PrintAugust 14, 2012
Paul Ryan and the Republican Future
We should hope that Paul Ryan helps Romney beat Obama. Ryan is likeable, glib, and nice-looking, and he has proven able to sell the benefits of fiscal sanity to blue-collar constituencies. Ryan will more than hold his own in the vice presidential debates. He is not going to commit any gaffes or detract from the ticket.
His electoral appeal, however, largely overlaps Romney's support -- hard-nosed fiscal conservatives who know that the path of the last four years will lead to a general meltdown of the American economy. Ryan may help carry Wisconsin, particularly because his own congressional district, which loves him, is strongly Democrat. It is even possible that Ryan will carry a persuasive message into neighboring Rust-Belt states like Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa.
Congressman Ryan, however, is not going to win the election for Romney or do more than provide a modest boost in a few areas. The election remains Romney's to win or to lose,...(Read Full Article)
