Romney-Ryan: Economic Dream Team?

Bill Clinton declared in 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid!”

Charles Krauthammer said last week “It’s the ideology, stupid!” (“The Case Against Reelection”–a MUST READ).

Both are correct. Bad ideology produces poor economic results.

By picking Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has created a Economic Dream Team with a good ideology to run against the president this fall.

Paul Ryan was a bold and brilliant choice.

Here’s why.

I admit that U.S. Representative Paul Ryan was always in my top tier of vice presidential picks. The list was long because there are many outstanding conservative governors in the nation right now (Christy, Daniels, Jindal, O’Donnell, Kasich, Walker, Martinez, Haley etc.) and also other high caliber leaders (such Condoleezza Rice and David Petraeus) who possess laudable strengths.

But in choosing Ryan over over two other more low-key Midwesterners—Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty—Romney boldly chose a running mate with strong conservative credentials (American Conservative Union rating: 93 percent) and one who could energize the conservative grassroots. 

He is also, at forty-two years old, America’s clearest, bravest economic thinker.

As the author of the Republican alternative budget known as the “Path to Prosperity” (Ryan Plan), the seven-time Wisconsin lawmaker became a media sensation and a much-sought-after speaker for fellow Republicans running for office. Shortly after release of his plan in March, he became the vice presidential prospect with the most media coverage, according to HighBeam Research. Its polling showed Ryan besting Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, 27 percent to 23.5 percent in terms of media attention.

Arizona Rep. and GOP Senate hopeful Jeff Flake was ecstatic about the Ryan pick, as he tweeted supporters: “Wow! What a powerhouse economic team! It drips of gravitas.  Can’t wait for the fall elections.”

I met Paul Ryan last year during a National Association of Evangelicals meeting in Washington, D.C. He spoke to our group of fifty leaders about his faith, the economic problems facing this nation, and the necessary solutions to solve them. I was deeply impressed, and after talking with him for a while, left the room thinking to myself “This guy would make a great president.”

Apparently Mitt Romney thought so too. His stated first priority in choosing a running mate was whether the individual was fit to be president of the United States.

Paul Ryan? Home run. Since this was Romney’s first choice in revealing what kind of president he will be, we can be increasingly confident about a Romney administration. Compare that to Barack Obama’s first choice of Joe Biden, a gaffe-prone, plagarist who tows the union line and usually takes the wrong position on significant issues (like the “Surge” in Iraq).

Obama chose poorly. It should have been an omen of things to come.

So why is Paul Ryan a great pick for vice president?

1. He was Human Events’ Conservative of the Year in 2011–making him the most genuine and articulate voice for Judeo-Christian values in the United States. American conservatism is the political philosophy of biblical faith that recognizes God as the source of human rights, the need for faith and morality as the pillars of a free society, and promotes individual responsibility and accountability, free enterprise and limited government as crucial expressions of liberty. In choosing Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney assured the nation that he can be a Reaganesque leader who will champion conservative principles. That makes the fall election a stark contrast between a Judeo-Christian conservative ticket and a secular progressive liberal one. America must choose one of two destinies: to renew the genius of “America” or go the way of Europe (think Greece and other European nations).

2. He’s the brightest economic bulb in the room. Democrats seem to pride themselves in choosing “smart” leaders (which they say applies to Barack Obama, and in the 90s, Bill Clinton). In this case, the R’s have them beat hands down. No one with an open mind who has ever heard Paul Ryan talk about national economics believes there is anybody in the country who understands it better than he does. In fact, Ryan rose to his current hero status as an economic statesman when he clearly up-staged President Obama during a White House meeting on health care. It took him only six minutes to take apart Obamacare with facts, figures, and perspective that clearly agitated the president in 2009. You can watch the action here.

3. He’s young and energetic, focusing on a future that can brim with hope if we have the guts to create it. Paul Ryan really is “Hope and Change” after four years of decline. Barack Obama fooled the youthful electorate of America in 2008 with his charisma and empty promises. Paul Ryan is physically fit (only 6-8% body fat), would be one of our youngest vice presidents, and will provide a graphic visual image of the difference between two parties. I’ve got a great campaign sign for the new Romney-Ryan team. Simply display a photo of senior-citizen, white-haired Joe Biden with the Obama campaign theme “Forward!” and contrast it with the young, energetic Ryan. Paul Ryan and his vision are truly the way forward in American politics. The Obama-Biden ticket is really “Forward Off the Cliff.” It reminds me of General Custer crying “Forward!” when his unsuspecting troops entered Little Big Horn.

