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The Spectacle Blog
Paul Ryan gets it. As he said to a cheering crowd, “America is more than just a place, though. America is an idea. It’s the only country founded on an idea. Our rights come from nature and God, not from government.”
Can I get a “Halleljuah, Brother Paul!”?
He continued with an obvious sincerity and emotion: “That’s who we are. That’s how we built this country. That’s what made us great. That’s our founding. We promise equal opportunity, not equal outcomes. And this idea was founded on the principles of liberty, freedom, free enterprise, self-determination, and government by consent of the governed.”
Ryan promised that he and Romney “won’t duck the tough issues; we will lead. We won’t blame others; we will take responsibility. And we won’t replace our founding principles; we will reapply them.”
It was remarkable to hear the audience respond when Paul Ryan asked rhetorically “what kind of people do we want to be?” They yelled in near-unison “free!”
Ryan continued “we can turn this thing around. But it will take leadership and the courage to tell you the truth…Together we will unite America and get this done!”
It reminds me that one possible downside of Romney’s choice of running mate is how many Republicans will wish that their roles were reversed!
View all comments (39) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Ross Kaminsky
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/08/11/why-paul-ryan-is-tremendous
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Ken (Old Texican)| 8.11.12 @ 10:36AM
Ross,
I find myself almost giddy after having read the speeches.
I love Mark Rubio...but he is a little green.
With Ryan to reassure the base on an ongoing basis, Romney can continue to try to erect the "big tent" as Reagan did.
If Ryan does his job, the turn-out at the pols will be hugundous.
Bob Grant| 8.11.12 @ 11:25AM
Finally, an adult in the room!!!
Obama, Biden, and to some extent...Romney...BUFFOONISH!!!
When was the last time we had someone (president or vice president) THIS SERIOUS on a ticket, any Ticket???
Other than Cheney, I cannot think of one.
Great pick. I cannot think of a better choice.
Trinacria| 8.11.12 @ 2:06PM
Amen, brother. Couldn't agree more. Well said!
Teflon93 | 8.11.12 @ 1:25PM
If Paul Ryan "gets it", then why is he so weak on the unions bankrupting this country? He voted for the Davis-Bacon act "prevailing wage" requirements, to make government contractors comply with union demands, for the debt ceiling increase, and for the omnibus spending bill (and AGAINST the conservative bill to roll spending back to 2008---which would get rid of the "emergency" spending Obama included in the baseline budget).
Maybe Kaminsky doesn't "get it".
Trinacria| 8.11.12 @ 2:08PM
Yeah, and there was this one time at band camp when he didn't make his bed! You're right, Tef - he's got waaaaaay too much baggage.
DRed| 8.11.12 @ 1:31PM
Now Obama doesn't even have to try to hang Ryan's wildly unpopular Medicare voucher plan around Romney's neck. It also mean's Romney's plan to sit in the background and let the economy drag Obama down isn't working. Romney knows the voters aren't going to like his ideas, which is why he's been so vague about them. Now he's a personally unpopular candidate running on an unpopular platform. You guys would have been better off just nominating Ryan.
spike59| 8.13.12 @ 7:02AM
ObaMao would do well to avoid even mentioning Medicaire, seeing how his ObamaCare guts the program by $700 billion...a fact that will be driven home to the voters REPEATEDLY
Simon Templar| 8.11.12 @ 1:47PM
The choosing of Ryan as VP is an indication that they have forfeited the race and expect to lose. They are saving Rubio for a 2016 run and do not want to jeopardize his career and potentiality by putting him in a bad position. Ryan is essentially unknown by the general public and terribly soft spoken, bookish, and a wonk from a state that they will not carry. I have nothing against the guy and feel is an honest man for the most part but an establishment guy, nevertheless. And as the useful idiot above has pointed out he has bills, proposals, and plans that he has set forth this past two years that they can make up a whole shitload of lies about and distort. They also do not want another eclipsing Palin effect, the establishment Romney campaign, so they went with the bland guy rather than the dynamic Rubio.
Another prediction...do not expect that they will coming out this week and the following with blazing guns after the onslaught of propaganda and outrageous lies that Bam threw forward this past week.
