Will Paul Ryan help or hurt the GOP ticket?
It’s official: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has chosen Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his vice presidential running mate, sealing the ticket for the November showdown with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
Ryan, a seven-term congressman, gained national attention and widespread support among conservatives after championing a major restructuring of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and trimming trillions in federal spending.
“I believe my record of getting things done in Congress will be a very helpful complement to Governor Romney’s executive and private sector success outside Washington,” Ryan said in a statement released by the Romney campaign Saturday.
According to Washington Insider blogger Jamie Dupree, the National Journal 2011 vote ratings for the U.S. House have Ryan as the 150th most conservative, 278th most liberal congressman.
The Obama campaign quickly knocked Romney’s choice, calling Ryan “the architect of the radical Republican House budget” and advocate of “budget-busting tax cuts.”
The selection comes as Republicans prepare for their national convention Aug. 27 in Tampa, Fla.
Do you think Ryan’s selection will help or hurt the GOP ticket?
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244 comments Add your comment
FNUS
August 11th, 2012
3:28 pm
@ Devil’s Advocate! You’re right! This president didn’t! He ran on promises to and you are crazy as a loon if you don’t think the president cannot create jobs! What about his “shovel ready plan”? That was supposed to create jobs but failed miserably but a lot of tax-payer money was spent? Where did it all go? Let’s talk about the “Stimulus Package”? How did that work out? Obama has done nothing but spend spend spend! I know when I don’t have any money the key to correcting that is just keep spending hoping that if I go red enough eventually it will look black! NOT. Even big business that once supported him has started running for cover!!! Even his GE goldenboy,Jeffrey Immelt WHO HEADED his jobs council has flipped.Obama created the JOBS CZAR position by executive order! So maybe YOU NEED to get some facts straight before wagging your finger at anyone!!!
Sarah
August 11th, 2012
3:31 pm
Dear UGA ECONOMICS MAJOR…..My advise to you is to change schools if you are learning that in Economics. Either that or you don’t know how to read and should take a comprehensive reading course.
With warm regards……A real Economics Major 1987
thinkingman
August 11th, 2012
3:34 pm
Democrats call his budget plan extreme and radical. Maybe because the economy is such a mess we need some extreme ideas. At least he produced a plan something the democrats havent done in awhile. He appears to be an intelligent and self made man. A big plus for the GOP!!!!!
jim
August 11th, 2012
3:36 pm
Just a disgraceful, embarrassing ticket. Romney and Ryan. The party of the 1%. The party of the millionaires. The party of the extremist Republicans and the Tea Party that wants to destroy government and destroy the middle class. If these idiots hate government so much, then why are they running for government office? A truly disgraceful, disgusting ticket.
JW
August 11th, 2012
3:37 pm
Too bad sistersarah that you can’t refute my point – that social security recipients take out way more than they ever put in. That the system is going broke and people need to learn to provide for themselves instead of taking from others and expecting handouts from productive citizens. Facts and truths are stubborn things which liberals like you simply ignore and refuse to deal with. Unfortunately trillion dollar deficits are real and will have consequences. You may have a 3200 square foot house but your mentality is still in the ghetto.
Buzzy
August 11th, 2012
3:45 pm
I feel more energized than ever to vote for Obama. Ryan is a radical and his understanding of economics is poor.
The U.S. is already close to being in a recession. Massive cuts to the federal deficit and to federal spending at this particular time would plunge our country into a severe recession or even a depression.
I am not thrilled about Obama, but I consider some of Ryan’s proposals too extreme and I could not support this ticket. For the record, I usually support the Democrats.
Steve
August 11th, 2012
3:46 pm
Not even worth debating in here. Romney was already losing before this pick, and this pick clinched it. If he had gone with Christy or Rubio, then maybe things would be different. Sorry, conservatives, this is NOT your year
Go home and nurse your wounds and pray things don’t keep improving as they are for the next four years as you may see a President Hillary Clinton in 2016.
You blew it with Bush/Cheney, and you are paying the price for that for a very long time.
Sandra
August 11th, 2012
3:56 pm
Better than Biden. Even though I did not vote for Obama….he could of picked a better vp candidate.
