VP Pick As An Anchor
Four years ago, The Republican presidential nominee had to select a running mate. This list from Wikipedia is more comprehensive than the prominent names I have listed.
U.S. Senators
- Sam Brownback – Senior U.S. Senator from Kansas, 2008 presidential candidate
- Lindsey Graham – Senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and long time McCain friend
- Lisa Murkowski – Junior U.S. Senator from Alaska
- Olympia Snowe – Senior U.S. Senator from Maine
- John E. Sununu – Junior U.S. Senator from New Hampshire
- John Thune – Junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota, endorsed McCain
Governors
- Haley Barbour – Governor of Mississippi
- Matt Blunt – Governor of Missouri
- Charlie Crist – Governor of Florida
- Sarah Palin – Governor of Alaska. Sarah Palin became the GOP Vice-Presidential nominee in 2008.
- Tim Pawlenty – Governor of Minnesota and Co-Chair of McCain for President
- Mark Sanford – Governor of South Carolina
Sarah Palin was the winner of the VP-Stakes and was disastrous for the McCain campaign, specifically, and for all Republicans, more generally.
Fast forward four years. It would seem apparent as we approach the last week in September, that the Republicans have learned exactly – 0 – when it come to selecting a VP candidate.
Here is the Wikipedia list, I need not take up space with the names here.
Prior to the selection of Rep Paul Ryan (R) WI as Romney’s running mate, Romney had so many “etch-a-sketch” moments that most of the public really did not know where he stood on any one issue. And the polls showed, figuratively speaking, a neck-and-neck-horse-race between the President and the Challenger.
By selecting Ryan, and by extension the Ryan budget, all ambiguity has been removed from the likely voters mind. In the last month and especially after the Republican convention, there has been a slow erosion of support for the Republican positions and the incumbent, President Obama, has opened up a five plus point lead.
One explanation of the Ryan budget cuts
What exactly does Ryan want to cut? Here, a brief guide:
Where is Ryan focusing his cuts?
As it was the last time around, the centerpiece of Ryan’s plan is his proposal to transform Medicare into a system of subsidized private insurance plans — only this time he’s suggesting offering seniors the option of buying into the traditional “fee-for-service” program. Over the next 10 years, Ryan’s plan would shave $205 billion in Medicare spending. Then more savings would roll in as the Medicare eligibility age gradually climbed from 65 to 67. Ryan hopes to save another $810 billion in federal spending on Medicaid over the next decade. But he’s proposing even bigger cuts elsewhere.What programs would face the biggest reductions?
All of the government’s entitlement programs, including welfare, food stamps, agricultural subsidies ($30 billion), and transportation, would come under the chopping block. Together, they’d account for $2 trillion in spending cuts. Ryan’s plan — which, by the way, has essentially zero chance of passing in the Democratic-controlled Senate — calls for spending 13 percent less on veterans, 6 percent less on science, space, and technology, and 25 percent less on transportation projects, such as upgrading roads and bridges.
Here is the full tape/video recording of the now infamous, Romney talk at a $50,000-a-plate dinner.
$50,000-a-plate? How many of you readers, not ‘could afford a dinner that expensive,’ no my question is how many of you make $50,000 a year? Dwell on that. How much money must one make a year to be able to spend that much to help someone gain the Presidency?
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