Usually secretive Mitt Romney has now publicly revealed so much about his campaign being in desperate trouble. He announced Paul Ryan as his Vice Presidential choice. As some have already noted, this signals among other things, that Romney’s internal polling shows he is on track to lose to Obama in November.

The MSM has tried their best to muddle up the reality that Mitt Romney is headed to lose in a big way, clinging to the occasional outlier poll that shows the race close or tied. However, the electoral map, which is the only thing that matters (which is why the MSM primarily promotes national polling to support their case for it being a close race…and thus convincing people to watch their networks for each twist and turn) has always shown Obama far ahead of Romney, with many paths to victory while Romney has a very unlikely narrow path.

So, the public may have been inundated by the MSM with the propaganda of a close race but the choice of Paul Ryan is a clear and unambiguous statement that the Romney campaign knows they are losing in a big way and needed to make a Hail Mormon pass to have even a miniscule chance of winning. It had to be clear to Romney’s camp that their base is not enthusiastic about him and in a race that should be greatly favoring Republicans, they can’t afford a depressed GOP turnout to both bring about a humiliating loss to Obama and a Democratic sweep of Senate and House seats.

The central part of this is an admission that Romney remains disliked and generates little enthusiasm when it comes to core Republicans, let alone independent voters. So, the actual Republican Presidential nominee is bringing on a Tea Party, Ayn Rand right winger to step in front of him and be the “real” face of Mitt Romney’s campaign.

First off, most people do not vote for Vice President so though some of the GOP base will be excited about Ryan being on the ticket, this changes nothing for most voters. And as the initial excitement for Tea Partiers over Ryan’s joining the ticket wanes, the realization will grow on what it means about who Romney is and why he should be disliked even more.

Romney’s choice of Ryan is a confession of weakness, a confession of being a failure and a confession of having no vision. As is typical for Romney, who has only made money by hiring others to do his thinking for him (while taking full credit for it), he has once again used his position to “buy” someone to be his “character”. Put simply, Romney is performing a political version of Hannibal Lecter, taking the face of Paul Ryan and putting it over his own to deceive others and sneak into the White House.

However, the real kicker to this is that Ryan is a double edged sword that raises some enthusiasm on the far right but alienates indies and…some of the elderly vote on the right.  Remember how Romney’s plan was to only hammer Obama on poor economic numbers and simply get elected as a result of the election being a referendum on Obama? Well…that one and only hope for Romney has proven to be a failure in the eyes of his campaign, as Obama’s winning the Summer has proven.

So, with the choice of Ryan, the Romney campaign is declaring that they can’t beat Obama based on the economy’s performance alone (I remember Chris Matthews and other MSM pundits declaring many months ago that Obama will lose the election if unemployment is above 7%…why does anyone listen to these blabber factories?). Instead, the new game plan seems to be a concoction of exciting the Right Wing, voter suppression and tons of SuperPAC money to spread hateful and dishonest propaganda against Obama. It is a desperate, cynical and fatally flawed strategy but at this point, it’s all they’ve got.

Paul Ryan represents the vindictive, extortion-minded Republican House which has a 10% approval rating in the country. He is the face of killing Social Security and Medicare as we know it. Slashing public services and harming the 99% to benefit the top 1%. Ryan’s budget zeroes out taxes on inheritances, interest, dividends and capital gains. Yep, if elected and able to pass this plan, Romney, who receives most if not all of his income as capital gains, would cut his own taxes to zero while 99% of Americans would pay around the same or more in taxes. Even the most loyal Romney supporters will have a hard time convincing anyone but the top 1% that this is ethical and fair.

The class warfare that the 1% has been waging on the 99% will only become more of an issue that obviously cuts against the Republicans and Romney/Ryan. But the most devastating aspect of Ryan being on the ticket may be his stand on ending Social Security and Medicare as entitlements and in essence, making growing old and having an income and health insurance a crap shoot.

Remember what happened after House Republicans passed Ryan’s budget the first time? Kathy Hochul won a House seat in a very solid Republican district in Erie County, New York, beating Republican Jane Corwin who supported Ryan’s plan. What happened there is the model for what can happen across the country in November.

The Obama campaign is too smart not to make it a central issue about the Romney/Ryan ticket to say, “If you vote for them and Republicans win the Senate and keep the House, it will be the end of Social Security and Medicare as we know it.”