Look closely, they are following the same old tired formula and believing the same old RINO bullshit about how to win an election from their ridiculous fear of losing independents to their play it safe and not personal or ideological strategy.
Simon Templar| 8.11.12 @ 6:47PM
Let me add they have unwittingly shifted the focus of this election on entitlements and away from the state of the economy which is what this election should solely be about. Bam and his campaign are dancing and celebrating right now.
DRed| 8.11.12 @ 1:57PM
Here is a collection of some of my favorite Paul Ryan quotes:
"I grew up reading Ayn Rand and it taught me quite a bit about who I am and what my value systems are, and what my beliefs are. It’s inspired me so much that it’s required reading in my office for all my interns and my staff."
"I think Ayn Rand did the best job of anybody to build a moral case of capitalism, and that morality of capitalism is under assault.”
“I reject her philosophy,” Ryan said this year. “It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas…Don’t give me Ayn Rand.”
Politicians really are the worst.
Trinacria| 8.11.12 @ 2:14PM
Congratulations Dred; you've revealed to the world a heretofore unknown universal law: politicians contradict themselves.
Tell you what, sport - find us one that doesn't and get back to us. Until then , let's not start writing our Nobel acceptance speech just yet...
Bob Grant| 8.11.12 @ 2:15PM
So he buys into Ayn Rand's philosophy, at least partially.
He's also a devout Catholic.
DRed, people are complex.
Simon Templar| 8.11.12 @ 6:42PM
Comrade,
As a Marxist you should know the difference between a philosophy and a science. Then again perhaps you do not as Marx himself seemed to equate the two given he had has a doctorate in philosophy and wrote a book on economics. One can disagree with another's philosophy of life and view of the world in spiritual terms but agree with their viewpoints on economic systems and their merits.
There is no contradiction here.
Mnestheus| 8.13.12 @ 12:46AM
I see, Rand grew up a Marxist and became a born again Aristotelian, while Ryan, raised on Rand, has tuned in to the old time religion of Thomas Aquinas to join aMelchidezek High Priest in a run for the White House on the Natural Law ticket.
And what has this got to do with Reagan ?
Simon Templar| 8.13.12 @ 10:31AM
Ask DRED, not me. That is my point. What does any of this talk about Ryan favoring Rand's economic views and at the same time not supporting her atheism have anything to do with anything or this election?
Nick| 8.12.12 @ 10:04AM
Way to wrench quotations out of context, DRed.
Let me guess, you're on the democrat party's talking-points mailing-list, huh?
Here is the context you refused to provide:
The first two quotes are from a speech Representative Ryan gave to The Atlas Society in....2005. The third quote is from an interview by National Review's Robert Costa, this past April.
Here is what Edward Hudgins, director of advocacy at The Atlas Society, has to say:
"'He [Rep. Ryan] told me, quite frankly, before he gave that [2005] talk that he disagreed with Ayn Rand on a number of issues, but he likes her on other things,' Hudgins recalled. 'I don’t know that there are inconsistencies. He’s been quite clear about the fact that he’s a Catholic and, therefore, he rejects Rand’s atheism and some other aspects of her philosophy. On the other hand, he likes the free market parts. He likes notion of — the celebration of innovation.'"
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/201.....-ayn-rand/
Nick| 8.12.12 @ 10:06AM
Continued....
Here is the paragraph that appeared in NR before the one you quoted, DRed:
"'I, like millions of young people in America, read Rand’s novels when I was young. I enjoyed them,' Ryan says. 'They spurred an interest in economics, in the Chicago School and Milton Friedman,' a subject he eventually studied as an undergraduate at Miami University in Ohio. 'But it’s a big stretch to suggest that a person is therefore an Objectivist.'"
http://www.nationalreview.com/.....bert-costa
Boy, context sure means everything, doesn't it?
Next time, DRed, cut & paste from a more honest source, okay?
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 2:38PM
I don't see how that context changes anything. It's not like I said Ryan was an Obectivist. He claims he was inspired by Rand's value systems and beliefs (even though her philosophy is antithetical to his worldview-which would make him a collectivist, I guess?) and that's why he entered government so he could vote for Medicare Part D. Rand is a shameless fraud, just like Mittens. It's going to be fun watching you all justify voting for these two.