FNUS
August 11th, 2012
4:03 pm
Well of course people get more out of SS than they put in! DUH! It runs on the principle that it is over the long haul. I have paid into SS now for 40 years. I have also put a lot less money into my 401K than what my porfolio indicates. IT has grown based on earnings from the investments my advisors picked for me as they are professionals. Not fortune tellers but very good at forecasting. If the DEMS had left the SS money alone and not voted to use it as part of the GENERAL FUND, SS would still be making money. Money has been borrowed against IOU’s that are due but this administration continues to spend money they do not have and will continue that TRADEMARK if re-elected.One question everyone has to ask themselves>ARE YOU PERSONALLY better off than you were 4 years ago? Hope and change.Just anothe cliche’
SisterSarah
August 11th, 2012
4:08 pm
Let’s DEAL with your “point” @JW (which you really have none) which I why I didn’t bother initially. No fear here. It is a lost cause with people like you though because you only care to use rhetoric to try to support a silly political agenda. You are not a friend of logic at all.
Social Security and Medicare are socialized programs for a reason. No different than any other such programs. The majority of people pay automobile and homeowner’s insurance over their lifetimes and typically only end up drawing a FRACTION of what they have paid in premiums over their lifetimes. Plus when they do “withdraw”, they get to pay higher premiums. You desire to move the goalpost because people are living a little longer now? And by the way, not everyone lives into their 80s and 90s. In fact, a great deal of people don’t even make it into their 60s these days. My point, the risk so to speak is “socialized”. I know the word burns your 4$$. The congress has had multiple GENERATIONS now to get this thing turned around. But you know what? It only became a “crisis” toward the end of the Bush presidency because of the chaos our economy plunged into after 8 years of his administration’s policies that saw us fighting bogus wars, operating a rigged economy that resulted in EXTRACTION of the middle class and a host of other things.So you need to revise history now. “STILL in the ghetto”?? Oh, so you KNOW me now? You are even more stupid than I thought you were. I guess you have to figure out something to say since you had to learn that I’m actually financing the broke 4$$ losers in your family, and trust me you do have some I am sure. And I’m a “lib” too!! Boy @Brosephus is so right.
Chipper Doodle
August 11th, 2012
4:10 pm
God help all of us if Romney is elected. Ryan is, well, just crazy. Crazy math on those ideas of his.
GT GRAD
August 11th, 2012
4:12 pm
Great Selection!
Any open-minded person will realize this guy is just what we need and that he definitely makes decisions based on what is in the best interest of America!
haha
August 11th, 2012
4:13 pm
haha haha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
ha ha ha ha. i just can’t stop laughing. ha ha ha.
Buzzy
August 11th, 2012
4:28 pm
@SisterSarah: If George Bush had privatized SS in 2004 like he wanted to do, there would never have been another Republican elected as president. The stock market has put in a lackluster performance since 2001. Furthermore, I do not trust those “friendly” tax supported, bailed out bankers and investment houses on Wall Street with our SS money.
I agree with the comments above that Ryan is a radical and he does not have a good understanding of economics. Romney says he will not be using the Ryan budget proposal, but on the other hand he refuses to give details of his budget “until after he’s elected”. As usual, you can’t get a straight answer from Romney.
B Riddle
August 11th, 2012
4:31 pm
Anybody will be an improvement over those two clueless clowns in office now!!
Democrat
August 11th, 2012
4:32 pm
I LIKE IT; I LIKE IT; I LIKE IT! Two great, vanilla men. Very impressive.
Susu
August 11th, 2012
4:38 pm
Picking Ryan only solidifies the Anyone But Obama Republican votes and will do nothing to attract moderates/independents. ‘About as brilliant as McCain choosing Palin. Bad move for the GOP.
Ayn Rand
August 11th, 2012
4:43 pm
Great pick; I’ve taught him well!
Big D
August 11th, 2012
5:17 pm
The Liberal policies of tax, tax. tax, spend, spend, spend are failures. If they worked then California, Detroit and Greece would be super powers but they are not! My first vote in
1952 was for Ike and since then it has been plain to see that the government and big spending just feed off each other. Yet, my biggest fear is what is happening in America today. We have become a conflict society and it is getting worse not better. We cannot survive this horrible economic situation unless everyone joins together as Americans not Democrats and Republicans. The rhetoric is becomming more and more harsh and hate is a word passed around with more frenzy each day. It should be easy for us to see that what we are doing is not solving the problem. Common scense tells me that unless we
balance the budget and bring spending under control we will go under as a nation. The blame has to be on the failed policies of the past and admiting that we cannot finance the world should be the major task of our elected leaders…. except we have no leaders!
