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He_Man
Guest
The term etch-a-sketch is new to this election cycle. Is it like when Obama changes his position on gay marriage in the final year of his term?
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gilliam
Guest
Paul Ryan is a conservative. National Review are conservatives. Fox News is conservative. Your not being clear. Name some conservatives who are not Truthers or conspiracy theorists who the Republican Party is pushing away. Who you consider the “base” of the Republican Party.
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eightandsand
Guest
I think Ryan supports the Status Quo view more so than the Catholic view (see here: lifenews.com/2010/09/20/nat-6701/), although he does have a pretty solid pro-life record. I wonder how he squares his pro-life convictions with the fact that his boss has a very poor pro-life and pro-constituion record?
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gilliam
Guest
LifeNews has endorsed the Ryan pick:
lifenews.com/2012/08/11/mitt-romney-picks-pro-life-rep-paul-ryan-as-vp-running-mate/
lifenews.com/2012/08/11/mitt-romney-picks-pro-life-rep-paul-ryan-as-vp-running-mate/
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He_Man
Guest
Same way they are able to vote for and endorse Obama?My Democratic friends are THRILLED. They were worried he was going to pick Pawlenty.
I really don’t know how a Catholic can be a devotee of Ayn Rand-she was proud of her atheism and her writings reflect it.
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seekerz
Guest
Exactly like that. Except that when Obama draws I can tell what the image is, whereas Romney’s work is like modern art: totally open to interpretation.
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eightandsand
Guest
National Review…Fox News…Truthers…Conspiracy Theorists…Where does it end?
Paul Ryan is a status-quo conservative. So, yes, in a sense, he is a conservative.
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eightandsand
Guest
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Seeker1961
Guest
Maybe so…
Millions of dollars and four years of preparation and this is what we’re left with-it’s really disappointing. Nobody can tell me that these guys are the best America has to offer.
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He_Man
Guest
SO Obama lies to you, but you can tell what he means in the moment, so its okay?
Besides, you just admitted Obama is as much an E-A-S as you believe Romney is. Whether or not you understand what he is saying has nothing to do with the E-A-S analogy.
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He_Man
Guest
The odds that you ever get the best is slim, given the statistical improbability of such a thing. You or I could be the best, but will never get a shot.Maybe so…
Millions of dollars and four years of preparation and this is what we’re left with-it’s really disappointing. Nobody can tell me that these guys are the best America has to offer.
The enemy of good is perfect. No candidate is perfect, but you certainly take a good candidate over a bad President.
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He_Man
Guest
You are claiming it scares away true conservatives as though that is quatifiable or definable, and even saying that, offered no evidence that those calling themselves conservative are not enthusiastic. Polls have shown that Republicans are more excited about the nominee than Dems. That is as close as we get.
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seekerz
Guest
I’ve made the same statements elsewhere, why are you surprised? All politicians I’m familiar with are opportunists who will say what gets votes - whether or not it truly expresses what they believe. Their central aim in a campaign is to win the election. My problem with Romney is simply that whereas I can tell when and what Obama is E-A-S’ing, I find it impossible to tell what is real Romney and what is E-A-S Romney OR what on earth he is drawing on that board half the time…
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DGHunter
Guest
Ryan is seriously out of line with the US bishops on economic policy, and is rather liberal in his stance toward gay rights. Romney only became anti-abortion in 2002 and in 1994 said that he supported homosexuals in the Boy Scouts. I’m not sure this is the right ticket for Catholics.
I’ve only found one party that harmonizes with the Church on a fundamental level and that’s the Constitution Party: belief in the Natural Law and a Christian foundation for American society (while respecting religious liberty) are major components of their platform. I’ll be voting my conscience this time around.
I’ve only found one party that harmonizes with the Church on a fundamental level and that’s the Constitution Party: belief in the Natural Law and a Christian foundation for American society (while respecting religious liberty) are major components of their platform. I’ll be voting my conscience this time around.
meltzerboy
New member
I agree that compassion is often not the key element when one is forced to do something, as by the government. An example are the nondiscrimination laws which are designed to change behavior. However, we also know, psychologically speaking, that when behavior changes, cognitions and emotions may follow. It doesn’t always have to work the other way around (that is, thoughts and emotions first, then behaviors). In fact, if we always depended on people to be compassionate before they did something, we would likely have a long wait. This idea is also reflected in Judaism, in which behavior often precedes faith and may actually lead to it.