This is such a primal issue for all Americans, especially those who are elderly and those who are heading towards and depending on these social programs. Senior Citizens who are already on Social Security and Medicare are not the greedy bastards that Paul Ryan and the Republicans are, they projected their selfishness onto seniors and it won’t stick. Ryan’s trick was to only take away SS and Medicare as entitlements from the next generation, assuring seniors, “Don’t worry, you’ll get to keep what you have, we’re just going to take it away from your kids and grandkids!”

Despite being surprised and disappointed in seniors actually caring about the future welfare of their families, this is the only propaganda they have to promote their agenda of impoverishing the 99%.

At this point in time, Romney is losing in a big way to Obama when it comes to women and Latinos. As Ryan’s presence on the ticket scares and alienates seniors, this VP choice could end up yielding a much greater loss for Romney than he would have otherwise had. Seniors typically skew Republican but if that margin was to be reduced or even dissolved, it would be a catastrophe for the GOP. And that could absolutely happen this year, thanks to that human set of safety net scissors being on the GOP ticket, Paul Ryan.

Paul Ryan is a career politician, he has little professional experience before becoming a Congressman. Romney’s campaign has made some ridiculous statements previously such as wanting a requirement that to run for President, you’d have to have run a business first. Whoops! Paul Ryan drove an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile before joining The House, does that count? So, as a potential President, someone with far less professional experience than Obama is hunky dory? Lost another avenue of attack there.

Though I doubt it will be as powerful as his budget’s class warfare and killing of Medicare and Social Security as entitlements, Ryan’s public loyalty to the lunacy and greed of Ayn Rand sure won’t help his image. Yes, the ignorant Tea Party types might applaud the 1%ers and their “right” to be sociopathic but that’s offensive to most Americans.

Polls consistently show that a majority of Americans believe in fairness, they want the wealthy just to pay their fair share. They want the poor helped so that they and their children won’t go homeless and hungry and have a chance for a good education and career. They simply don’t support America becoming a wealthy dog eat poor dog society. The Ayn Rand concept of everyone in a society being selfish and eschewing any concern of others in pursuit of becoming wealthier and more powerful as an individual just isn’t American. Americans do believe in the American Dream of anyone being able to succeed and become a millionaire through their own efforts, they don’t resent the wealthy for being wealthy, they just see all of us as part of the same society.

That doesn’t fit in well with Ayn Rand devotee, Paul Ryan:

 “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. I give out ‘Atlas Shrugged’ as Christmas presents, and I make all my interns read it. Well… I try to make my interns read it.”

Many will now discover what the philosophy of Ayn Rand is and be repelled by it as most folks who aren’t sociopaths are.

So, looking at Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan, it is hard to see it as anything other than the desperate act of a desperate man. To voluntarily damage his chances with indie voters, who will decide the election, in order to keep Republicans from staying at home in November, seems more like Romney’s focus is on minimizing his loss while going for a one chance in a million gamble than appealing to the most voters as possible by abandoning extremism.

This isn’t to say that Romney’s campaign and supporters don’t also harbor excitement over what would happen if they won. It’s like people buying lottery tickets, part of their mind may know that their odds of winning are 0ne in 40 million and they can’t possibly win but that logic is easily overridden by the fantasy and wish fulfillment of winning so much.

We should be prepared for the MSM propaganda campaign on this that will hold up Ryan as a “brave” and “brilliant” gamble by Romney, praising Ryan for his being “pragmatic” and “substantial” when it comes to the economy. These media corporations profit from a close race stirring up higher viewership but they also salivate at the financial windfall that would come to them if Ryan’s slashing of corporate taxes, capital gains, etc. could be made into law.

Even so, in the end, neither Romney nor Ryan come off as likeable or looking out for the 99% and that will be their downfall. Ryan’s joining the ticket only turbo-charges the argument against Romney as an elitist plutocrat, a man who like Ayn Rand, only cares about serving himself and his elitist class. With Ryan on the ticket and a focus on the GOP extremists, the Republican convention may actually become a liability to Romney and provide a very flattering contrast and bounce for Obama at the Democratic convention.

President Obama has so much going for him as a human being but it never hurts to have a bit of luck as well. In each of his elections, he has had the good luck to run against very flawed candidates. This time is no exception. Had a much more skilled Republican politician run against Obama this year, it could have been a very worrisome time for him and the nation.

