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Here’s how writing for a British audience can clarify the American scene for U.S. readers.

This is by Chris Caldwell, from his weekly Financial Times column:

Only two people on the Republican side can make a serious case that they are more relevant to the moment than Mr Obama. There is the fat, blunt, union-busting New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has said he will not run for president. And there is Mr Ryan himself — a level-headed and kindly man who represents a pro-Obama district. Now, if you press Mr Ryan hard enough, you can hear a lot of 1980s supply-side thinking coming out of him, of the kind the public distrusts. Democrats’ main priority for the past two months has been to expose this side of him. In fact, Democrats have focused on discrediting Mr Ryan’s reforms since late 2009. They see clearly, even if his fellow Republicans do not, that he is the logical, cometh-the-hour, cometh-the-man candidate for 2012. It would be cowardly of Republicans to nominate anyone else.

View all comments (54) |

Michael L. Hauschild| 5.29.11 @ 2:21PM

Dear Lord,
How could I have been so mistaken. Thanks for clearing this up for us. Oh by the way, hows that Sharia, socialist, marxist deal workin out for you?

Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 5.29.11 @ 3:44PM

Why do we listen to the Brits at all? Isn't this the same British media who got behind "then Senator" Obama, saying that the American People needed to vote for a Black man, to heal the wounds of our slavery past? Meanwhile, Britain has never been run by anybody other than a White Majority person. So let's just ignore them, because they've never been as enlightened as we have been, to have elected a minority as their Prime Minister, therefore they have no standing with us, to offer any advice on anything anymore. Only Countries that have applied the equal opportunity ideas into practice can tell us what to do from here on out, or whom to vote for or not to vote for. Which means, we no longer have to listen to any Country in the entire World, since we're the first, and only Country to elect a Minority within its population to its highest office. But there is one big thing left that we still need to do, and that is, vote for a Woman for President. Then we can just flip a finger to the entire World, because all bases will be covered then, Minority-check, Female-check (Minority Female you say? Whoa now!! Slow down just a little bit!!:^ ). Personally, I can't wait for the day that we do vote for a Woman as our President, I think it's about time, as long as that Woman isn't a Democrat, I think it'll be a great idea.

Nick| 5.29.11 @ 6:53PM

LLL,

Chris Caldwell is actually American.
And, the late, great Robert Novak's son-in-law.

Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 5.29.11 @ 7:53PM

Nick: I guess Mr Caldwell can't find a job in America either, huh? Poor Old Sod, forced to work across the pond, to make ends meet!! Yeah, yeah, I know, he writes for like 100 magazines here, it was a joke!! But I still want the Brits to butt out of our Politics in general (like they didn't in 2008), when commented on by a true Brit, or by an American working for a British publication, I don't care. Their Country is nothing to cheerio about presently either, so don't give us advice on how to run our ship, when yours is sinking too. Pot meet Kettle!! Worry about 10 Downing Street for a change, not 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!! Anyway, I've always been suspicious of those Brits, I've never really felt like they ever really got over that War of Independence with us. Call me paranoid if you will (it won't be the first time), but I don't trust those Brits, they've got shifty black soulless eyes!! Especially that Prince Dumbo Fellow, I'm pretty sure he cut the breaks on his ex-wife's car!! That's a joke too!! I'm sure he didn't do that, he probably paid somebody to do it for him, he's a Prince after all, he wouldn't want to get grease on his hands.

Nick| 5.30.11 @ 12:29AM

LLL,

Ha-ha!

I agree that the Brits shouldn't stick their noses in our business. And I'm part Limey!
It think it is envy from which the rest of the world suffers.

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 6:38AM

Have you read thus? Granted the writer is probably British, but it makes substantial sense. And. At least the press in the UK isn't afraid of the Artful Dodger sitting in the oval office ...

http://fullcomment.nationalpos.....cial-ruin/

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 3:05PM

Novak. A despicable scumbag who deserved ball whipping while alive.

At any rate, we'll nominate who we want. Screw the Pommie bastards. (Yeah, and I know what "Pommie" means---Prisoner of the mother country.)

Ryan has not announced that he wants to run. To take on Obama, you need fire in the belly. No fire, no victory.

Nick| 5.30.11 @ 6:48PM

That's a little harsh, don't ya' think, Occam?

I know Mr. Novak was harsh on Israel. But, he was a conservative who constantly stuck it to the left, and, didn't care what they said about it. As a reporter, he was second to none.