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 2:39PM
whoops. Meant to say that Ryan is a shameless fraud.
Trinacria| 8.12.12 @ 3:04PM
So to summarize, Ryan is a shameless fraud and Obama is a genuine, principled, forthright, ethical, and honorable man whose unimpeachable patriotism and indefatigable support of the principles upon which this nation was founded are unparalleled in the annals of human history.
Yeah, your judgment is sound...
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 3:09PM
oh Trin, now there's straw everywhere! What a mess. I didn't say a thing about Obama, did I?
Trinacria| 8.12.12 @ 3:26PM
Fair point, DRed. So I'll ask you directly. You regard Ryan as a shameless fraud. Given that elections are about choices, it seems like a fair question to ask how the opposing candidate compares to the "shamelessly fraudulent" Romney and Ryan. Is it your view that Mr. Obama is different in this regard?
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 5:33PM
Yes, at least in degree. I mean, Obama's a politician, which means he's going to be spinning some lies. In the run up to the last election I used to mock some of my friends who were true believers in Obama that all he stood for was 'same you could believe in'. I think Obama's better than the available alternatives, but I've never thought he was going to be a great, transformative leader. He's a cautious centrist who talks like a radical reformer.
In contrast, I'm not really sure what Mittens believes in aside from the fact that he should be president. He's a brazen liar who seems incapable of holding a position for more than a week (just look at what he's said about the Ryan budget plans in the last two days). Ryan claims to be a true believer when it comes to small government and individual liberty who is a deficit hawk, but he voted for all of W's debt expanding policies, the Patriot Act, etc. Here's Ryan explaining why he voted for the auto bailout "And so I voted for that to prevent precisely what has happened, which I feared would happen." His budget is a joke which will massively expand the debt. And he's supposed to be a serious conservative thinker? He's a charlatan. Obviously, you hate Obama-so vote for Mittens and Ryan. But don't tell me you're voting for small government or individual liberty, because you're not.
Trinacria| 8.12.12 @ 6:02PM
Point 1: thank you for your reply; it's refreshing to see a liberal try to defend their point without the use of ad hominem attacks.
Point 2: I respect your right to believe Mr. Obama's record makes him a less flawed candidate, as well as your right to believe Mr Ryan represents more of a threat to the national debt than the man who amassed more debt in 3 years than his 43 predecessors combined (2 years of which he enjoyed democratic majorities in both houses). I know - it was Bush's fault (don't bother).
Point 3: did I say I was voting for small government or individual liberty? Let's be clear, any hope for either has long since passed...
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 6:10PM
One quibble-your math on the debt is wrong. The debt in 2008 was 10 trillion. In 2011 it was almost 15 trillion. I've heard from many of you how Obama amassed more debt in 3 years than his 43 predecessors combined, so I did some research, and it looks like some conservative got his Bushes confused (the debt was a bit lower than 5 trillion when Bush 41 left office).
Trinacria| 8.13.12 @ 1:40PM
In the interest of accuracy I will grant your point regarding the debt and amend my statement to "amassed more debt in 3 years than the first 41 presidents over a 224 year period combined". I hasten to note, however, that it hardly changes the point.
DRed| 8.13.12 @ 4:32PM
It took Reagan 4 years to amass more debt than all the presidents before him combined, so by your logic is he worse than Obama when it comes to debt?
Simon Templar| 8.13.12 @ 10:39AM
Comrade,
Well, then what are you complaining about? You are not in favor of small government or individual liberty, so what is the problem? You should not be objecting to a GOP win as it will be more of the 'same that you can believe in....'
spike59| 8.13.12 @ 7:04AM
DRed, you don't HAVE to say anything about ObaMao; the overflow from your chin onto your blue dress gives you away
Nick| 8.12.12 @ 4:50PM
"It's not like I said Ryan was an Obectivist."
Umm, not in so many words, but, that was your clear implication. This has been the lefty canard ever since the NR interview came out in April. I.e., that Rep. Ryan was a "devotee" of Rand (he never was) but is now distancing himself from her. This is fraudulent, DRed.
