Romney Picks Ryan as VP Choice; Presents Economic Agenda - The Road to the White House - Election 2012 - Week 32

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Saturday, 11 August 2012 22:38

Written by Janet Walker

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Presumptive Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, in his bid for President of the United States, has chosen Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, as his Vice-Presidential running mate.

With the Battleship Wisconsin as his backdrop, Romney, proclaimed today “we take another step forward” in restoring America’s future and vowed to create “12 million jobs and better take home pay for middle class families” and to bring “widespread and shared prosperity” before he made his big announcement that of selecting seven term representative Ryan and introducing him to the crowd “as the next Vice President of the United States.”

According to Gallup, as of August 11, 2012 among registered voters President Obama’s national popularity dropped a single percentage point this week to 46% and Mitt Romney’s national popularity gained one percentage point to 46%. 

President Obama’s current overall ratings, according to Gallup, again dropped two single percentage points over the past week to 43% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness increased to a record 50%.

As Romney’s choice in Rep. Paul Ryan clearly projects a focus on the bottom line, according to Gallup, around the country, an overwhelming 59% of voters feel the economy is getting worse while only 35% believe the economy is getting better.

With all evidence that a worsening economy is looming voter’s confidence is still quite low. July unemployment numbers, even seasonally adjusted, are for the 42nd straight month above 8% and coupled with an economy that has not seen regular growth in as many months it is highly unlikely that the rebuttal to the Romney’s choice will be economics.

Maintaining an economic focus and message, Romney chose in Ryan a candidate much like himself, balance sheet savvy, with considerable numbers expertise and an eye on the American prize and restoring that prize to the America people.

Ryan, at 42, has the opportunity to sway the younger swing vote, the once grass root Obama supporter, as he can relate to the thousands of recent unemployed college graduates as sympathetic to their cause; educated, saddled with student loan debt and underemployed or worse unemployed with no jobs on the horizon and faced with an economic outlook that from all indicators is not changing any time soon.

Ryan was chosen to give the Republican rebuttal to Obama State of the Union Address and has long been considered the most knowledgeable member of the house on budgetary matters and while his hard line budget cuts are often lauded Romney was quick to lay a clear message that he as President would be making the budget decisions.

Ryan, a veteran Washington insider, a seven term, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 1^st Congressional District which he has served for the past twelve years. Ryan was on the short list of potential VP candidates over the past few weeks of speculation. 

With the choice, the two set forth a numbers agenda. Focusing on America and the current economic woes, Romney has made the recession, America’s long term economic problems and Restoring America’s Future the focus of his campaign.

The Republican National Convention, where delegates will be officially conferred to the candidates and where Mitt Romney will be designated the Republican Presidential Nominee will take place in Tampa Bay, Florida, August 27-30, 2012.

The Democratic National Convention will take place in Charlotte North Carolina, September 3 -6, 2012.

To access the Republican Official Convention site: www.gopconvention2012.com/

To access the Democratic Official Convention site: www.demconvention.com/