I, for one, miss his acerbic slings and arrows against the liberals.

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:27PM

Perhaps. But I'm not forgiving of Hamas supporters. He did fine on Communism---worthless on Islamofascism, which is the current problem. Born Jewish, hated his fellow Jews, did the best he could to get them killed.

No, I don't like Novak. But you seem OK, Nick.

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:33PM

Yes. But Mark Steyn does it MUCH better than Novak.

Clint| 5.30.11 @ 11:44PM

Robert Novak was a Lieutenant in The United States Army during The Korean War, Neo-Chickenhawk Coward Fanatic Israel Firster Traitor Bastard Tool Job.

R Martin| 5.31.11 @ 8:43AM

Pommie is an Australian term. They refer to English visitors as whinging Poms ("It's too hot here", "The flies are horrible", "The place is filled with snakes and spiders and jellyfish", etc.). The term evolved from the letters POME printed on the clothing of early transported prisoners. It was thought to mean "Prisoner of Mother Emgland.

Oldefarte| 5.29.11 @ 4:26PM

Paul Ryan [or even Mickey Mouse for that matter] would be preferable to the community organizer in chief that we're unfortionately have to suffer with [at least until November of next year]. What Barry Whiplash has been able to accompolish in total destruction within the last two years is mind-boggling. To think, that the reason for same is the ultimate STUPIDITY [or as he would phrase, 'ACTING STULIDLY'] of the American voting public. It amazes me that a substantial number of voters proclaim '''''I DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM'''''' [if this bees the case, then how in Hades did he get elected president?]. Will the Almighty please speed up the calender/clock and allow November of 2012 arrive any sooner???????

bluecollarbytes| 5.29.11 @ 4:48PM

I'm looking for someone who stands up for America and its individual citizen rights. Britain stands up for whatever it thinks the state of the new world order is, at any given moment.

This 'new order' is imagined to be a utopian amalgamation of disparate polar opposites into a world of 'peace' and 'justice'. In the end though it's still just everyone picking sides in preparation for the next world war.

J.C.Eaton| 5.29.11 @ 5:04PM

Yes, our stodgy cousins have a lot to say and are frequently petty, annoying, and holier than thou turdburgers. But make no mistake, Paul Ryan would make Obama look like the petulant, witless, punk-off he truly is. . It would be cool to see him tell Obama more about Obama's budget than Obama knows about Obama's budget.

C Bowen| 5.29.11 @ 7:51PM

Obama could easily run rings around TARP Ryan by illustrating how much they agree on: raising the debt ceiling, unbalanced budgets for the next decade...Ryan is a joke being hyped by the Ruling Class.

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 8:32AM

Whilst yomama is a member of the Ruling Class being hyped as "of the people!"

Oldefarte| 5.30.11 @ 10:29AM

The only 'joke' that most of us are aware of is.....THE ONE THAT CURRENTLY RESIDES IN THE WHITE HOUSE! Sadly, some of us [not yours truly] are guilty of 'acting stupidly' as of 11/4/08, and the 'joke' has been upon all of us ever since that disasterous date!!!!!!!!

C Bowen| 5.30.11 @ 8:07PM

Just consider how the Obama Team has been supporting Romney's socialist healthcare plan for the past year and a half as an example of what they would do with TARP Ryan.

Republicans would be fools to consider either Romney or Ryan to run against Obama.

Nick| 5.29.11 @ 6:46PM

There are a lot of things I like about Mr. Ryan, even if he has had a noodle-spine, once or twice, in the past.

But, you can't run for president from the House of Representatives. Name the last person who was successful? Other than being the incumbent or vice-president, the strongest office to have held in order to run for president is: Governor. Preferably from a southern/western state.

Personally, I wish we would go back to electing generals to the highest office in the land. I hope Alan West runs for governor of Florida someday!

Mimi| 5.30.11 @ 10:18AM

Nick...Who Says? this is AMERICA and there is always a first time. This talented, smart, honorable..FREEDOM loving public servant PATRIOT would make for one great president....Why you say?....cause he is a LEADER.
Chris is on good ground , and if any of the GREAT Robert Novak's political skills rubbed off, he was in good company.
As far as Ryan goes, it's good he is waiting....See what the LIB-SLIME is doing to him now! I sincerely think that once his well thought Plan gets the kinks out and begins to be the way forward, he will enter the RACE and there will be no turning back. Rare is the POL who is willing to take the risks that he has....We are oh..so...lucky to have him!

