Paul Ryan, What a Bold Pick!

Paul Ryan, what a bold pick!

Just when Romney was being labeled as a wimp, he boldly chose Paul Ryan as his running mate.

This was bold on many levels.

Paul Ryan has vowed to end Medicare for seniors.

So Romney has boldly alienated the one group of people he still had some popularity with, that is, old white men.

Ryan said that his main political influence was atheist Ayn Rand.

Here Romney alienated the religious voters who weren't already alienated by his being a religious cult member.

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.Don’t buy it.

Paul Ryan has zero foreign policy or national security experience. Romney also has no experience in that area. This is the least qualified foreign policy/national security ticket in the modern era. Neither has ever specialized in these concerns nor has either one ever served in the military. Nothing here. Nada. There is no comparison to any other ticket in the last 60 years. You probably have to go back to Stevenson/Sparkman in 1952 in terms of qualifications and even Stevenson had more experience than these two.

Paul Ryan has zero administrative or business experience. He has served seven terms as a US Rep. and has never run anything larger than a congressional office. He has not even run a think tank or something. Nor has he ever worked in the private sector.

This would not be a huge problem (see Obama, Barack) if his ticket mate had not spent the last several years claiming that a president or potential president must have that experience and arguing at times that any president should have worked at least 3 years in the private sector. That line of argument is no longer available to Romney.

Paul Ryan is particularly horrible with women's issues. He opposes abortion in all circumstances, making no exception for rape and/or incest. He supports the Sanctity of Life Amendment, which draws the line so early as to outlaw some forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization. He opposed the Lily Ledbetter Act on fair pay for women and, needless to say, supports every effort that would shove lesbians back into every closet. Single women, a huge problem for Republicans, are likely to run screaming from this ticket.

 Paul Ryan is a consummate Washington insider. He is a member of the most despised Congress in history and he is the favorite Republican for a certain, small class of centrist Beltway pundits. He has only made a living as a congressional aide, as a "consultant" for his family firm, or as a Congressman. Rhetorically, his selection means that Romney can no longer run as the outsider (if he ever could) or, at least, against Washington. This ticket is the least popular part of Washington.
Yes, this was a bold pick, but stupid.

President Obama said, “I'm glad he’s in the race, I welcome him.”

I don't doubt that.

I think every Democratic Party member welcomes Ryan into the race.

Wasn't Darth Vader available?