Posted on 08/17/2012 8:00:22 PM PDT by Sola Veritas
(Reuters) - In his first week as a Republican U.S. vice presidential candidate, Paul Ryan has quietly moved away from the Medicare reform plan that has defined his political career.
At campaign stops, Ryan has made little mention of the Medicare and budget savings that conservatives cheered when presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced his running mate. When Medicare comes up, it's more often than not in an attack on Democratic President Barack Obama.
"Do you think raiding Medicare to pay for Obamacare is an achievement? Why don't we just get rid of Obamacare all together?" Ryan said at a rally in Springfield, Virginia, on Friday.
Romney, meanwhile, has promised to spend $716 billion more than either Ryan or Obama would spend over the coming 10 years on the popular government health insurance program for the elderly.
Romney's promise - and Ryan's silence - could help their ticket pick up votes among the elderly who are suspicious of any changes to Medicare.
But the Republican candidates' stance would also make it more difficult to reduce trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits, said to Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute.
"What Ryan and Romney are doing right now is political, not budgetary. They are clearly doing less than I think they should in terms of Medicare reform, and they're doing it for purely political reasons," said Tanner, who has been a fierce critic of Obama's health insurance law.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Typical Reuters.
Another quote from the article:
So far, Ryan appears to be willing to set aside his charts and tables in order to serve the political interests of an election campaign that has steered clear of detail, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.
“He’s being neutered to be an acceptable vice presidential candidate, and he’s obviously willing to have that operation performed,” said Jillson.
Sounds like an echo of McCain Palin campaign.
Ryan: "Do you think raiding Medicare to pay for Obamacare is an achievement? Why don't we just get rid of Obamacare all together?" Ryan said at a rally in Springfield, Virginia, on Friday.
So Romney has so corrupted Ryan that he's stumping for repealing Obamacare? Throw me in THAT briar patch.
Nevertheless, I certainly don't trust Reuters not to put up a misleading--or a lying--headline. Indeed, the headline seems to be contradicted by a quote not too far down in the article:
"Do you think raiding Medicare to pay for Obamacare is an achievement? Why don't we just get rid of Obamacare all together?" Ryan said at a rally in Springfield, Virginia, on Friday.
I still cannot support Romney. But I'd say that that quote pretty well destroys Reuter's claim.
Lets see if I get this; Ryan was announced last Saturday, he’s been filling venues where ever he goes, he just appeared with his mother in Florida, but now he’s “downplaying” his signature issue? All in one week?
Dude, sorry if I’m not wetting myself in despair over a Reuters article authored by Andrew Sullivan! These guys wish this were the case. Please get a grip.
Great minds.
>> Sounds like an echo of McCain Palin campaign.
How so?
>> a Reuters article authored by Andrew Sullivan
I missed that! Thanks for pointing it out.
Funny how all the best “talking points” of the RDS crowd come from the hardcore left... in this case, the faggot hardcore left.
VP candidate having to compromise his stance to match with the Presidential candidate. JMHO
“So Romney has so corrupted Ryan that he’s stumping for repealing Obamacare? Throw me in THAT briar patch.”
Read the entire article, not a single line you like. IF the article is accurate (I’m NOT saying it is - I have no way to verify), then Ryan is compromizing on what he originally proposed before becoming Romney’s running mate.
Since so many here are justifying voting for Romney of the basis that Ryan will keep him in check. Then this article, IF at all true, should start putting cracks in that line of thinking.
Personally, as soon as the election is over. IF Romney wins, and Ryan doesn’t kow tow to Romney, then Ryan will be locked away in a dark closet and only brought out for show and tell.
Yep, whenever I see Sullivan’s name mentioned with a left-leaning rag as the a source for a story, my B.S. meter goes off.
BTW, is Ryan going to be speaking at an event tomorrow with his mom?
“VP candidate having to compromise his stance to match with the Presidential candidate. JMHO”
Indeed, that is normmaly correct. However, we have FReepers justifying voting for the phoney conservative Romney under the concept that Ryan will keep Romney in check. Doesn’t look like that to me.
My tag line says it all.
Vote for Obama, already.
That is a stupid analysis of the article. They are already winning the Medicare argument, the dems are on the defensive .
tag line will read in January 2013, “ I cast my non-vote for the President.”
Oh please. People are believing an article written by the MSM? Paul Ryan has been talking about Medicare everyday. Mitt says his plan is nearly identical to Ryan’s too.
This article is typical MSM BS.
I can’t, in all good conscience, vote for Romney. I sure as hell won’t vote for Obamass, therefore I will not vote this time around.
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