4. Paul Ryan also brings an attractive bi-partisan spirit to the national election. He’s been elected seven times from a Democrat-leaning district in the mostly-blue state of Wisconsin. In 2008, Barack Obama won the district with nearly 54%. But Paul Ryan won his election with nearly 65% of the total. That means that a significant number of Democrats voted for him. Because of Ryan’s humility, brilliance and common-sense approach, he is greatly liked and respected by both sides of the aisle in Congress. He’s the only Congressional leades to put together a major bi-partisan Medicare Reform bill with Democratic Senator Ron Widen of Oregon. In the Obama age of class and party warfare, Ryan’s willingness to work with others is a breath of fresh air.

5. Though is a Catholic, Paul Ryan is considered the leading choice of evangelicals in the nation. This would have been unthinkable fifty years ago. But believers in America have come to realize that people of all denominations can have a strong Judeo-Christian worldview regardless of their church affiliation. This also applies to Mitt Romney in 2012. Though Mormonism is outside the Christian mainstream, the LDS worldview of faith, morality, freedom, and limited civil government is in sharp contrast to the growth of immorality and big government which is encouraged by the secular political left. Paul Ryan can be a great spokesman for spiritual and moral renewal.

6. Both Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney are exemplary family men. Ryan and  his wife Janna have three young children that are being raised in his original hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin (Ryan owns no home or apartment in D.C., but sleeps on a couch in his office, then catches the first plane back to Wisconsin on weekends to be with his family). Mitt and Ann Romney have five grown sons and eighteen grandchildren. While the Democratic Party will now, for the first time, endorse the re-definition of marriage in the 2012 Democratic Party Platform, the Republicans will renew their commitment to true marriage and family, and demonstrate its beauty through both the Romney and Ryan clans.

7. Paul Ryan is the ONLY leader in America willing to take the political fallout of offering a credible plan to reign in entitlements. No other politican has had either the guts or the foresight to do so. What is the Obama Administration’s plan for runaway entitlement spending (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, welfare payments etc.): Nothing. Zero. The Obama economic plan is simply tax and spend and the future be damned. The choice of Paul Ryan as VP shows that Mitt Romney is willing to take head-on America’s fiscal crisis and find some necessary solutions. Ryan’s Plan is not perfect–but he had the courage to start the conversation that needs to be completed. Many politicians are wimps that make empty promises to the masses. Paul Ryan is a courageous leader who is taking on the fairy-tale myth of endless entitlements and bringing us back to reality.

When I was in the country of Mongolia this summer, I lamented the lack of good roads and infrastructure and said to my national hosts: “You need to hire the brightest minds in the country, pay them the highest wage, and ask them to fix the roads! It needs to be your ‘Manhattan Project’ to allow your country to prosper in the 21st century.”

Mitt Romney’s pick of Paul Ryan as VP shows that he understands that America’s “Manhatten Project” for this time period in our nation is runaway deficits and spending. He chose the very best to tackle that problem when he picked Paul Ryan.

In fact, the Republican ticket this year gives the nation a clear choice to lead us into the future. Mitt Romney is recognized as one of the nation’s premier businessmen who understands how to create jobs and lead the economy back to growth. Paul Ryan is renowned for having the best ideas on how to curb out-of-control spending.

Romney: Job creator Ryan: Debt reducer. That’s a powerful combination.

It won’t be easy, but America’s Economic Dream Team will offer their services to America on November 6 in the 2012 presidential election. Steve Moore of the Wall St. Journal says: “With Mr. Ryan on the ticket, there will be little doubt that in 2012 Republicans are the party of hope and change, while Democrats have become the policy reactionaries touting a message of fear and the status quo.”

I hope we choose wisely.

 

 

 

 

create jobs and another who understands the need to cut entitlements.