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[nenjin]

He's a fiscal conservative, although I use that term loosely. I imagine the attention his tax plan generated is why he was chosen. That and he's young, white and easy on the eyes. Romney is going to argue the economy until he's blue in the face and I think Ryan complements that focus. He'll be the one doing the talking about specific plans since Romney can't talk about money without having most of the left and some of the right dive all over him.

[mainiac]

Paul Ryan looks to the base like the second coming of Ronald Reagan.  Any "facts" you might have that contradict this don't matter.  The substance of the positions don't matter, it's all about standing in the tribe and Paul Ryan has impeccable standing in the tribe.  He's like the chosen one.

[GreatJustice]

Paul Ryan's really not a winning VP candidate by any metric. He's not conservative enough to really get the base out and motivated (having voted for bailouts, raising the debt ceiling, TARP, etc) and he's not moderate enough to appeal to swing voters. His budget plan wouldn't have even balanced the budget since it barely touched military spending, yet did a great job of alienating the elderly.

....How is Ryan not conservative enough? He's conservative in pretty much every way.

(having voted for bailouts, raising the debt ceiling, TARP, etc)

He's a far-right conservative the way Obama is a Communist radical.

[Urist_McDrowner]

Paul Ryan is an excellent choice and here's why.

Forget that he's white, or young, or tall, or he likes Wheat Thins, or his left to right orientation. He was picked because the man's an optimist. He believes that we're not screwed, which is the opposite Obama message. Obama gives "malaise" speech after malaise speech after malaise speech. Paul Ryan at least thinks it is possible and has a plan to fix things, (which, according to the nonpartisan CBO, would net us a surplus by 2030)

http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43023

[Heron TSG]

Uh, I'm pretty sure Obama's an optimist, judging by every speech I've heard, his entire campaign platform in 2008, most of what I've seen in 2012, and especially the most recent State of the Union address.

“The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.”

“No one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. This nation is great because we get each others' backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard.”

We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.

And especially...

Anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn't know what they're talking about. That's not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us. That's not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they've been in years.

But perhaps such speeches were never spoken?

[EveryZig]

He believes that we're not screwed, which is the opposite Obama message.

HOPE.jpg

(On the other hand, I personally tend towards pessimism about politics.)

[MetalSlimeHunt]

(having voted for bailouts, raising the debt ceiling, TARP, etc)

He's a far-right conservative the way Obama is a Communist radical.

Voted YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion. (May 2011)
Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Congress shall protect life beginning with fertilization. (Jan 2011)
Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
Rated 13% by the American Civil Liberties Union, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 0% by the Human Rights Council, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
Voted NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes. (Apr 2009)
Voted NO on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society. (Nov 2007)
Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons. (Jun 2000)
Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime. (Jun 1999)
Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. (Nov 2001)
Voted YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling. (May 2011)
Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. (Apr 2011)
Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel. (Aug 2007)
Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)
Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules. (Jan 2009)
Voted NO on $9.7B for Amtrak improvements and operation thru 2013. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on increasing AMTRAK funding by adding $214M to $900M. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species. (Sep 2005)
Voted NO on four weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees. (Jun 2009)
Rated 91% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on supporting democratic institutions in Pakistan. (Jun 2009)
Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005)
Voted YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored. (May 2001)
Commitment to unbreakable U.S.-Israel bond. (Mar 2010)
FactCheck: all-time high government was 1943, not 2009. (Jan 2011)
Require all laws to cite Constitutional authorization. (Jun 2009)
Voted YES on banning physician-assisted suicide. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on giving mental health full equity with physical health. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps. (Feb 2011)
Voted NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
Voted YES on deploying SDI. (Mar 1999)
Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
Voted YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Apr 2002)
Voted YES on terminating funding for National Public Radio. (Mar 2011)
Voted YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on establishing "network neutrality" (non-tiered Internet). (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on increasing fines for indecent broadcasting. (Feb 2005)
Voted YES on banning Internet gambling by credit card. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval. (Jun 2011)
Voted YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations. (Nov 1999)
Voted YES on promoting work and marriage among TANF recipients. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks. (Jul 2001)

Source.

What exactly do you define as far-right if that isn't?

[GreatJustice]

(having voted for bailouts, raising the debt ceiling, TARP, etc)

He's a far-right conservative the way Obama is a Communist radical.

