All right, folks! Big news from this past weekend— Mitt Romney has chosen his running mate. Who is it? A certain Conservative icon currently residing in the House of Representatives, who a couple years ago spearheaded a plan to balance our budget and slash the size and scope of the federal government. Ladies and gentlemen… I give you— Paul Ryan!
All righty, then… it is done. The ticket is complete. Now, let’s get down to business: how good a catch did the Mitt make, this throw? Let’s do this:
Some of you may remember my article a few weeks ago, “To Veep or Not to Veep,” in which I analyzed the big names being thrown out. So— am I disappointed that Mitt didn’t pick Rand Paul? A little, I guess… but let’s focus on Congressman Ryan. In that article, remember, I said that his congressional leadership is something sorely needed— in Congress. His power, I warned, could be severely hampered by being VP.
To be honest, folks, I’m not retracting that analysis— I still have those concerns. Still, this actually provides an interesting assignment for Mitt: Make sure, governor, you emphasize your new sidekick’s skill and brilliance… and make sure you put them to good use, in your administration— to put it mildly. We need the Ryan Plan— or something bigger— in order to get us out of this deficit/debt crisis. We need to slash the federal behemoth, in order to remove its burdens on the economy and allow our businesses, big and small, to thrive. Therefore, Governor… in terms of influence on economic policy, Paul needs to be an ever-active Dick Cheney type (yes, Lefties— I went there), not a useless blabbermouth like Joe Biden.
No, no, I would never dare compare Paul Ryan to Joe Biden— to be honest, I will take an admittedly sadistic pleasure in seeing Paul take that buffoon to the intellectual woodshed, in the VP debate….
But that brings me to the pros of this pick— and to be honest, there are many. Paul Ryan is well-spoken and soft-spoken, aggressive and innovative. Conservatives— including the Tea Party— love him. And of course, the smearing the Left is probably going to pull on him— “He’s an evil, heartless right-wing ideologue who’ll throw Granny over the cliff!”— it’s long worn out its effectiveness. This time, it won’t work— we’ll all be ready.
Another pro: Paul Ryan is a communicator. Recall the unforgettable web video in which he laid out the problem we face regarding the debt and deficit… and the solution his plan will bring. Jon Stewart, of course, tried to mock it… and counter with the worn-out “Just tax the rich!” argument… but, sadly for him, the stats were all on Paul’s side. Though Harry Reid’s Senate stopped the Plan in its tracks (surprise)— I’d think it was safe to say… we’d won the debate. Even today, those issues are firmly thrust into the public mind— and the crises in Europe makes it absolutely clear: those issues will not and cannot go away, until we address them.
Mitt has done his share of communicating… but of course, there is a big concern about how aloof he often acts— and how generic he can be about his plan for America. Paul Ryan helps fill in the blanks— he speaks with passion and determination; when you listen to him, you can feel in your gut that he cares— and will stop at nothing to deliver the goods. He did it before— taking President Obama to school over the health care bill, exposing it for the liberty-crushing monstrosity that it has proven time and again to be, Supreme Court ruling or no. He will do it again, on the campaign trail. Paul is also a man of specifics— and further, he gives them in a way that anyone of voter age can understand.
Mitt Romney is, at heart, a businessman— and a problem-solver. The Left may try to deny this, with disgusting sob-stories about “Mitt killed my wife with cancer!” But denial doesn’t change the facts. And like any problem-solving businessman… Mitt has carefully weighed the costs vs. the benefits, for every option for the Number Two slot.
So— did the governor make the right choice? Well… we’ll see. As of now, it’s been energizing the base quite a bit— and enraging the Left to the point of insanity. Honestly, folks… both points, I can live with.
