Paul Ryan -Republican candidate for VP

[punked]

Shady were on TV yesterday? Here is Romney's guy calling the CBO, Factcheck.org, and CNN's independent fact checkers liars for daring to tell the truth.

Edited August 14, 2012 by punked

[Shady]

Tell me more about Reagans deficits and how he never balanced a budget again Shady. It makes me shiver everytime. Tell me all about his deficit to GDP and his ballooning of the debt. Tuck me into bed and tell me all about it.

BTW I have read Krugmans book where he makes quite clear that debt and deficits matter but that they matter less when in a recession because then unemployment is the number that will sink you. Better actually pick up a book next time. I'll wait for your Krugman quote though. Cited and sourced. Don't take it out of context either please.

It's nothing compared to the deficit king, Barack H Obama. He makes everyone else look like amateurs!

[Michael Hardner]

Forbes Magazine - Obama is smallest government spender since Eisenhower

So, how have the Republicans managed to persuade Americans to buy into the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative?

It might have something to do with the first year of the Obama presidency where the federal budget increased a whopping 17.9% —going from $2.98 trillion to $3.52 trillion. I’ll bet you think that this is the result of the Obama sponsored stimulus plan that is so frequently vilified by the conservatives…but you would be wrong.

The first year of any incoming president term is saddled—for better or for worse—with the budget set by the president whom immediately precedes the new occupant of the White House. Indeed, not only was the 2009 budget the property of George W. Bush—and passed by the 2008 Congress—it was in effect four months before Barack Obama took the oath of office.

Accordingly, the first budget that can be blamed on our current president began in 2010 with the budgets running through and including including fiscal year 2013 standing as charges on the Obama account, even if a President Willard M. Romney takes over the office on January 20, 2013.

So, how do the actual Obama annual budgets look?

No doubt, many will wish to give the credit to the efforts of the GOP controlled House of Representatives. That’s fine if that’s what works for you.

[punked]

It's nothing compared to the deficit king, Barack H Obama. He makes everyone else look like amateurs!

Waiting for that Krugman quote shady.

[j44]

I know there is a lot of talk of this being a bold choice and it changing this election into a clear choice between two ideas of what government should do and how big it should be but from what I see Romney hasn't come out in favor of Ryan's plan (at least not fairly recently).

If Romney comes out with a big plan regarding Medicare or starts pushing detailed overall spending numbers this will contrast sharply and make this a stark choice election. But what if he doesn't? If he doesnt come out with his own plan or come out strongly in favor of The Ryan plan does this VP choice really change anything? Will we be talking about Ryan and his plan in a month?

Couldn't the Ryan pick open them open to attacks in the short term (which could stick and add to the overall picture Chicago has successfully painted of Romney) and not really change the overall choice to a clear decision between two visions for the country?

Thoughts?

[Michael Hardner]

Couldn't the Ryan pick open them open to attacks in the short term (which could stick and add to the overall picture Chicago has successfully painted of Romney) and not really change the overall choice to a clear decision between two visions for the country?

Thoughts?

Wow, this is a great point j44. From what I know of the plan, it's not what I would choose for my country however I do applaud the idea that somebody in this election has a vision and ideas to be discussed.

But, you're right. Romney picked a VP with a BIG idea, relatively speaking. The question we need to ask is: why ?

[Shady]

Wow, this is a great point j44. From what I know of the plan, it's not what I would choose for my country however I do applaud the idea that somebody in this election has a vision and ideas to be discussed.

But, you're right. Romney picked a VP with a BIG idea, relatively speaking. The question we need to ask is: why ?

Because there are BIG problems being ignored by the current administration. Problems that only get worse as time goes by.

[BubberMiley]

Because there are BIG problems being ignored by the current administration. Problems that only get worse as time goes by.

Clearly, you mean resolving the BIG problems that Bush created by massively increasing spending commitments and reducing revenue. He'll need bipartisan support to resolve those problems, but unfortunately the GOP is willing to sacrifice the good of the country for what they perceive to be the good of the party.

[Shady]

Clearly, you mean resolving the BIG problems that Bush created by massively increasing spending commitments and reducing revenue. He'll need bipartisan support to resolve those problems, but unfortunately the GOP is willing to sacrifice the good of the country for what they perceive to be the good of the party.

Nope. I'm talking about entitlement programs, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Nothing to do with Bush. Everything to do with demographics and life expectancy, and unrealistic government promises

[punked]

Nope. I'm talking about entitlement programs, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Nothing to do with Bush. Everything to do with demographics and life expectancy, and unrealistic government promises

They are only unrealistic in the Republican world of never ending tax cuts, same goes for military spending yet you never talk about that.

[Michael Hardner]

Because there are BIG problems being ignored by the current administration. Problems that only get worse as time goes by.

Right - so your assumption is that Romney is on board with Ryan's plan then . Ok.

[Guest American Woman]

I know there is a lot of talk of this being a bold choice and it changing this election into a clear choice between two ideas of what government should do and how big it should be but from what I see Romney hasn't come out in favor of Ryan's plan (at least not fairly recently).

If Romney comes out with a big plan regarding Medicare or starts pushing detailed overall spending numbers this will contrast sharply and make this a stark choice election. But what if he doesn't? If he doesnt come out with his own plan or come out strongly in favor of The Ryan plan does this VP choice really change anything? Will we be talking about Ryan and his plan in a month?