Nick| 5.30.11 @ 5:38PM

Mimi,

Of course, anything is possible. And, stranger things have happened. But, I'm going by a hundred years of American political history and what experts on elections have to say.

If we had run a governor in 'o8, we probably could've avoided O'Bama. But, since there were two senators running against each other, it was inevitable that a senator would win.

In the last 110 years, we Americans have elected nine governors to be president. That's nine of the last twenty, or, half. Of those nine, only two, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge, assumed office after the death of the sitting president. But, both Roosevelt and Coolidge were elected in their own right, in the next election.

So, if history is an indicator, and, I believe it is, we should nominate a governor to run against O'Bama.

Oldefarte| 5.30.11 @ 10:32AM

NEVER SAY 'NEVER', as some of us would have NEVER believed it possible for this country to become trojun-horsed CAPTURED [as it did upon 11/4/08] by a suspicious, unknown un-American type, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS SO!!!!!!!!

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:32PM

Gerald Ford went in through the out door to POTUS from the HOR, Nick.

PCC| 5.29.11 @ 10:02PM

Successful GOP platform:

1. Ryan's deficit reduction plan
2. Cantor's pro-growth economic plan
3. Bring troops home from AfPak
4. "Big gate, high walls" immigration plan

Bob K.| 5.30.11 @ 8:13AM

He doesn't generate much enthusiasm does he?

Even Wlady seems bored.

Oldefarte| 5.30.11 @ 10:33AM

Are you therefore ENTHUSED by the current office holder instead?????????

Bob K.| 5.30.11 @ 12:35PM

See my post below at 1233PM. I'm not going to repeat it.

PattyMor| 5.30.11 @ 8:26AM

Dear PCC, I like your plan. Let's add:

1. Eliminate the EPA (the 50 States can regulate the "environment"
2. Get rid of endangered species act
3. Remove privledge of eco-marxist groups to sue energy explorers/providers
4. Eliminate Dept. of Energy
5. Drill, for oil & gas
6. Get rid of Dept. of Education
7. Get rid of sanctuary cities
8. Make E-Verify mandatory

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 8:34AM

Repeal 99 weeks of unemployment!

Mimi| 5.30.11 @ 9:59AM

Oh...Patty, you are ON the money!...Good Plan!

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 4:47PM

Mimi -- my dream job was outsourced as a financial decision by my employer of 22 years. They treated me very very very well, but that didn't obviate the facts that 1 I was still quite youthful and 2 I needed to make money. I can't begin to tell you how difficult it was. This time last year? I was working three part time jobs and had rented out one of my unused bedrooms to a young woman. When I applied for the full time job I presently have, I had some of the skills they needed and demonstrated an interest to learn the rest. But I was later told that the thing that set me apart was the three part time jobs. No one is doing the labor force any favors by coddling them.

David Shoup| 5.30.11 @ 2:35PM

Patty, are you single? I adore women who think like you. They are HOT!

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 3:08PM

My dear Patty:

Only State, Treasury, Defense, and Interior should be Cabinet posts. All else can be subsumed.

Otherwise, I agree with you very much.

By the way, Novak was pro-Hamas.

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 4:58PM

Bob Novak struck me as someone who would have a weak, moist hand shake. He gave me the creeps.

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:31PM

And your nieces are Guatemalans! I knew I liked you, beebop!

PCC| 5.31.11 @ 2:11AM

I'm with you and am happy to serve as your veep.

Robbie| 5.30.11 @ 11:50AM

Jeb Bush would also beat Obama. I know many conservatives have blackballed him for his immigration policy, and I'm no fan of it either, but the electoral map shows him to be in a very strong position against Obama.

1. He wins all of the McCain 2008 states.
2. He wins back IN, VA, and NC.
3. He automatically wins FL while it would be a tossup with the other candidates.
4. He would be the strong favorite in OH as would Christie or Ryan.

Just based on the four points above, Jeb would need only win one other Obama 2008 state to win the presidency. Just one.

Given the economic distress, PA, MI, and WI would be potential pickups.

Given Jeb's Hispanic appeal, CO, NV, and NM would be prime for the taking as well.

Jeb could win a large enough national victory to make a difference in many of the tight Senate races. Republicans could approach 60 seats in the Senate.

I know most refuse to support him, but he is an extremely viable national candidate with a conservative track record on economic and entitlement reform.