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Nec5
Guest
So Romney, a system guy, picks Ryan, another system guy, to beat Obama, yet another system guy. And they all go around talking about how the system is broken. No thanks.
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Arizona_Mike
Guest
I’d agree, Of all the Republican VO short-listers, Ryan was best-liked by seniors, per the Rasmussen Poll. Perhaps that is because seniors tend to be more fiscally prudent, and realize that Medicare as it currently exists cannot survive.
hotair.com/archives/2012/08/11/rasmussen-ryan-favorability-3925/
Also, somewhat counterintuitively, despite all the Obama ads showing Ryan pushing old ladies off the edge of a dock, a USAToday poll found senior citizens were the group that most favored Ryan’s budget proposal.
gallup.com/poll/147287/Americans-Divided-Ryan-Obama-Deficit-Plans.aspx?version=print
I think the democrats are over-reaching in their response, as shown by all the left wing pundits crowing that this is the worst VP choice ever, the race is as good as done with, etc,. etc. Every chance must be taken in every context to make your political opponent look not simply incompetent, but somehow simultaneously both evil AND incompetent.
Were I a Democrat, I think I would have the good grace to say that Ryan seems like a good choice tactically, is wicked smart, seems like a likable person and a good family man whatever his politics, and may the best man win in the fall. Whatever happened to good sportsmanship?
meltzerboy
New member
By “system guy,” do you mean government insider, ideologue, major-party politician, or something else?
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CaptFun
Guest
I voted yes.
Ryan is a leader. Bold, young, forceful, presidential. Maybe more so than Mitt.
When the present administration submitted no budget - Ryan got busy and put one together.
For ROMNEY it is a good pick because Ryan’s 11th hour endorsement of Romney probably secured the Wisconsin primary for him over Rick Santorum.
Wisconsin is not only critical, but the midwest is. Having a running mate from semi-rural Wisconsin may help the ticket in nearby Iowa and Michigan as well.
Ryan is pro-life and strongly so. This shores up Mitt’s “latter day” conversion.
Romney has a slight “Mormon problem” - the impression that a Mormon could never be elected President (even though it was once said of Catholics and Blacks and turned out not to be true). Some vocal Evangelicals consider Mormonism a cult and would be hesitant to vote for someone who belonged to such a faith. A surprising byproduct of that was that Rick Santorum, a devout Catholic, was able to garner support from that sector.
Now that ticket looks diverse (at least on the faith front). At any rate, the “faith voters”
have quite a contrast.
If Salt Lake City seems strange to some at least the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings “America the Beautiful” nicely – in contrast to Reverend Wright’s famous “No, no, no … God D… America!” rant.
In a Ryan vs. Biden … “Our Catholic’s better than yours …” contest; Biden has discovered the wonders of “gay marriage” and spoke boldly – but was eerily quiet
as his party slammed “his Church” with those odious HHS mandates.
Funniest comment on the net is that Romney and Ryan are so GQ stylish that they
will even do unexpectedly well with the “gay vote.”
Which may be funny ha-ha to some, funny 
to others.
If that is true at all … one would think the “cuteness” factor might sway even more women.
If it seems that some of my reasons deal with the sillier and more emotional segments of the electorate … its probably because I think the “still undecided” folks ARE probably those that will decide based on style rather than substance; or front running with the latest opinion poll, or picking the leaders of the free world on the basis of a regional, religional,
or emotional prejudice.
Most people have decided already who they prefer.
A critical factor in this election will be “likely voters”. According to today’s Rasmussen poll (before the Ryan announcement) Romney leads this category 46% to Obama’s 44%.
The margin of error is 3% so this is what some still call a “statistical tie”. Nevertheless,
when one considers that much of Obama’s popular vote will come in landslide wins in California, New York and Illinois … it could mean many of the battle ground states and the election will be won by Romney/Ryan.
The Republicans are famous for running upside-down tickets. Sometimes the VP candidate would make the better President … but has less money, recognition, etc.
This may be another of those times IMO. But when a good VP was selected by a candidate I was a bit cool on … it did make me more enthusiastic on election day.
Ryan is a leader. Bold, young, forceful, presidential. Maybe more so than Mitt.
When the present administration submitted no budget - Ryan got busy and put one together.
For ROMNEY it is a good pick because Ryan’s 11th hour endorsement of Romney probably secured the Wisconsin primary for him over Rick Santorum.
Wisconsin is not only critical, but the midwest is. Having a running mate from semi-rural Wisconsin may help the ticket in nearby Iowa and Michigan as well.
