A look at "The Ryan Effect" on the 2012 campaign

(CBS News) The presidential campaigns paused for the day on Sunday. President Obama attended church in Washington, while Mitt Romney attended services in New Hampshire.

It's been a busy week since Romney named Paul Ryan as his running mate. "The Ryan Effect" has put some oxygen into the race.

The polls don't show an uptick for Governor Romney the way other candidates have been helped by their vice president pick, but conservatives love Paul Ryan. And he showed this week he could both defend Governor Romney's Medicare plan and also attack on that issue, which is very important for them.

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He's done well enough that the two are now going to campaign Monday together in New Hampshire. They weren't scheduled to.

Another "Ryan Effect" on the campaign is that Romney's advisors say Ryan really jacks him up.

The Republican Convention begins one week from Monday. These are largely prepackaged events by this point. Political reporters had been talking about the possibility of a brokered convention, but the GOP convention in Florida next week will be the opposite of that.

There are no surprises in store, but there is often a surprise at these conventions. In 1992, Pat Buchanan's fiery speech got people to sit up and take notice. Of course Barack Obama in 2004 was another convention surprise.

Another mystery is about how Governor Romney sells himself. This is an opportunity for him to reintroduce himself to the country. In 1992, Bill Clinton totally reframed his debate, his whole campaign when he introduced himself as "the man from Hope."

In the end this is a long commercial for the party. So will it be selling a positive vision or will this be four days of beating up on President Obama?

[bbglow]

Dear Gov. Romney & Rep. Ryan,

I agree with you 100% that we must protect the promise of America including freedom, liberty and opportunity for future generations. I agree that hard work and dedication should determine a person's worth and those looking for a government handout should be suspect. I agree that government should be limited to it's responsibility to the people and duty under the constitution and held responsible when it violates that duty. That is exactly why I am not voting for either of you.

I totally bought in to the Reagan plan for prosperity. I believed that if I worked hard in support of the people able to finance and grow America that as they rose in wealth my boat would also float higher. However, the reality has never matched the rhetoric.

As I dedicated myself to the trickle down ideal and gave my youth and effort to cubical confinement, the following is what I have experienced and noticed:

- As your cronies gained in wealth their boats got larger and larger and floated higher while the greater majority's situation began to stagnate.

- As your wealth grew, the magnitude was no longer acceptable so it became necessary to send American work off-shore and then proceed to rationalize this apparent necessity by blaming the displaced for not having the motivation to work.

- New and unique ways were invented to stagnate and rob 401K's and investments while huge salaries were channeled to the innovators and creators of the deception while also inventing derogatory terms like Muppets and Aunt Millie for the working life blood channeled to your accounts.

- When events made it necessary to defend America and call for sacrifice your cronies in their infinite wisdom determined it was now time for tax breaks that by percentage benefited the wealthiest allowing the disparity between have and have-not to grow to historic levels.

- With unfunded wars, reduced revenue and a growing government deficit it was once again necessary to find blame with the displaced because of their apparent ever-growing dependence on government.

- With depleted employment and reduced revenue the government deficit grew and once again it became necessary to blame the now growing displaced Americans as the responsible ingrates because they apparently are no longer of value to your personal wealth objectives.

- As emphasis grows abroad and revenue resources diminish it is now becoming necessary to deny the need to improve America's infrastructure and education, nevertheless, pointing the sons and daughter of these same displaced and rejected Americans to defend the growing interests abroad as the remaining value you wish to capitalize on.

I could cite additional examples, however, this alone is enough for me to proclaim I will not vote for either of you because it is my belief that your belief is that America's opportunities belong to only you and your cronies and nobody else. When I was deprived of work and opportunity I would have been much worse off if not for the government I love and the democratically minded who understood and empathized with my situation. If government obligations are growing in an uncontrolled manner as you proclaim, it is your greedy policies that are to blame. Inventing terms like right-to-work and then denying employment represents the insanity of your thought process. Your desire to control government means people like me are at your disposal and reducing regulation translates to more deceptive investment strategies along with more worker and environmental exploitation.

If you want me to vote for you next time around it is necessary for you to demonstrate your value to society. Using your wealth to create greater than subsistence level employment and making government protections stronger and more efficient is a necessary first step. I will not vote to place me and my family at your mercy so that you and your cronies can enjoy the better life at the expense of someone else.