Yell and scream all you want about your rights and wants but that will get you nothing in the history of all the nations who have proceeded us. It’s really simple. Don’t spend more that you make. If you can’t afford something don’t buy it. Use good judgement and work together as Americans not for a party. It may be tough times will mean we forego programs that we would like but can’t afford. Never operate on the assumption that the money doesn’t matter because we “owe it to ourselves.” Shape up Americans!
JeanE
August 11th, 2012
5:20 pm
Great pick, Mitty!! I think it’s an excellent choice, well thought out, unlike the Palin choice of McCain. Don’t people realize that current programs are unsustainable as is??? Hard decisions and choices have to be made, Romney/Ryan will be ready to lead and make those choices to lead our nation out of the abyss that Barry Socialist Obama has dragged us down into. Go Mitty!!!
K
August 11th, 2012
5:33 pm
All the horrors that the GOP predicted if Obama was elected never happened.
However, with Rmoney and Ryan, you have the makings of it.
This just seals the Obama win in November.
President OBAMA 2012
Nail
August 11th, 2012
5:54 pm
The libs are scared so they resort to petty attacks and name calling without researching the facts. CNN and other liberal media outlets are their main sources of info. And it doesn’t matter what you say to them, they are ALWAYS going to think they are right! Obama is going down, they know it and we know it. Ryan helps balance this ticket.
To add insult to injury, Georgia will, once again, go to the Republicans no matter what liberal Atlanta metro does or thinks!
Do Your Homework Before You Cheer
August 11th, 2012
5:57 pm
Fellow religious conservatives, Rep. Ryan cites “Atlas Shrugged” as a major influence on his thinking. Please do some research on this book and it’s attacks on the idea of having a faith before you cheer this VP pick too loudly. I’m not convinced he really aligns with the religious values we hold dear.
Miss J
August 11th, 2012
6:22 pm
Wow.
What happened to the Diversity.
Ryan will add the glue Romney needs to keep the conservative base in take, but Romney really missed an opportunity to add some diversity to the Republican ticket…
I believe this pick was simply to assure the conservative base….
Bottom line …I think the end result will be a wash… I don’t think this pick will hurt Romney but I don’t think it will help him winning more Hispanic and Women voters….
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this pick a 5….
M
August 11th, 2012
6:28 pm
Jay Bookman and Mike Luckovich just wet their liberal panties!! It’s time to come out of the closet
AD
August 11th, 2012
6:52 pm
Enter your comments here
What Newt Gingrich thinks of Ryan
August 11th, 2012
6:53 pm
So Ryan is ok with social engineering.
Ryan’s attempts over several years to remake the normally untouchable Medicare program — he’d allow those under 55 to leave Medicare and instead buy their own insurance with government assistance — passed the House but was assailed by Democrats and died in the Senate. The plan was even criticized by Newt Gingrich as “right-wing social engineering.”
red herring
August 11th, 2012
6:57 pm
paul ryan is a great pick for VP—-an even better pick for POTUS. we need to get the taxpayers back in charge and the folks not wanting to work for a living back off their couches and out from in front of their t.v.. the nation needs to go back to work and with the present socialist in office they will not need to—-if we don’t force them off the couch they will stay there. limit welfare to a maximum of two types (including EITC). if on two types of welfare then they should both be reduced amounts.
AD
August 11th, 2012
7:00 pm
Many of those individuals currently in the middle (say, 50% of the population), for some unknown reason, seem to idolize the upper 25%. Under a Romney/Ryan administration, these people stand a much greater chance of dropping into what is presently the lowest 25% than they ever do of rising into the upper 25% (or even remaining in the mid-range). Either that, or the populace of Georgia, and the readership of this newspaper, consists of a larger than average population of the upper crust of the economy – Something I seriously doubt…
FNUS
August 11th, 2012
7:03 pm
You know all politicians are rich.Lefty Liberals,Righty conservatives and hover well above us when it comes to knowing exactly what the American people really need. Each party tells the constituency they serve what they want to HEAR to get their vote. No one candidate is going to TRULY represent your political or religious views.We all Monday morning quarterback as if we could actually do any better! How many of you manage people? How many of them are you able to satisfy 100% of the time? How many agree with all your decisions? How many of them think they can do a better job than you? Multiply that by 10’s of millions and what do you have? The job of President of the United States. How many promises do you think he has to make to how many different people,organizations,causes BEFORE he took office? How long before one promise conflicts with another? Eventually people realize the smoke and mirrors can no longer hide the flaws of a man that is overwhelmed and out of his league. He was groomed many many years ago to be President by people with an agenda that was just as flawed. The experiment failed. Let’s move on.