Ryan is pro-life and strongly so. This shores up Mitt’s “latter day” conversion.
Romney has a slight “Mormon problem” - the impression that a Mormon could never be elected President (even though it was once said of Catholics and Blacks and turned out not to be true). Some vocal Evangelicals consider Mormonism a cult and would be hesitant to vote for someone who belonged to such a faith. A surprising byproduct of that was that Rick Santorum, a devout Catholic, was able to garner support from that sector.
Now that ticket looks diverse (at least on the faith front). At any rate, the “faith voters”
have quite a contrast.
If Salt Lake City seems strange to some at least the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings “America the Beautiful” nicely – in contrast to Reverend Wright’s famous “No, no, no … God D… America!” rant.
In a Ryan vs. Biden … “Our Catholic’s better than yours …” contest; Biden has discovered the wonders of “gay marriage” and spoke boldly – but was eerily quiet
as his party slammed “his Church” with those odious HHS mandates.
Funniest comment on the net is that Romney and Ryan are so GQ stylish that they
will even do unexpectedly well with the “gay vote.”
Which may be funny ha-ha to some, funny to others.If that is true at all … one would think the “cuteness” factor might sway even more women.
If it seems that some of my reasons deal with the sillier and more emotional segments of the electorate … its probably because I think the “still undecided” folks ARE probably those that will decide based on style rather than substance; or front running with the latest opinion poll, or picking the leaders of the free world on the basis of a regional, religional,
or emotional prejudice.
Most people have decided already who they prefer.
A critical factor in this election will be “likely voters”. According to today’s Rasmussen poll (before the Ryan announcement) Romney leads this category 46% to Obama’s 44%.
The margin of error is 3% so this is what some still call a “statistical tie”. Nevertheless,
when one considers that much of Obama’s popular vote will come in landslide wins in California, New York and Illinois … it could mean many of the battle ground states and the election will be won by Romney/Ryan.
The Republicans are famous for running upside-down tickets. Sometimes the VP candidate would make the better President … but has less money, recognition, etc.
This may be another of those times IMO. But when a good VP was selected by a candidate I was a bit cool on … it did make me more enthusiastic on election day.
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eightandsand
Guest
Another question: what are Paul Ryan’s qualifications to be Commander in Chief (the most important consideration when selecting a Vice President)? Actually, one could ask the same question of Romney (or Obama for that matter). What are their qualifications to be Commander in Chief? None, that I know of. I know they meet the letter of the law but have any of them ever served in the military? That’s a rhetorical question, of course.
I wish Paul Ryan and Romney and Obama and Joe Biden (and any other potential candidates) would follow the example of one Major Vincent Harrington, whose story recently came to my attention.
Vincent Harrington was elected to the House of Representatives from Iowa on the Democratic ticket in 1936 and served in Congress for six years until the day after Pearl Harbor. He was very much opposed to the idea that there should ever be war, and stated on the floor of Congress that “If I ever vote to send the sons of American mothers to war in foreign lands, I will go with them. There never was a good war or a poor peace.” The same day that he voted to declare war on Japan and Germany, Vincent Harrington resigned from Congress, joined the Army Air Corps, and went on active duty. He died of a massive heart attack while on active duty in England. His body lies in a hero’s grave across the Atlantic and a Liberty Ship was named in his honor. He was a devout Catholic.
Now, that is my idea of a politician worth voting for. Someone who has conviction, can accurately defend that conviction, and is willing to lead by example.
I wish Paul Ryan and Romney and Obama and Joe Biden (and any other potential candidates) would follow the example of one Major Vincent Harrington, whose story recently came to my attention.
Vincent Harrington was elected to the House of Representatives from Iowa on the Democratic ticket in 1936 and served in Congress for six years until the day after Pearl Harbor. He was very much opposed to the idea that there should ever be war, and stated on the floor of Congress that “If I ever vote to send the sons of American mothers to war in foreign lands, I will go with them. There never was a good war or a poor peace.” The same day that he voted to declare war on Japan and Germany, Vincent Harrington resigned from Congress, joined the Army Air Corps, and went on active duty. He died of a massive heart attack while on active duty in England. His body lies in a hero’s grave across the Atlantic and a Liberty Ship was named in his honor. He was a devout Catholic.
Now, that is my idea of a politician worth voting for. Someone who has conviction, can accurately defend that conviction, and is willing to lead by example.
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