What the Paul Ryan pick means

(CBS News) To say Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., came out of nowhere might ring true for most who've don't know much about Ryan - and that's a lot of folks: 54 percent, according to a recent CNN poll - but to political observers he's been considered short-list material for Romney for a while. That said, it doesn't mean Romney played it safe with his choice, nor does it make the Ryan pick any less bold or risky.

The 42-year-old Ryan, from Janesville, Wis., has represented his swing district since his 1998 election at the age of 28. And he became a national political figure in recent years, especially after, as House Budget Chairman last year, he unveiled a controversial and debate-changing budget proposal - making him a darling not only to Romney but to conservatives.

His budget, which passed the Republican-led House twice in two different iterations and died in the Democratic Senate, called for cutting the deficit by $4.4 trillion over 10 years by repealing the president's health care bill, reforming Medicare and Medicaid and imposing hard spending caps.

Immediately after its unveiling, Romney became a vocal backer of it while Democrats accused Ryan of trying to fix the country's fiscal problems on the backs of the elderly and the poor. Be prepared to hear a lot of that coming from President Obama and congressional Democrats in their efforts to pick up more seats in the House and Senate.

Romney's selection of Ryan signals that he's going to try to make this election more than just about a referendum on Mr. Obama and his stewardship of the economy but about offering new, albeit somewhat controversial, solutions. The Wall Street Journal editorial board, in pushing for Romney to pick Ryan on Friday, laid out this thinking:

"The case for Mr. Ryan is that he best exemplifies the nature and stakes of this election," the Journal's editorial board wrote. "More than any other politician, the House Budget Chairman has defined those stakes well as a generational choice about the role of government and whether America will once again become a growth economy or sink into interest-group-dominated decline."

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[abbe91]

Mr Ryan, what do you think about the Massachusetts health care insurance reform law (aka Romneycare) ?

[LaplacesDemon]

So its all about more tax cuts for the Romney crowd while we destroy what remains of the middle class. And the GOP thinks this is a winning issue for them? That shows just how far gone they are.

NO WONDER ROMNEY IS POLLING NINE POINTS BEHIND OBAMA AMONG FOX NEWS VIEWERS!

[pjamber]

"To say Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., came out of nowhere might ring true for most who've don't know much about Ryan[...]" Who writes this drivel? Is the editor out of town? I would expect shoddy writing like this from yahoo news, but CBS? The fact that it was poorly written always tells me it was probably also poorly researched. Good job, CBS.

[takacrat]

Clinton is in no dought mad, he was thinking that he might get a shot at that spot>

[AttyFAM]

Wasn't he referring to Doughty's "Travels in Arabia Deserta"?

[stupa5]

With Ryan as VP pick, Romney goes for a "dud" lets see his taxes!

[AttyFAM]

Notice that he did not choose a woman; he did not choose a black or an Hispanic or Asian person. He chose another white male, like himself. Someone whose perspective reflects his own. He has made no effort in this campaign to appeal to women (except shallow sops that are easily seen through), no effort to appeal to the poor or sick or elderly or the middle class (except for white males who impale themselves on their economic interests to satisfy the biases of their religion). And this choice should scare to death anyone who is not rich, for their taxes would rise, who needs social security in their future (just about everyone but the rich), who may need government aid for children or themselves if disabled. Most of all it should scare women who have struggled to be treated as equals in jobs, in health care coverage, in having the right to contraception and abortion. And it should scare anyone in a union, as Wisconsin Republicans have shown their complete hatred for labor.

[TheFoundersLive]

Skin color, race, sex, etc doesnt matter. All he needed to do is pick an AMERICAN. Any other criteria such as color, gender, etc would be NONSENSE!

We are Americans. Not hypenated Americans. Stop the racist, sexist posts.

[AttyFAM]

Foundering Flounder -

I will cease making citations to instances of racism and sexism when the instances of racism and sexism cease. Right now, the Republicans are heaping up sexist laws around the country and are imposing racist voting barriers in a large number of states. So, you can expect to hear from me at least until these laws are repealed or ruled unconstitutional.

[hlmelsaidtwitter]

New vision,unit republicans.

[AttyFAM]

Hi Zion,

Have you noticed that the right wingers who post here consistently have no spelling ability, let alone the ability to pause and re-read what they have typed before they post?

[novotesobozo]

Well if anything this should keep the obozobots foaming at the mouth for a while.

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

Does this mean that after the Romney/Ryan ticket goes down in flames in November, we won't still have that obstructionist SOB Ryan and his bunch trying to make economic conditions for the average American even worse to panic voters into putting the GOP back in POWER?

"Mankind needs more often be reminded than informed" said Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Well...one more reminder in the form of a Republican President who represents everything that has become foul about corporate America and the ruling 1%...should just about do away with the necessity of ever having to remind us again

The Bush/Cheney Gang presided over the largest transfer of wealth (theft) in the history of the human race...and these guys want what is probably the LAST big bite of the apple

Neither Romney or Ryan is worthy of national office

Cutting welfare to the poor in order to increase corporate welfare will only hasten America's decline...economically, morally and most vital of all...spiritually (no...I don't mean born-again, pressure-group, organized religion type spirituality)

I mean the spirit that prevailed in the America I was born into...the richest, most admired nation on Earth...the country that could say to JFK, "What's that? Walk a man on the moon before 1970?...NO PROBLEM!"

Where the hell did that kind of spirit go?

It can't be completely extinguished...but is hopefully merely in hiding, beaten into submission by decades of corruption on every level and the theft of the American Ideal

The only time you hear stirring words like, "true loyal American patriot" is in the lip service paid them by demagogues at extremist rallies...words their partisan hate speech profanes

Are these "new" Americans now the majority...is that what we've been reduced to?

Or are they merely the loudest...as in best funded, well armed and easiest to manipulate with fear with hate?

[novotesobozo]

What are you doing here if your from amsterdam go back

[fiberglass3]

Republican'ts want to dismantle the entire fabric of federal social programs like Medicare, Social Security, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, minimum wage, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the graduated income tax and consumer protections like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Food and Drug Administration.
This money can then be passed on to the rich in the form of additional tax cuts.