Voted YES on banning federal health coverage that includes abortion. (May 2011)
Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Congress shall protect life beginning with fertilization. (Jan 2011)
Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
Voted YES on banning gay adoptions in DC. (Jul 1999)
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
Rated 13% by the American Civil Liberties Union, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 0% by the Human Rights Council, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
Voted NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes. (Apr 2009)
Voted NO on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society. (Nov 2007)
Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons. (Jun 2000)
Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime. (Jun 1999)
Voted YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance. (Jul 2006)
Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. (Nov 2001)
Voted YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling. (May 2011)
Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. (Apr 2011)
Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel. (Aug 2007)
Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)
Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules. (Jan 2009)
Voted NO on $9.7B for Amtrak improvements and operation thru 2013. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on increasing AMTRAK funding by adding $214M to $900M. (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species. (Sep 2005)
Voted NO on four weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees. (Jun 2009)
Rated 91% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on supporting democratic institutions in Pakistan. (Jun 2009)
Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005)
Voted YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored. (May 2001)
Commitment to unbreakable U.S.-Israel bond. (Mar 2010)
FactCheck: all-time high government was 1943, not 2009. (Jan 2011)
Require all laws to cite Constitutional authorization. (Jun 2009)
Voted YES on banning physician-assisted suicide. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on giving mental health full equity with physical health. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps. (Feb 2011)
Voted NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)
Voted YES on deploying SDI. (Mar 1999)
Rated 0% by the AU, indicating opposition to church-state separation. (Dec 2006)
Voted YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Apr 2002)
Voted YES on terminating funding for National Public Radio. (Mar 2011)
Voted YES on retroactive immunity for telecoms' warrantless surveillance. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on establishing "network neutrality" (non-tiered Internet). (Jun 2006)
Voted YES on increasing fines for indecent broadcasting. (Feb 2005)
Voted YES on banning Internet gambling by credit card. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval. (Jun 2011)
Voted YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations. (Nov 1999)
Voted YES on promoting work and marriage among TANF recipients. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks. (Jul 2001)

Source.

What exactly do you define as far-right if that isn't?

-Voted YES on TARP (2008)
-Voted YES on Economic Stimulus HR 5140 (2008)
-Voted YES on $15B bailout for GM and Chrysler. (Dec 2008)
-Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending. (Jul 2009)
-Voted YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. (Nov 2003)
-Voted YES on providing $70 million for Section 8 Housing vouchers. (Jun 2006)
-Voted YES on extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks. (Oct 2008)
-Voted YES on Head Start Act (2007)
-Voted YES on No Child Left Behind Act (2001)

[sluissa]

So, do I vote for the guy who says he's going to do some of what I want him to do and then doesn't, or the guy who just says he's going to do the opposite of what I want to happen?

Also, how do I cast my vote for the representatives from other states? Seems, somehow silly that people so far away, from a part of the country I've never seen, nor do I want to see, with completely different agendas can have a say in what happens here... what happens to all of us.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

-snip-

Your list is pretty short compared to mine. Ryan may have made some exceptions (he also voted against oversight for TARP, by the way), but his usual record is strongly conservative.

[GreatJustice]

-snip-

Your list is pretty short compared to mine. Ryan may have made some exceptions (he also voted against oversight for TARP, by the way), but his usual record is strongly conservative.

Your list covers things that most Republicans would vote for, mine covers things that are actually divisive on the Republican side.

[mainiac]

-Voted YES on TARP (2008) <- A republican initiative
-Voted YES on Economic Stimulus HR 5140 (2008) <- A republican initiative (This was a short term tax cut proposed by Bush, not the Obama stimulus package)
-Voted YES on $15B bailout for GM and Chrysler. (Dec 2008)
-Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending. (Jul 2009)
-Voted YES on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. (Nov 2003) <- A republican initiative
-Voted YES on providing $70 million for Section 8 Housing vouchers. (Jun 2006)
-Voted YES on extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks. (Oct 2008) <- Bipartisan at the time, Passed by a republican president
-Voted YES on Head Start Act (2007)
-Voted YES on No Child Left Behind Act (2001) <- A republican initiative

So the list with those things removed:
Voted for the auto bailout
70 whole million dollars for housing aid
Voted for a smaller stimulus bill
Voted for Head Start

Pretty thin.

[Urist_McDrowner]

He believes that we're not screwed, which is the opposite Obama message.

HOPE.jpg

(On the other hand, I personally tend towards pessimism about politics.)

First rule of Obama: What CANDIDATE Obama says, is often the polar opposite of what PRESIDENT Obama says.

You don't even know what Obama is going to do. As illustrated by his conversation with Dmitri Medvedev, he can be "more flexible" after the election.

Obama promised the peaceniks he'd never invade without congressional approval unless the threat was imminent.

The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.

As Commander-in-Chief, the President does have a duty to protect and defend the United States. In instances of self-defense, the President would be within his constitutional authority to act before advising Congress or seeking its consent. History has shown us time and again, however, that military action is most successful when it is authorized and supported by the Legislative branch. It is always preferable to have the informed consent of Congress prior to any military action.

Cut to today, with Libya.

[Osmosis Jones]

Cut to today, with Libya.

Invade might be a bit strong winded there; with the exception of CIA (who are probably everywhere), did even a single american soldier set foot in Libya?

[mainiac]

And more importantly he had congressional authorization for the use of force.  And for good reason, the Libyan rebels invited us in and there was an international coalition.  We knew going into this war that the aftermath wouldn't be idyllic but things we would be a lot worse if we hadn't supported the rebels.