He's not running, but we shouldn't lull ourselves into believing we can nominate any old person because we think Obama is so bad.

This field needs better options than Romney, Pawlenty, Palin, and Bachmann.

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 4:48PM

No one named bush has a prayer

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:31PM

Jeb BUSH. Soft on immigration. No merci.

Bob K.| 5.30.11 @ 12:33PM

Oldefarte,
Today is memorial day. If you are looking for a fight look elsewhere please. And try harder. Someone will oblige you, no doubt.

Nothing in my comment could possibly have given you the impression that I was enthused by Obama.

Oldefarte| 5.30.11 @ 2:50PM

It was/is just a simple question or conversation reply to your statement [Bob K.| 5.30.11 @ 8:13AM He doesn't generate much enthusiasm does he? Even Wlady seems bored. Oldefarte| 5.30.11 @ 10:33AM Are you therefore ENTHUSED by the current office holder instead?????????]. Oh, and I'm also aware of WHAT DAY this is, so have a happy Memorial Day, okay? Geez!

Teflon93| 5.31.11 @ 8:54AM

If enthusiasm is the standard, Sarah Palin will be the nominee.

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 3:15PM

Happy Memorial day, Bob!

Have you noticed that the MSM spends no time reviewing the superb people in our armed forces, compared to the amount of time expended on Lady Caca, Justin Drooler, or even Ben Stein. It would be nice if they would profile a serviceman a day, alternating officers and enlisted, don't you think?

When I was a kid, I was raised on the valor of a Nathan Hale, the brilliance of a Sherman and Grant. Hell, I'd be happy if the kids had decent role models like Tom Edison or Steinmetz.

Instead, we get an endles panoply of spotlights directed at worthless scum.

Still, at least we have this day and Veteran's day.

Given the current world situation, may I recommend a website on Stephen Decatur:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.c.....n_Decatur.

Now, there was a MAN!

G-d Bless.

beebop| 5.30.11 @ 4:37PM

My two adorable Guatamala born nieces were in a parade in their small community today. Soldiers, sailors, flags, antique cars, Rob Portman, tractors, fire engines and plenty of bunting. It was AWESOME and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Occam's Tool| 5.30.11 @ 8:29PM

Beebop,

the World's Two Cutest Children were born in Guatemala City. I'm sure your nieces are adorable.

beebop| 5.31.11 @ 5:21AM

When the oldest came home, my late mother commented that she would never know how lucky she is. In fact, we are the lucky ones.

David Shoup| 5.30.11 @ 2:31PM

Yes, we need Paul Ryan, or someone who thinks like him. A worn out old Republican hack will only yield the results of 2008, 1996, 1992, and 1976. Our country needs REAL hope and REAL change. Where did $14 TRILLION in debt come from? From the same old tax-and-spend that Washington serves up to us time and again as if we are too stupid to know that it MUST be stopped.

Paul McGrath| 5.30.11 @ 4:11PM

The Financial Times is right. The Republican nominee is going to have to galvanize the tea party movement. Christie will; Ryan will. Romney and Pawlenty won't. Sarah and Gingrich don't stand a chance.

As to the Brits, their ship--finally--seems to be moving in the right direction. Slowly to be sure.

Bill H| 5.31.11 @ 12:04AM

How do you write nonsense like this, Paul? Christie is a RINO and would not make it out of the primaries. And to say that Sarah doesn't stand a chance of galvanizing the tea party??? Yes, she was such a failure doing that in 2010. Oh wait, she was a MAJOR reason the GOP took back the House. Most of her endorsees won!! Sheesh!! Get Real!! ONLY Sarah Palin can win and NO one else! She will be the 45th President and will probably win this in a landslide. You heard it here first!!

Teflon93| 5.31.11 @ 8:05AM

The fundamental problem facing America today is that the welfare state is bankrupting this country. There is one---and only one---leader who is prepared to solve this problem and that is Paul Ryan.

Other candidates can come up to speed over the course of the next year, but Ryan was there first, knows it best, and provides the best shot of hammering Obama and the Obamunists into the ground over the issue.

eryk | 5.31.11 @ 5:24PM

Check out the Draft Paul Ryan 2012 page on Facebook for all the news about the drive to recruit Rep. Ryan to run for the nomination.

More Blog Posts by Wlady Pleszczynski

http://spectator.org/blog/2011/05/29/it-can-only-be-paul-ryan

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