Regards,
Strongly Independent American Voter

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by alphabet77-2009 August 20, 2012 3:56 AM EDT

Ryan believes almost exactly everything Palin believes. I can't see any ideological differences between them. He is Palin,
________________

Wow, you libs are desperate to make him into Palin, in hope to discredit Ryan......Ryan isn't Palin, not even close, so try again....since you have nothing of substance, except 'I can see russia' or some other idiotic nonsense.

[omnibus66]

"will it be selling a positive vision or will this be four days of beating up on President Obama?"

Since the pugs have nothing, repeat nothing, positive to offer, it will have to be lies and distortions about the president. What can you say about someone who has literally taken both sides of every issue, is a habitual liar, and now has chosen a lunatic for a running mate? Answer: absolutely nothing, so you bash the other guy.

[realisticfromthemiddle]

As expected, Ryan galvanizes the base but fails to attract voters that were not already in the fold. He also lends "legitimacy" to the "conservative" image that Romney wishes to present.

[nohater]

romney might be thrilled as well as some of the extreme right. but doubtful if moderates, centrists of any political party are thrilled. as of today, romney is most likely to lose the election because of ryan. ryan appears to be romney's palin. just think, palin approves of ryan which should tell voters something.

[88Ronin]

"The Ryan Effect" will be "The Palin Effect"

RIP, GOP.

[alphabet77-2009]

Ryan believes almost exactly everything Palin believes. I can't see any ideological differences between them. He is Palin, except more fluent. Nothing like a fluent nut.

[BrockM92]

Please sign and SHARE this petition demanding that Romney releases his tax records.
http://www.change.org/petitions/mitt-romney-release-your-tax-records-from-the-last-ten-years

[alphabet77-2009]

DONE! There are many other petitions on there that are great. It was really fast to do.

[KansasCity-2012]

Ryan is Romney's best hope for building credibility, but his influence is still only limited to undecided voters who feel alienated by Romney.

Obama still has the easy job of showing voters who Romney has alienated...Latinos, Females, Retirees, Elderly Medical Patients, and those who used to work for any company destroyed by his equity firm that slashed jobs and sent employees home packing in droves.

[dfong63]

how can ryan build romney's credibility when in his first week as running mate ryan has already been caught in two lies? (1. claiming not to have lobbied for stimulus earmarks, and 2. attacking obama over an auto plant closure that happened before obama was even in office.)

[Paulnib68]

"And he showed this week he could both defend Governor Romney's Medicare plan and also attack on that issue, which is very important for them."

Der huh? Defend Romney's medicare plan? He has a plan? What'd I miss?

In fact, all I've seen from Ryan so far is some serious backpedaling and furious attempts to run away from his record of idolizing Rand and partisan fanatacism. Ridiculous piece.

[winemaster2]

The flip flop flimflam duo changes nothing. The poster boy Ryan comes from the Janesville District of Wisconsin, that most Wisconsinites refer to as the Hicksville. It is 95% conservative white with extreme bigots and racists and the whole district less then 80,000 population and absolutely no manufacturing. GM pulled out in 2008 before Obama was elected, because in the bigger scheme of things the area was expendable.

Wisconsin is no longer a State that produced leaders like Gaylord Nelson, Proxmire, Austin, Malvin Laird, Kohl, The La Folletes, or even Russ Finegold.

Since the great Paper Company Kimberley Clark pulled out and relocated to GA from that fine City Appleton WI, for better tax breaks, everything except the Packers (NFL) is gone down.

The teaparty hysteria and few rich from places like Waukesha Co North of Milwaukee, with their Ultra conservative and idiots like Scott Walker have become a real menace with their malignant narcissism, chronic scapegoating, bigotry and yes RACISM. The whole Greater Milwaukee area is a hot bed of racism, and rampant crime, corruption to the hilt and proliferation of white supremacists fomenting hate, fear and republican patriotic feeding frenzy.

There is nothing exceptional about Paul Ryan, who could not get into the University of Wisconsin system and pay instate fees. He high tailed to out of state to a third rate as compared to University of Wisconsin, Ohio of Miami and getting getting BA in Poli-Science and minor in Ecno. As far as being intellectual it is all GOP hype and nothing more. There never has been any real competition in his District to replace him, where he keeps on rolling in a few earmarks on a regular bases as all self interest, self righteous politicians in Washington. He is one of the leaders of these young guns and the Road Map for America's future is nothing better then Newt's contract with America. His budget is meaningless hog wash that spells 2+3=7 . The math just does not add up and the ball of wax some illusion for this moribund beguiled nation.

He may be affable as compared to uptight, control freak, high priest of the Mormon Church Willard Mitt, but more then anything the poster boy is a self interest, self righteous, small town politician first.