For me, Paul Ryan may be a dream candidate. I’d be pretty excited if he got into the race. Thrilled, even. What say you guys?
I know it’s a big jump from Congress to the White House but look, Obama went right from the Senate to the White House and…oh…well, that’s not a good example.
I’ll agree that it feels a bit like we’re pulling someone out of AAA ball and naming him starting pitcher for the World Series. But I think Ryan might just be ready for it. I think Ryan has shown leadership and a strong grasp of the issues, especially the economic ones. Remember, he ate Obama’s lunch during that Obamacare dog and pony show. He ate it up but good.
Is he a little wonky? Yeah, maybe. But maybe the country needs a little wonkiness right now as opposed to Obama’s high-falutin speeches with zero substance.
I can already see that they’ll mock him for being so young. SNL will probably have someone impersonate him with one of those propeller hats or something and all the media will agree that it’s hilarious because it’s sooooo true and show it over and over.
Anyway, the Weekly Standard is reporting:
Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan is strongly considering a run for president. Ryan, who has been quietly meeting with political strategists to discuss a bid over the past three months, is on vacation in Colorado discussing a prospective run with his family. Ryan’s concerns about the effects of a presidential campaign – and perhaps a presidency – on his family have been his primary focus as he thinks through his political future.
Paul Ryan“He’s coming around,” says a Republican source close to Ryan, who has been urging the 41-year-old to run.
“With Paul, it’s more about obligation than opportunity,” says another Wisconsin Republican. “He is determined to have the 2012 election be about the big things. If that means he has to run, he’s open to it.”
So, in short, I’m interested where your heads are on Ryan, a pro-life Catholic.
We haven’t talked about him much here because I didn’t think he was running. What say you?
August 16, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I'd love him in veep position because I don't think it's likely he'd be able to garner enough capital behind him to seriously contend in a political sense. Representatives seldom win it all, Govenors and sometimes Senators do.
I love what he says and what he stands for –if he runs, I'll worry it will damage his capacity to effectively steer the economic debate as political campaigns often marr the speaker more than ordinary policy stance.
August 16, 2011 at 5:26 pm
I think that Ryan would be a pretty good candidate in the general election, and potentially a very good president. But I don't know if he could get the nomination.
I would rather see Bobby Jindal or Chris Christie get into the race.
August 16, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Having already committed to thadeus McCotter by purchasing yard signs, I'm reluctant to switch allegiance, but I didn't think Ryan would run. I'd add a yard sign for him! Yes, Ryan is a dream candidate.
–Ranting Catholic Mom
August 16, 2011 at 5:33 pm
No.
Ryan voted for TARP, auto bailouts and bank bailouts. Then a couple weeks ago, he voted for the debt deal without having it posted online for three days to let the public read it, and he claimed if the deal wasn't passed, the U.S. would default, which is an outright lie. He fearmongered and voted on legislation which wasn't made public until after the vote, the same things which he and the GOP condemned the Democrats for doing over the last two years.
(To default would be to stop making payments on the interest, not to deny raising the debt limit. For a budget wonk, he knows better than that.)
Ryan has this idea that if there's a problem with the economy, then the government needs to get involved and fix it. He has repeatedly shown that the he thinks the government is apt to fix anything, contrary to empirical data.
Finally, Ryan has a great plan for phasing out entitlements, but that's all it is, a plan. Maybe if the Senate and Presidency is taken by Republicans, he can get it passed and maybe things will get better. But that's all Ryan has. A budget plan.
August 16, 2011 at 5:44 pm
in this coming election cycle Ryan could burst through the standard hurdles: Congressman, never Governor, Catholic. His primary opposition is generally uninspiring and not equipped with the economic knowledge (except the otherwise limited Ron Paul) to turn the ship around. Obama fears him on many many grounds and for good reason. Ryan would have to crash course foreign policy (no ones' strength) and the Constitution (Bachman's strength) in order to get the Nomination, but he is THE authority on the top 3 issues: the Economy, the Economy, and the Economy. His wonderful pro-life Catholicity could enter by the White House side door and arrive front and center. Could be great.
August 16, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Huh…that's a big surprise.
Ryan's vote on the auto bailout was 'voting his District' which include(d) GM/Janesville and Chrysler/Kenosha (not to mention UAW-organized JICase/Racine.) Many other candidates did not have to make that decision.
The bank bailout? Tougher call. Congress, just like the rest of the country, was fed a line of crap by the Fed Reserve Board and the Goldman/Sachs crowd about "tanks in the streets." A LOT of level-headed Conservatives of my acquaintance were in favor of the bailout, although in retrospect, it might not have been the best move.
Ryan's smart, presentable, and 'has the goods' on the economy.
Now for the loyal opposition: 1) he bowed down and followed Boehner on the debt deal, a sure sign of "insider-itis." (So did Sensenbrenner and Petri, two other guys who've been there for far too long.)
2) He's a congressman. No "decider" experience. I love the guy for his principles on the life issue, but "huh?"
If he gets in, he's shooting for VP.
August 16, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Bobby Jindal has done very little.
His "ethics reform" has no teeth. Louisiana is running a $2.4 Billion deficit. Jindal has been a huge proponent of SCHIP which covers "children" up to 26 years old.
Chris Christie thinks Sharia law is not a threat to America (called it cr**), and is anti-2nd amendment. He'll never get the GOP nomination.
