Mitt Romney introduces Rep. Paul Ryan as his runningmate.
In picking Rep. Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has taken a risk. The Wisconsin lawmaker has emerged in recent years as the ideological standard-bearer for his party, and in particular for its radical push to shrink the size of government. "To envisage what Republicans would do if they win in November, the person to understand is not necessarily Romney, who has been a policy cipher all his public life," Ryan Lizza wrote in The New Yorker last week. "The person to understand is Paul Ryan."
Here are 5 things you should know about Romney's new running mate:
• The Ryan budget, "The Path to Prosperity," would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher program, slash food stamps for struggling Americans, and turn Medicaid over to the states. Virtually the entire GOP, including Romney, have signed onto the plan as a centerpiece of the party's legislative agenda.
• Ryan's plan also would further tilt the tax system toward the rich. He'd extend the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2 percent, but not President Obama’s cuts for those who earn the least. Here's a chart, compiled by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which shows the skewed distribution:
• Ryan also supports privatizing Social Security and turning it over to Wall Street. Had the plan been in effect during the 2008 financial crisis, millions of seniors' benefits would likely have been decimated.
• The economy suffers from a lack of demand, and by slashing spending, Ryan's plan would worsen the problem. It would result in over 4 million lost jobs over the next 2 years, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute.
• Though he has tried to deny her influence recently, Ryan has claimed to be a devotee of the radical libertarian writer Ayn Rand. “The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand,” he once said at a Washington event in Rand's honor. “I give out ‘Atlas Shrugged’ as Christmas presents, and I make all my interns read it. Well… I try to make my interns read it.” Rand's philosophy centers on the notion that selfishness in the pursuit of profit is a virtue and that altruism is "evil," as she put it.
Looking for one piece of writing that captures what Ryan's all about? Read this masterful profile by New York magazine's Jonathan Chait, "The Legendary Paul Ryan."
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Other than talking points, all I am hearing is that our "freedoms" requires the removal of government and our allowing millions to suffer, for the sake of our "valued" 1%.
Then you are hearing exactly what the Obama campaign wants you to hear. What you should be hearing is that the government needs to react to the reality that Social Security and Medicare 'as we know it' is unsustainable - the train is heading toward the end of the tracks...
Tadpole, CL, reform does not have to throw the baby out with the bath water. Ryan's plan, as I understand it, would throw people upon the mercy of corporate interests and generate overwhelming risk to millions. I am all for reform, but it needs to be more towards creating efficiency, than just butchering the funding. As long as there is money (billions of it) in our politics, I do not see either Party governing, except as based upon support fo special interests, and not the common good -though, the Democrats do a better job of at least, sometimes, trying. ☺
Ryan's plan would give people the CHOICE to invest in wall street with their social security funds. Even at the worst of 2008, a person would have more than they do under the current system if they had retired. And the funds would have been invested and not be sitting as a promissary note from the treasury.
FredOrth, You're hearing right, and so will every other rational person. This is total BS. We won't put up with it.
Millions suffer with cell phones and flat screen tvs, Liberals have NO clue what poverty is because capitalism has created such wealth in america that "poor" people have cell phones and cable tv.
Tom, I'm sorry but you're out of touch. I'm poor, both my parents are deceased and I'm in college. I work for $9.25 an hour, for about 35 hours a week, I don't get help from anyone. I do not get food stamps or health care (right now). But my rent is 875 a month, plus utilities, the only reason I have internet is because it's apart of my rent. Not all poor people have things that you list above. Come back down from your throne, and see what's around you.
@Fred...obviously all the great talk about all the hope and change hasn't done anything for us but bring more policies, shut down more businesses etc
The selection of Paul Ryan is a brilliant move ... for the Democrats. The contrast is stark. Let's now have a national debate about the Ryan budget blueprint, and what it really means.
That is exactly what the Republicans are hoping for instead of you lefties continuing to completely misrepresent it...
just saying...
Right except it is robmehood and his boy blunder that are trying to make this about Obama and you dumb tea bagged republicans just believe what you want to believe. How do we know this, simple all robmehood wants to talk about is Obama every plan he has put out is long on talking points and short on details, robmehood like boy blunder say trust us elect us and find out what our plans are.
Whomitmay, it's funny you say that. Well, first, let me comment on how great your grammar is. It's quite funny how you call people "Dumb" and make several errors in the same paragraph, but I digress.
Anyway, like I was going to say. Do you recall how FDR handled his first election year? As a liberal/democrat who probably loves FDR/New Deal, you had better. He refused to let his big plans out in the public before he was elected, for the same reason Romney is too. However, FDR's programs did not end the depression (Most historians agree the war actually did more than any of the New Deal programs) and they are what a lot of us "Tea Bagged Republicans" (Even though I'm just a Conservative Independant) are upset about.
Anyway, thanks for pointing out how hypocritical the Left is :) Bye.
I would say that those of us in WI know what he is all about. Take my word for it the People know about his Plan with Medicare and don't like it one bit. As the article states, really think about if SS had been privatized in 08, Is that a risk YOU want to take? Ryan's plan is all about CUT, De-Regulate, and Privatize. SO with this said I Hope this help's ROB ZERBAN who is running against Ryan for his seat, Ryan has NEVER owned a Buisness and quite frankly How he is the Master Economic's expert is kind of baffling.
What! Ryan has never owned a business???
#neitherhasobama
What! Ryan has worked in the public sector his entire career???
#sohasbiden
Myth's contradicting himself again.
Tadpole, the point is Myth's rule was that any president should have 3 years private sector jobs and he picks a man with no private sector experience violaating hi own rule as usual, kind of like O'Romneycare. Get it, contradition Myth violates his own criterion again. that's the point.
