Arguing about the Medicare trust fund level demonstrates a certain ignorance; he does know they are funded by bonds issued by the Treasury, right? (One hopes so since his "wonkishness" is his only merit). It's not past commitments that matter, it's whether health costs will rise in proportion to GDP. But even that isn't the catcher; you have to look at measures beyond the often-cited public debt-to-GDP. What do we see when it comes to healthcare costs and private debt, for example? http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2009/db2009064_666715.htm Basically, the current system is costing exorbitantly, not that Republicans with their ham-handed focus on one economic metric can see that.
The voters, the media, GOP operatives, everyone has had the same reaction to the Ryan pick. A big collective MEH. Several polls out this morning confirms that the pick will not move the needle at all for Romney and may in fact hurt him. And then there's this from Politico this morning... GOP pros fret over Paul Ryan You’ve heard them on television and read them on POLITICO — cheerful, defiant statements from Republican political professionals about Mitt Romney’s bold masterstroke in tapping Paul Ryan as his running mate, and turning the 2012 presidential race into a serious, far-reaching debate about budgets and the nation’s future. Away from the cameras, and with all the usual assurances that people aren’t being quoted by name, there is an unmistakable consensus among Republican operatives in Washington: Romney has taken a risk with Ryan that has only a modest chance of going right — and a huge chance of going horribly wrong. In more than three dozen interviews with Republican strategists and campaign operatives — old hands and rising next-generation conservatives alike — the most common reactions to Ryan ranged from gnawing apprehension to hair-on-fire anger that Romney has practically ceded the election. YIKES!!!
Of course, there could be a little jealousy mixed in as this makes Ryan the darling of the wingnuts going into 2016 and unlike Palin, I think he might even work at it. If things play out as it looks, Ryan's people can claim Mitt lost because he wasn't Conservative enough, but Ryan will be the pure essence of modern Conservatism at the top of the ticket next time.
I'm glad someone else caught that. Obama's track record might be "slightly to the left", but that's due to the fact that congress can't move any direction quickly.
With a couple days of reviewing the budget Ryan Biden can handle budget and make Ryan look merely ordinary. I suspect Ryan's handlers will spend much time for the debate trying to ramp down the outrageous expectations of the fanboys.
People understand that Obama has a House that was completely opposed to anything he did and blocked all his legislation. He tried to close Gitmo and was rebuked much as Clinton was when he tried to end the ban of gays in the military. Clinton promised health care reform, and didn't do it. He tried to meet his promises, and he still strives to meet them. That's a whole lot better than most politicians, and a whole lot better than you will get from Romney.
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Basso = the epitome of a delusional conservative fanboy. Do you really think your "party" has any chance of beating Obama in an election, even after Ryan was introduced as the face of mediocrity? Be honest. Romney is the weakest candidate around. No platform, recycled ideas, and social r****dation. How does it feel to continue losing politically and in your personal life?
indeed. Spoiler <iframe title="MRC TV video player" width="640" height="360" src="http://www.mrctv.org/embed/115915" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
WOW!!! Romney picks the Chairman of the House Budget Committee of the most loathed congress in history to be his running mate AWESOME!!! Gallup: Congressional Approval Hits 10 Percent, Its Lowest Rating Ever A new poll from Gallup shows Congress has tied its own dubious record: approval of the legislative body is at 10 percent in a new national poll, an all-time low in Gallup polling that it also hit in February. Eighty-three percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing. From Gallup: Americans' views of Congress are so bad that it has now been more than a year since Gallup's monthly assessment was as high as 20%. Time to take back the house Democrats!
PAUL RYAN BEING AWESOME! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dVStL7Jbnc4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>