August 16, 2011 at 5:47 pm
He has a very good plan to solve the worst problem related to public budget, and know how to present it. Bachmann and Gingrich will be in problem because they dismiss his plan. Also Sanrorum if he says that he agrees with Santorum about 10th amendment, because Santorum is out of the Senate.
But, I think I have to learn more about him. At this moment, Santorum 2012.
August 16, 2011 at 5:51 pm
1. "Voting his district" is not an excuse for violating the Constitution. (Bailouts are unconstitutional.)
2. If "A LOT of level-headed Conservatives" voted for bailouts. Does that make it right? If those conservatives jumped off a bridge, should Paul Ryan?
When elected officials lose sight of the role of government and the bounds of the Constitution, they do unwise things which often make problems even worse.
August 16, 2011 at 5:53 pm
I have always had him in my 2012 updates because I think there has been enough chatter to keep him as an "option." I think that these lesser known candidates serve well to stay outside and not "announce" until they become an answer to a question. Ryan seems to becoming that…
I think he adds a young, strong, fiscally smart voice to the debate but I would think a run would be more posturing and positioning than anything. Unless he shocked some polls I'd see the run as more of a way to distinguish himself from folks like Rubio, Bachmann, and other possible VP and Cabinet picks. I still think this is a Perry, Romney, Bachmann race.
August 16, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Santorum used straw-man arguments ant red herrings to argue against the 10th Amendment movement, but the 10th Amendment movement is what is bringing morality back to the country, fighting all the damage done by the FedGov. The states are defunding Planned Parenthood. The States are passing bans on gay marriage (when voted on by the people).
Santorum thinks the Federal government will bring back morality to the country. He doesn't seem to realize the Federal Government is what killed morality.
Griswold v. Connecticut overturned laws in all 50 states and legalized contraception
Roe v. Wade overturned laws in all 50 states and legalized abortion
Lawrence v. Texas overturned anti-sodomy laws in Texas and many other states, paving the way for legalized "gay marriage".
Prayer in schools has been severely destroyed.
Billions of Federal taxpayer dollars subsidize abortions in this country and other countries.
The Federal Government subsidizes Embryonic Stem Cell Research (Prez G.W.Bush)
The STATES have worked very hard to undo the damage wrought by the Federal Government, and are challenged at every turn by the Federal Court system. The Congress, Senate, and Presidency were all held by the Republicans and they failed to do anything meaningful to end government immorality.
August 16, 2011 at 6:11 pm
I think he needs to stay right where he is and gain experience.
August 16, 2011 at 6:20 pm
What Erika said. 🙂
Love him, but we need him right where he is. Bachmann 2012!
August 16, 2011 at 6:50 pm
I wouldn't vote for him in the primaries. No executive experience. Members of Congress with no executive experience do not tend to make good Presidents (see, e.g., the current occupant of the Oval Office). And, if Senators Dole, Kerry, and McCain are any indication, they don't tend to make for winning nominees, either.
And if Ryan were to win the nomination, and thus become the de facto leader of the GOP, the Democrat MediScare ads against him and every other GOP candidate will practically write themselves. Yes, entitlements need to be tackled, but we need people like Ryan doing their thing behind the scenes rather than being front and center and the focal point of a negative Democrat ad blitz that will ensure entitlement reform never sees the light of day.
August 16, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Presidents whose prior position was senator: Obama, JFK, Harding, Benjamin Harrision, Pierce, Jackson.
Presidents whose prior position was representative: Garfield, Lincoln,
August 16, 2011 at 7:09 pm
I adore him, but as others have said, he really is needed where he is. Now that Perry has announced, I think Ryan may back off for the sake of his family.
August 16, 2011 at 7:33 pm
I like him, I trust him more than Perry– who is a stock-casting-style politician with some baggage I greatly dislike– and I don't have the gut-level-instinctive dislike response that Bachmann invokes in me. Romney is just too weak on too many things, and Cain isn't going to make it.
Tactically, he'd be a better VP choice– that would allow better attacks on Obama's screwups while indicating that whoever picks him is serious about the spending problems without discounting social issues.
August 16, 2011 at 8:27 pm
I love him! He's got GUTS. The courage of his convictions. And he's smart. he definitely does NOT need to be in the background working on budget issues. He has already proved to be THE leader on that. Why stay behind the scenes? This is life or death for America here. He is a guy who has already stuck his neck out and LED – more than we can say for the POTUS.
My only concern about him is where he is on national security issues. I think that he would be strong there, but, like so many candidates I worry that he would use Defense as the whipping boy in a tumultuous world. At least he seems to have more of a clue than… er.. .some, in that department.
Overall, there is no question in my mind that he would do a FAR better job than Obama. Heck I know that even I would too.
Prefer him over Romney and Perry, and I think that he will weather a beating better than Bachmann. Liberal women are SO mean to conservative women. She is going to get shredded.
And if things are going well and he is the nominee, he can always challenge Obama to a Powerpoint-off. he would kick butt!
August 16, 2011 at 9:37 pm
I'm just sitting here wondering if Ryan were to end up as the Veep, could you imagine how bad that Vice Presidential debate would be for Biden? Horror show.
August 17, 2011 at 12:19 am
Matt said: "I'm just sitting here wondering if Ryan were to end up as the Veep, could you imagine how bad that Vice Presidential debate would be for Biden? Horror show. "
That would be worth it just for that. But who says Biden is going on the 2012 ticket?