Ryan’s selection gives campaign direction

Romney & Ryan — Ryan’s economically-savvy background will be the hub of Romney’s campaign. Photo Credit: James Currie

With the selection of 7-term Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has bolstered his conservative credentials while attempting to make the economy the focus of the 2012 election.

Ryan has been a key figure in shaping Republican economic policy throughout his tenure in Congress. Romney strongly endorsed Ryan’s economic polices when introducing him as his running mate.

“With energy and vision, Paul Ryan has become an intellectual leader of the Republican Party. He understands the fiscal challenges facing America,” Romney said when introducing his running mate during a campaign stop in Norfolk.

As Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan played a large role in writing the 2013 Republican budget proposal. According to an article he wrote for the House of Representatives official website, the budget claims to cut spending by “$5 trillion relative to [the] President’s budget.” It calls for the repeal of the health care bill, among other changes.

“This budget offers a blueprint for safeguarding America from the perils of debt, doubt and decline,” Ryan said in the bill’s introduction.

Selecting Ryan allows Romney to build his credentials as someone who will rebuild the economy. This continued focus on the economy will give Romney an advantage over Obama in November. A recent poll by Fox News showed that voters view the economy as the most important issue for this election with 56 percent of respondents describing it as “very important.”

However, Ryan does bring some baggage to the campaign. In 2005, he gave a speech where he talked about Ayn Rand, the author of the book Atlas Shrugged.

“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,” said Ryan, as quoted in a recent article on The Huffington Post. “The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.”

Many of Rand’s beliefs directly contradict Ryan’s Catholicism. A recent CNN article by Gary Weiss described Rand as a “militant atheist who favored abortion” and believed in an extreme version of capitalism where there is no morality and where people should simply look out for themselves.

In a recent interview with the National Review, Ryan disavowed Rand’s writings, declaring them “antithetical” to his own views.

While there is nothing wrong with Ryan changing and correcting his views over time, this does raise the issue of what his core beliefs really are. This was not just a slip of tongue or a typo. His previous support of Rand was intentional.

Instead of brushing this aside as if it had never happened, in the coming weeks of campaigning, Ryan should address his previous support of Rand. This is something that, if left unexplained, could be used against him. The current economic policies he is trying to enact could be a great help to the country, but Ryan needs to address this issue so that it cannot be used to derail him.

With his selection of Ryan, Romney has drawn a clear battle line for this year’s election and has made the economy the focal point of the election. If Ryan is willing to clarify his beliefs and use his recent accomplishments as credentials, his economic expertise will be a valuable addition to Romney’s campaign. The stage has been set. The actors are in their positions. It is time for the show to begin.

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