Couldn't the Ryan pick open them open to attacks in the short term (which could stick and add to the overall picture Chicago has successfully painted of Romney) and not really change the overall choice to a clear decision between two visions for the country?

Thoughts?

I don't think Ryan is going to win the election for Romney; even Romney says he doesn't have the same Medicare plan as Ryan, so what is Romney's plan? If he doesn't come out with it, I don't see how being at odds with his VP candidate, and not telling the voters how/why, will help him.

Mitt Romney’s campaign says the candidate has a Medicare plan different from his running mate’s, but Romney declined yesterday to dive into the specifics.

link

Edited August 14, 2012 by American Woman

[punked]

I don't think Ryan is going to win the election for Romney; even Romney says he doesn't have the same Medicare plan as Ryan, so what is Romney's plan? If he doesn't come out with it, I don't see how being at odds with his VP candidate, and not telling the voters how/why, will help him.

Mitt Romney’s campaign says the candidate has a Medicare plan different from his running mate’s, but Romney declined yesterday to dive into the specifics.

link

I posted a video of Sununu (Romneys got to guy) talking about what Romney's plan for Medicare is. Apparently Romney's plan is just like Ryans (you know a 10% off coupon to get health care if you can find someone to cover your 85 year old ass) but it doesn't take the 700 billion out of the plan both Obama and Ryan think is a good idea. Now where does that 700 billion come from? Well it comes from savings from covering more people under Obama care AND the stopping of Medicare cheats. Romney who was caught up in one of the biggest ever Medicare scams ever thinks 700 billion in waste is cool as long as people get off Medicare and on coupons.

[Shady]

Right - so your assumption is that Romney is on board with Ryan's plan then . Ok.

Yes, absolutely, with a few differences of his own.

[Guest American Woman]

Yes, absolutely, with a few differences of his own.

Since Romney is saying that he has a different plan but hasn't said what it is, you know this - how??

-------------------------

I think Ryan was brought on board simply to make the ticket 'more Republican.' Romney is someone that a disgruntled Democrat such as myself, as well as others I know, could vote for. Ryan, no. I don't see how he is going to help the Republican ticket since Republicans would have voted Republican regardless of whether or not they think Romney is too moderate.

[j44]

Since Romney is saying that he has a different plan but hasn't said what it is, you know this - how??

-------------------------

I don't see how he is going to help the Republican ticket since Republicans would have voted Republican regardless of whether or not they think Romney is too moderate.

More and more this seems like a way to get the base/Tea Party excited.

[Guest American Woman]

More and more this seems like a way to get the base/Tea Party excited.

I agree. That was my first reaction when I heard his pick, and it was others' I've talked with as well.

[waldo]

I think Ryan was brought on board simply to make the ticket 'more Republican.' Romney is someone that a disgruntled Democrat such as myself, as well as others I know, could vote for. Ryan, no. I don't see how he is going to help the Republican ticket since Republicans would have voted Republican regardless of whether or not they think Romney is too moderate.

so... your critical thinking level is to accept Romney as the "Massachusetts Moderate"?

[Shady]

so... your critical thinking level is to accept Romney as the "Massachusetts Moderate"?

Isn't that how he governed?

[waldo]

so... your critical thinking level is to accept Romney as the "Massachusetts Moderate"?

Isn't that how he governed?

is that how he would govern? During the Republican campaign, Romney ran as fast and hard away from that "Massachusetts Moderate" label as he could... it's quite literally viewed by most Republicans, by the TeePartee, as a defamatory expletive! So, Shady... is that why Rmoney brought in Ryan - to moderate the moderate?

[BubberMiley]

Yes, absolutely, with a few differences of his own.

We'll have to accept Shady as the source of that, because Romney is too timid to tell us what he thinks himself.

[bleeding heart]

We'll have to accept Shady as the source of that, because Romney is too timid to tell us what he thinks himself.

[j44]

I still can't tell if Romney is a moderate I could like or....something else.

He's doing a good job of being a shape shifter. Problem is that Im not so sure he is doing it purposely.

Ryan may be his way to show the Tea Partiers that is a true fiscal hawk while still trying to appeal to independents (since they might not put much thought on who his VP is).

Will it work?

[Moonlight Graham]

I still can't tell if Romney is a moderate I could like or....something else.

He's doing a good job of being a shape shifter. Problem is that Im not so sure he is doing it purposely.

Of course he is. He's a center-right guy who is forced to appeal to the more traditional right-wing cons in the country and the party if he wants to get to the Oval Office. In short, he's a sellout who threw away his integrity long ago like most politicians who will say/do anything to gain & maintain power.

Voters aren't stupid (completely lol), they smell a phoney a mile away. That's why politicians are so disliked and why it's only once in a blue moon when there's a politician who stands by what they believe in and therefore a person who voters can really rally behind.

In US politics, to an extent Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, and Jesse Ventura are like this that I know of IMO.

[WWWTT]

Anybody else remember the smack down Paul Ryan gave President Obama during the Obamacare discussions? It was brilliant, and Obama looked pissed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKfbO_PvkI

You call that a smack down???

That guy was spinning numbers til I was bored to freekin tears,that's how Obama looked,bored to freekin tears.

WWWTT