Fortunately for Obama and the majority in this country, this GOP ticket’s cocktail of Ayn Rand  heartlessness and selfishness and the out of touch elitism of the very wealthy should give only the Republicans a hangover this November.

That said, nothing is over until it is over and the threat of Ryan/Romney (the order of their names that most Repubs will prefer) and the prospects for a big year for Dems and Obama should motivate all people of conscience to work and donate as much as they would if it was indeed a neck and neck race.

In the Olympics this year, Michael Phelps lost a race because instead of taking half a stroke more, he cruised to the wall. There’s a big lesson there, never stop or take anything for granted until the race is over…because despite appearances, you still could lose.

 

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funksands
Member

Ad, great piece. You have captured Ryan’s lack of essence nicely!

Paul Ryan is simply Newt Gingrich before everyone realized how full of shit he was. However, Ryan is also a black-belt “concern troll” without the self-destructive tendencies that Gingrich has.

Don’t underestimate him, but fearing a paper tiger like this guy is foolish.

SueInCa
Member

I am more worried about voter suppression than Romney or Ryan. The reaction has not been all that comforting with this pic(at least with Indies). The voter suppression is now becoming blatant. I read where a voter drive activist was removed from the rolls in NM. Can you imagine? If she was removed who knows how many others without their knowledge. They will find out on election day? I cannot remember if she got a notice or not. I will try to find the article

http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2012-08-11/177000-voters-purged-new-mexico-rolls

KQµårk 死神
Member

Same here for sure Sue especially in key swing states like Ohio and Florida.

KQµårk 死神
Member

You are spot on again AdLib but I still think we cannot estimate the full political ramifications the the RYAND pick. On the surface the RMONEY and RYAND ticket is so radical and out of touch with the public that you would think Obama would win in a landslide.

The only problem is the economy is still out there and it is what it is. Too many Dems are bad at touting the improvements in the economy since 2008.

Of course you still have opportunists like Howard Fineman and the whole Huff n’ Puff crowd who have a vested interest in telling us how bad things are. The Obama team is going to have to defend the economy sooner or later. The nominal unemployment rate does not scare me as much as the right and wrong track numbers. If this is going to be an election of contrasting visions more people are going to start believing things are going to get better under Obama. I think this will but that’s what he has to sell along with the attacks on the right wing ticket.

Olderandwiser55
Member
Olderandwiser55

Interesting choice for the Romney camp. A few observations: as bizarre as this may sound to those of us on the left, Ryan is not to be underestimated I think. This is the guy who successfully combined the philosophies of evangelical religion and the atheist Ayn Rand. He is a master in combining (what should be) two completely opposing views. The talk will continue to double down on talking out of both sides of their mouths…and Ryan is better at that. He was voted “Best brown noser” as a senior in HS and I imagine he improved over the years. Frankly they portray Ryan as different but he and Romney are both extremely well behaved members of the Republican party.

I haven’t yet researched but I watched a C-span video of Ryan at 28, newly elected, taking phone calls from “constituents”. Ryan promised he would bring more federal money back to the state so I imagine there’s a lot of pork in his past 14 years. He also became quite wealthy while in Congress so I imagine there’s some kickbacks (that he would call lobbying).

The one thing I did notice immediately is that some leftists that were still complaining about the Obama administration are suddenly all about offense and anti-Ryan.

KQµårk 死神
Member

I absolutely agree. Ryan is the same guy that passed off a seriously decrepit budget as ‘adult’ and ‘serious’ according to the MSM. He was able to get elected and reelected in a purple district. Dems should not underestimate this guy and the Obama team has about two weeks to define him before Romney is officially the GOP nominee and can unleash his millions and millions in ads.

kalie
Member
kalie

But then again, Ryan was a part of the Scott Walker debacle to bust unions and put Wisconsinites out of work. That is his legacy: dividing Wisconsin. What we don’t need is his divisiveness in the U.S. govt. Its wrong for America.

KQµårk 死神
Member

Absolutely and it’s time for Obama and all of us to show the truth about Ryan. Ryan’s MSM persona as some kind of visionary is complete BS. But you have the likes of weak minded David Gregory promoting him as such.