Oh My
August 11th, 2012
7:50 pm
Romney didn’t pick Ryan, Darth Vader, our X Vice President picked Ryan. Cheney is running the Republican show, you have to be asleep not to know that. It wasn’t too long ago when Romney went to visit the Warmonger and he then told Romney who would be his VP pick. Cheney also said a few days ago that he worshiped the ground Ryan walked on or something like that, so there you go.
These Republicans are off their rockers if they think the Sheep will fall for the same failed Policy’s of the Past Administrations of G.W Bush, going back to Reagan’s trickle down, which was really trickle up to the very wealthiest. Republicans spent like drunken fools and were utter failures at there jobs and almost brought this country to it’s knees with their Warmongering spend thrift ways.
Those Republican administrations were bad enough but these Republican extremist’s who now hold public office seats in congress and around the various states are and will be the downfall of this country if Romney and Ryan get elected and those cretins in congress and else where keep their seats. So therefore,
NO THANKS, it will be a cold day in H/// before I ever vote for a Republican again.
Republican’s FOR OBAMA 2012
Thomas
August 11th, 2012
10:06 pm
Social Security is a ponzi scheme that is run by our Government. Our Government is scrambling to make the preparations for the chaotic mess they will run into when they come clean with the American SHEEP! It will make no difference which political party is in control at that time because a state of emergency will be declared and the revolution will begin.
terry
August 11th, 2012
11:12 pm
Ryan is the only adult in D.C.
He is the only person that understands how broke the U.S. is & willing to do something about it. He is a home run and has the other side quaking in their boots. No one knows economic & fiscal issues like him.
If the Libs hate him it must be a good choice
August 11th, 2012
11:22 pm
He’s a good choice of many. The public doesn’t have the stomach for what has to be done to get this country back on track, we are weak and don’t like tough choices. Far too many parasites that vote. God help us if Obama gets another 4. Jimmy Carter has to be thrilled though. Obama makes him look like Thomas Jefferson.
Joesnopy
August 11th, 2012
11:56 pm
People I do not feel the excitement from the right. I guess the GOP forgot about the 2010 election where they scared Grandmom well it is time to scare grandmom again but this time it will not be a lie.
CG
August 12th, 2012
12:05 am
Anything is better than Obama. In four years he has accomplished nothing. He definitely can’t run on his record. Now he appears to be trying to run a campaign on class warfare and being the celebrity president. I would like to hear about the issues and what each candidate will do. Paul Ryan said more in his speech than either canidate has said in months. Obama is just not qualified to run the country.
Joesnopy
August 12th, 2012
12:30 am
Obama has done great things. He helped save the US from falling off the cliff. I guess all the GOP has short memories. Everything is back to normal except for employment and if you go back to 2007 when the nutty right was running McCain who I voted for before he made his VP pick you will see the GOP saying it will take 10 years to bring back jobs to normal. All you nutty right wing people need to do is look at what fixnews oh I mean foxnews was saying about jobs in 2007. So if we go by what the GOP said in 2007 then Obama has done his job. It does not matter now because Mitt just gave the election to Obama.
Harold
August 12th, 2012
1:22 am
Liberals are too cowardly and uninformed to make good honest decisions. They do not undestand that the country is going broke and unsustainable entitlement programs are the key driver. Don’t fault them for they do not understand the predicament we are in. It’s only free money they are after. For liberals, government is their “god” from which all good things($$$) flow. My only hope is that at least 51% of Americans still believe in the principles this country was founded upon. Blacks, hispanics and liberal whites will soon be a large enough percentage of the population to form a liberal majority at which point all hope will be lost. It’s only a matter of time before the country as a whole turns in to California.
TBEAR
August 12th, 2012
8:59 am
Here is what I don’t understand about those “Obama Haters” and adamant Rommney supporters. No one seems to remember that prior to the Bush administration the US economy was strong. For those of you don’t remember – this was the Clinton administration – a Democratic president. During the next 8 years, the Republican de-regulation caused a collapse in our economy. No one was unaffected by it. Now here comes Obama, and it seems that everyone blames him for all our economic problems. It took 8 years to create these problems, it certainly can’t be fixed in a few days or a few years for that matter.