I couldn't believe how many leftists popped-up when I googled that first quote. You libs truly are lemmings.
And YOU tried to further this false myth, yesterday, with your "favorite" quotes. Gotta' hate google, huh, DRed?
Since, it took me all of 5 minutes to discover your fraud.
I, like Mr. Ryan, am a Catholic. I, like Mr. Ryan, reject Rand's atheism & philosophy. But, like Mr. Ryan, I agree with many of Rand's views on the proper role of government. I also agree with some tenets of libertarianism. This doesn't make me a libertarian.
What is fraudulent about this position?
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 6:32PM
The man gave the keynote address at a celebration of Ayn Rand hosted by an organization of Ayn Rand devotees. Doesn't it seem an odd thing to do if her beliefs are antithetical to his?
There's nothing fraudulent about your position, but that's not what Paul Ryan's position is. At least not according to him.
Nick| 8.12.12 @ 7:20PM
And the man who was actually there, Mr. Hudgins, who is the director of advocacy at The Atlas Society, says that Paul Ryan "disagreed with Ayn Rand on a number of issues, but he likes her on other things."
Were you there?
Sorry, but I'll trust the guy who runs the Rand group rather than a bunch of lefties trying to paint a false picture of Mr. Ryan, thank you.
Anyone with a modicum of objectivity, who has read my links, can see the deceit in posting those quotes as if they proved duplicity on Mr. Ryan's part, DRed.
I mean, it's not like Paul Ryan claimed that he believed marriage was between a man & woman, while everyone assumed he was lying; and then did a 180, in an election year, claiming that he evolved, now is it?
DRed| 8.12.12 @ 8:25PM
No, I wasn't there, but I listened to his full speech and the Q&A that followed. I sure as hell didn't hear a man who thought Ayn Rand's beliefs were antithetical to his own belief system. Did you?
You're going to vote for Mittens and you really want to start talking about politicians changing their views? I'd be happy to have that discussion with you.
Nick| 8.13.12 @ 9:22AM
None of that matters, DRed, because my guy is better than your guy. Because my guy is good and your guy is evil.
(Just thought I would reduce all the lefty arguments down to two sentences and throw them back at ya'.)
Oldefarte| 8.11.12 @ 2:25PM
HAPPY DAYS are [or at least will be] HERE AGAIN! Ryan exclaimed an old old saying of my generation that he as a youngster recalled his father telling him many times, that EITHER YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM, OR YOU'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION! We now have a potential solution, and it will be painful, it will be nasty, it will not be fun, BUT it will be necessary and it will be done! GTH you sleezball domestic terrorist, radical community orgainizers and SHOVE YOUR CRADLE-TO-GRAVE WELFARE WHERE THE SUN WILL NEVER SHINE!!!!
Fiscal| 8.11.12 @ 7:44PM
Actually Ryan was probably the best choice among the alternatives -- one who can possibly bridge the gap between independents and conservatives. There are two major issues from a political perspective, however...
First, the ticket will lose some of the seniors vote as Ryan's plan does change Medicare "as we know it". Second, Romney's whole schtick is that he understands business -- Ryan has absolutely no business experience and worse, no foreign policy experience. That makes the ticket extremely weak on foreign policy.
Ryan is a single and limited focus pick -- the budget. He is not even strong on economics. This sets the state for a Romney focus on the budget and debt. All Obama has to do is say the team is incompetent in everything else. Just like Bush choosing Cheney for his foreign policy experience and Obama choosing Biden for his experience, Romney did not follow a winning strategy.
Ryan will make this battle more difficult even if he was the best choice.
RWinks| 8.13.12 @ 11:41AM
Arithmetic is changing "Medicare as we know it". It's going broke. I'm more worried about a President who wants to change America as we know it.
spike59| 8.13.12 @ 7:05AM
ObaMa picked Joey Plugs for impeachment insurance, nothing more
Simon Templar| 8.13.12 @ 10:32AM
Found an interesting interview with Paul Ryan in 2010. Check it out. Perhaps, he does get it...
http://www.theblaze.com/storie.....from-2010/