question is how does this help Romney in swing states? I'm assuming he just gave Florida to Obama. But I guess it helps him with Wisconsin, Iowa, and maybe gets Minnesota into play. Other than that, I don't see much changing. I think the auto bailout will ultimately help Obama take Ohio. And if that's the case, we are down to NH, VA, CO, and NV. Not enough for Romney to win. In other words, I think Rubio would have been a better choice. Romney won't even sniff getting any more Latino voters on his side now.

Romney can't win without Florida and he knows it so I don't think he's conceding Florida. However, Rubio has some little blemishes that would allow for a lot of Obama campaign exaggeration and demagoguery. Most notably the credit card thing.

[Seahawks08]

Romney can't win without Florida and he knows it so I don't think he's conceding Florida. However, Rubio has some little blemishes that would allow for a lot of Obama campaign exaggeration and demagoguery. Most notably the credit card thing.

IMO, he just made it much harder on himself to win FL than if he picked Rubio. And you don't think the Obama campaign is going to exaggerate the so called "flaws" of Ryan? Romney made this election solely about ideology. And all the Obama campaign has to do is say "look at Europe" as to how the republicans would destroy the U.S.

[Baldy]

IMO, he just made it much harder on himself to win FL than if he picked Rubio. And you don't think the Obama campaign is going to exaggerate the so called "flaws" of Ryan? Romney made this election solely about ideology. And all the Obama campaign has to do is say "look at Europe" as to how the republicans would destroy the U.S.

Say what???

We were saying since 2008 that Obama would take us on the fast track to a European style social democracy, and that is exactly what's happening. That is the last thing Obama would ever say.

[JohnStOnge]

Romney made this election solely about ideology. And all the Obama campaign has to do is say "look at Europe" as to how the republicans would destroy the U.S.

First let me say that "ideology" is often, perhaps MOST often, used as a perjorative. But it shouldn't be. Saying the election will be about ideology is saying it will be about ideas. And that's how it should be.

I agree with you that the Democrats will have plenty to demagogue with respect to Ryan's ideas. But I actually think they could've done worse with that credit card thing. I realize it's not really a big deal. But it's the kind of thing someone can really exploit. And I think it's harder to defend.

I thought he would select the guy from Ohio because Ohio is also a swing State and to my knowledge there are no obvious potential skeletons to go after.

No doubt it's a risky choice and now we're going to have a debate that should be had. And if the People re-elect Obama they deserve what they're going to get. And what their children as well as grandchildren are going to get.

[Cap'n Cat]

Obama-Biden 54%
Romney-Noodle Nutz 40%
D1B-JoltinJoe 6%

[AZGrizFan]

It doesn't matter who Romney picked. The only thing Obama has is half truths, he definitely can't run on his record.
Hell, we're not even half way through August and Obama has already pulled the murder card. Rubio is a great guy and his time is coming, but Ryan is a budgetary genius and can explain complicated economic related issues in layman's terms.

One-trick Randian pony. His budgets are pie-in-the-sky America destroyers.

Something we've all become very much experts at over the past four years with Obama in office.

[UNI88]

A pretty sharp Donk's perspective on the choice ...

Fellow Dems beware: Ryan offers solutions
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... 2292.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By Rick Jasculca

Just because I and other Democrats think the Ryan plan is flawed (I'm always concerned with solutions based strictly on numbers rather than also factoring in human consequences, intended or not), the reality is that Romney now has a running mate who actually proposed a specific and comprehensive solution to one of our most sweeping national problems. And he's an attractive candidate.
...
A great many voters, frustrated by inaction and torpor, may find a ticket with Ryan to be a breath of fresh air.

[kalm]

A pretty sharp Donk's perspective on the choice ...

Fellow Dems beware: Ryan offers solutions
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... 2292.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By Rick Jasculca

Just because I and other Democrats think the Ryan plan is flawed (I'm always concerned with solutions based strictly on numbers rather than also factoring in human consequences, intended or not), the reality is that Romney now has a running mate who actually proposed a specific and comprehensive solution to one of our most sweeping national problems. And he's an attractive candidate.
...
A great many voters, frustrated by inaction and torpor, may find a ticket with Ryan to be a breath of fresh air.

This was exactly my initial thought and why I think he's a good pick. Ryan's economics are proven not to work, but Obama has only partially reinflated a bubble and done very little to improve the economic fundamentals. Should be a very interesting contrast.

I'm still not voting for either one though.

[OL FU]

It shows he isn't afraid to choose people who are smarter than him. If only he (Mutt) weren't such a total zero.

That may be the most dead on correct post I have seen

[BlueHen86]

It shows he isn't afraid to choose people who are smarter than him. If only he (Mutt) weren't such a total zero.

That may be the most dead on correct post I have seen

A President is only as good as his advisors. If Romney surrounds himself with good people he could be a total zero and a great Pres.

[houndawg]

That may be the most dead on correct post I have seen

A President is only as good as his advisors. If Romney surrounds himself with good people he could be a total zero and a great Pres.

Its been done before; Reagan surrounded himself with excellent astrologers.

[UNI88]

A pretty sharp Donk's perspective on the choice ...

Fellow Dems beware: Ryan offers solutions
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opin ... 2292.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By Rick Jasculca

This was exactly my initial thought and why I think he's a good pick. Ryan's economics are proven not to work, but Obama has only partially reinflated a bubble and done very little to improve the economic fundamentals. Should be a very interesting contrast.

I'm still not voting for either one though.

Good thing you're not voting for either one because Obama is following the same economics that got Europe into the mess they're in in the first place. I'll take a version of Ryan's austerity economics over the spend money now to keep people fat, dumb & happy and we'll figure out how to (make our kids) pay for it later approach that Obama is following. It might hurt but it will put the country on the road to long term success and true prosperity faster than Obama's Hopium based ponzi scheme.