Nobody's buying Myth's lie that you have to have private sector experience to be POTUS, which Obama has anyway as a lawyer, law professor and hired community manager but it's just that Myth lied, misrepresented, reversed and contradicted himself again, as usual.
Have you ever gotten a job and on your first day you say, I
need to update my resume because me and my boss is so different and one of us
will not be here long.
These two will never get a chance to balance the budget on the backs of the old, poor, and disabled. If these two killer clowns were to be elected, it would be the end of us as a caring, compassionate society, and the beginning of The Fascist States of America.
Robert. Fascism is where the state runs private business telling them what to do. Like telling GM to make the Volt. Or making private enterprise produce expensive alternative energy... which went bankrupt. So truthfully, who is the Fascist?
Robert, we have both known SS and Medicare are underfunded. I discussed it with my dad over 20 years ago. It was predicted and no changes made. Medicare will be bankrupt in just over 10 years and SS estimated in 2033. Our kids are paying into it. And Obama cut the funding when he took 500B from Medicare and cut the SS payroll tax. Without change, none of this will be available to our kids.
GOOGLE ......... The 14 Points of Fascism ........... that pretty well explains Fascism .
"GOOGLE ......... The 14 Points of Fascism ........... that pretty well explains Fascism ."
Yes, I totally agree. Fascism fits the Right like a glove.
Robert We are already living in The Fascist State of America. Now when these guys take office there wont be anymore pretending, there selfish money grab for the FAT CATS and cronies will be pursued without any regard for the poor, indigent, elderly or disadvantaged. It will be one country under corporate rule indivisible from the grip that lobbyists and moneyed interest have on ever facet of Government. And the only entitlement programs the 99% will be seeing is the ones that benefit the rich and the powerful . The American people have been duped into believing that they will some how get a small piece of this pie; problem is the only ones invited to dinner and dessert are the elite class who have created laws to benifit their welfare. At least the Founding Fathers knew you had to appease the people a little bit to avoid a Revolution. These guys have been given the keys to the hen house and no one is going to stop them because they have the military to turn guns on the American people if that become necessary to keep there greed from being questioned
More jobs have been created by greed than by government. Any company producing anything requires labor. Never has a poor man given me a job.
Who owns these robber corporations? You do. Stockholders, including union pension funds, individual retirement accounts, personal investments, state and local government retirement funds. In other words, the success of small and large business is the key to the security of the elderly. These corporation fund the hospitals and charities that take care of the poor and indigent. And their taxes fund the government entitlement programs.
The financial success of labor, the elderly, the poor, and even government rests on the foundation of a successful market place. So be thankful for our free enterprise system. If it fails, we all do.
Starley you are so full of it. More jobs were created by the public sector whih then boosts the private sector -- so you have no clue what you're talking about.. just ask Reagan, FDR. Stop drinking the 1% KKKool-Aid, that mindset is destroying our country's economic, intellectual & social health.
missygun's right. Rethuglicans want to turn the clock back in every way, take us back to the feudal system. Let's all shout out, no way get a DEM congress so good paying public sector jobs will pass which will in turn heighten consumer demand and by consesequence increase private sector jobs .
I am disheartened by the suggestion made by Roth that a serious political actor would emulate and hand out a work of fiction as if it were a treatise on how to run the U.S. government. In her novel, Ayn Rand expresses notable disdain for corporate thugs who block innovation and entrepreneurial progress (and their political henchmen) and the religious shamans that use ideology to enslave the masses.
However, the novel is largely about a group of pirates, saboteurs, and murderers who have no sense of building a society that fosters any civic ethic among youth, do not care for the elderly, and do not believe it is necessary to protect national borders, and who bring down the nation during a time of economic depression in order to force everyone to do things their way.
Although one of the main points of objectivism, Ayn Rand’s philosophy, is to see reality objectively and act in accordance with that reality (that is, humans are innately selfish actors, so individuals should be allowed to pursue their goals without fetters and within their means as long as they cause no harm to others), the libertarian version of objectivism is against the nation-state. A “radical libertarian” as Roth casts Paul Ryan, is, in principle, an anarchist. Libertarians are taking over the Republican Party. People should beware.
You do your username proud, criticalreader. Well said.
The president is doing a great Job, if those 2 clowns get it we are in big trouble
You are right on that count ........
Americas problem .......... they get duped into voting against their selves .
It's basically up to GOD at this point , Allow these two agents of Satan into office would surely bring on the Rapture , Romney / Ryan no nothing about that , their Churches dont teach the Rapture or END TIMES .
Thank God these 2 clowns will never have chance to balance their books on the middle class for the benefit of the 1%. They can move to another country, evil plutocrats
Water and sewage flows downhill while money flows uphill. The Ryan Plan IS to give those who need to pay the same "Fair Share"as far as percentage is concerned. Reagan raised taxes on the wealthy when it was necessary. No revenue from the top means, a lot of pain and suffering at the bottom!
No Reagan raised taxes 11 times on the working man to keep his tax cuts to the wealthy. In fact Reagan found new people to tax like baby sitters and kids who mowed lawns to get a few dollars over the summer in fact Reagan taxed kids that sold lemonade in front of their homes, after all those kids were getting rich a dime a glass according to Reagan.
There you go again young, whomitmay; Reagan did not raise income taxes once; He was promised spending cuts for increasing taxes on alchol, and cigarettes. He is still waiting for the spending cuts.
Don't even try young man ! Reagan limited the scope of government as best he could with a liberal controlled congress.
If you ever make near $ 100 K, then you know just what kind of tierney the liberals are all about!
whomitmay, I am sorry, but you are so misinformed; The fact is, most of those who work, work for the upper 10 %; Now, try to understand this, how does taking from the upper 10 % help the people who work for them ?
You poor liberals have been hood-winked ! You are liberal because you are dependent, misinformed and uneducared.