Mark
August 12th, 2012
10:05 am
Since 1980 “Republicans” have theorized about trickle down theories. The sad part is that most republican voters are merely the voting pawns of the very very very few who sit at the top. Trickle down doesn’t work, it is not what built our country. The industrial revolution and the subsequent rise of the middle class was started with the theory of Henry Ford, “if I pay my workers enough to buy (my) products, we all benefit. Since Reagan there has been this Republican dream that hey, I have a nice suit, and went to college, I can be rich too. Reaganomics started this downward spiral of making money without doing anything but shuffling paper. Wake up people
Hope For Change
August 12th, 2012
10:07 am
The Republican party is the party that pushed for Civil Rights in the first place. The Democrats were the party of slavery and STILL are trying to keep the uninformed and unsuccessful people “on the plantation.” Hispanic and Black Conservatives and Republicans are tortured by the Liberals whenever they succeed because the Liberals can’t stand to see them “escape.”
The party of WELFARE and ENTITLEMENTS has not moved any of the recipients into wealth or success! If you vote for Obama, you are voting for status quo….stay in your dirty section 8 homes, food stamps, poverty. Yeah, keep me down on the plantation baby.
And the RICH 1% Liberals? Yes! All the Holllywood whoop-de-doos with their wealth tied into untaxed safety nets, screaming for MY TAX dollars?
Mr. Reid? Where are YOUR tax returns? Now that your staff admits they cooked up the whole Romney tax lies, but they know the plantation workers won’t care, they don’t get the facts, they just keep watching “Big Brother,” “American Idol,” and “Biggest Loser.” Reid himself hasn’t filed in years.
Ms. Pelosi? Why are you and YOUR HUSBAND shoveling money to China? Mr. Obama? You sent millions of OUR TAX DOLLARS upon millions to Brazil, Finland, and other lands instead of spending it here. Mr. OUTSOURCER and LIAR. YOU HAD BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS for TWO years and only made things worse with failed policies!!!
If the uninformed knew as much about their country as they know about TV sit-coms, this country wouldn’t be under the thumb of Liberal 1%’ers that count on illiterates and the uneducated to run our nation into the toilet path of European nations.
Hope For Change
August 12th, 2012
10:11 am
T Bear, Clinton was a MODERATE who forged a STRONG bond with then Speaker of the House, NEWT GINGRICH. The Budget process starts in the House of Representatives if you remember 8th grade Civics. Clinton SIGNED Newt Gingrich’s policies.
cc
August 12th, 2012
10:23 am
Enter your comments here
cc
August 12th, 2012
10:27 am
SisterSarah:
“seeing as how they will not want to hear anything about touching their Medicare and Social Security”
You did write this as a joke, right? Probably not as I think you are far too indoctrinated bu the dimocrats to joke.
Would you like to take the time to explain to all of us about the $700 billion Obama has taken from MediCare?
We’re waiting, sista’?
Todd - Lawrenceville
August 12th, 2012
10:36 am
If Paul Ryan is the most serious and responsible politician in america, why isn’t he running for President? Either Mitt is the wrong guy for the Republicans or Ryan isn’t who Republicans think he is.
Paul Ryan is a great choice for Democrats for the Republican ticket.
Had hoped for better choices
August 12th, 2012
10:38 am
The Republicans seem to never get it right! Why do they always shoot themselves in the feet and fizzle any hope of winning? The Dems know this will happen and succeed with their lunatic ideas. Sad day for America!
Todd - Lawrenceville
August 12th, 2012
10:47 am
Nothing Ryan and Mitt can ever do to recoup the amount of money the war debt Republicans forced our country into. The Iraq &/ Afganisthan war and banking deregulations is what depleted the debt to the level it is; all from Republican lead administrations. Even Republicans would have a difficult time bringing our country back.
You created the problem and continue o be a source of the problem.
OBAMA – BIDEN again 2012
Nail
August 12th, 2012
11:34 am
Clinton was in office when the Republicans had control of congress. So don’t go saying that the Dems were solely responsible for a strong economy during that administration.
Just keep watching your daytime soap operas and your CNN while I go to work and pay for your useless butts! It’s just a matter of time before the “Gravy Train” disappears!
Romney – Ryan 2012!!!
Democrat
August 12th, 2012
12:01 pm
Very intelligent and outstanding choice. Ha! Ha! Ha!
EmbarrassedTexan
August 12th, 2012
12:27 pm
Ryan’s former opponent called him the “Business Agent for the 21st Century robber barons”. So, Romney Hood has chosen the right man to continue the robbing of America. See the movie “Inside Job” (2010) to watch and learn how the downfall started and surmise how it can only continue if these two get their mitts on America.