Olderandwiser55
Member
Olderandwiser55

Yes Kquark…he coasted along, playing both sides for years and getting re-elected. And he didn’t make a power play in congress until he had quietly garnered favors and built a power structure.

kesmarn
Admin

I saw about five minutes of a speech Ryan gave this morning in North Carolina, AdLib. It was the usual Obama-bashing formula stuff that you can see every day on FOX.

But what was interesting was the body language of the two candidates. Ryan was cocky, (over)confident, swaggering, while Romney stood humbly in the background. His head was tilted to the side in that coy way that he has when he’s trying to show deference to the alpha dog. If he had a tail, it would have been between his legs.

It’s very clear who would be running the show in a Ryan/Romney presidency — God forbid. My sense is that Romney is just the sugar coating on the poison pill, the Trojan horse for Ryan’s subversive agenda.

Maybe that was always the plan: to use an alleged Massachusetts “moderate” to shoe-horn a radical extremist into the White House.

Kalima
Admin

I’ve heard this man speak a few times, and he sounds very hyper, almost as if he’s spaced out on bs medication, and I’m glad that “Mitt the Twit” picked him in desperation because it seems like the final nail in his campaign coffin. Not really being a vindictive person by nature, I nevertheless relish the idea of the huge failure in November because of what these freaks are planning to do with your country should they win, which they won’t. For that reason alone, and the suffering the Repugs have already caused in their states, I want to see the party totally decimated, with no chance of any recovery for decades. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so thoroughly mean-spirited, but these worthless thugs/slugs bring out the worst in me. 😯

I have often wondered about the moderate Republican who has been watching his party sinking lower and lower, especially during the GOP debates fiasco. What would I do in November? Would I stay loyal to my party before thinking about what is best for my country? Would I swallow my pride and vote secretly for Obama, or would I just not bother to vote? If I vote for Obama or don’t vote, either way Romney loses. I think there might just be enough decent Republicans left somewhere who will vote for Obama, it might not be earth-shattering in the final results, but at least it’s less votes for Romney, and that can’t be bad.

AdLib, as usual, your pick for graphics had me rolling on the sofa. Ryan doesn’t even need the benefit of the white make-up or the red, stick-on nose to look like the clown he is. Thanks for the laugh. 😆

KQµårk 死神
Member

Ryan does not come off that great to me either. I guess in comparison to Romney it’s the Eddie Munster and Lurch show. But it seems some people are fooled by Ryan or think he’s the ‘smart’ guy.

Kalima
Admin

Hi K, no I don’t think Ryan is all that smart, if he was, he wouldn’t have produced that awful budget bill. The difference between the Republican/TP and what the President has been doing since he took office, is like day and night. Obama gets it, a president has to try to do what is good for everyone, and not just please his base. A very difficult and risky balancing act. Can you ever imagine any Republican or TP person doing the same? Not in a million years.

Nirek
Member

I not only want to see Romney’s tax returns but Ryan’s , too! I bet he has plenty stashed off shore , too!

KillgoreTrout
Member

5 Things Mitt Doesn’t Want You to Know About Paul Ryan

1.. His budget plans include big cuts, and there’s ample room for Democrats to continue with their “Romneyhood narrative.” The nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates 62 percent of Ryan’s cuts are to programs for the poor.

2. Ryan’s budget proposals have included big changes to Medicare – including gradually replacing the program with a voucher program for private health care, and gradually raising the retirement age. That could scare older Americans, a crucial voting bloc.

3. He voted for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. While a lot of other Republicans did too, and it was proposed by the Bush administration, some have viewed it as a rejection of the conservative economic values Ryan and hard-line fiscal conservatives espouse.

4. He’s easily pegged as Washington insider. He’s been in Congress since 1999, and before that he worked as a congressional staffer. Congressional approval ratings are abysmally low- a recent CBS News/NY Times poll showed that only 12 percent of voters approve of the way Congress is doing its job.

5. This is both a pro and a con to Ryan, depending on who you ask, but he’s notably further to the left on the issue of lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights than the base of the party. He broke with a lot of his party to support the Employee Non-Discrimination Act in 2007. He explained his reasoning for the vote in this way: “They [his gay friends] didn’t roll out of bed one morning and choose to be gay. That’s who they are.”

http://news.yahoo.com/5-things-mitt-doesnt-want-know-paul-ryan-162758609.html

Nirek
Member

KT, I think Mitt has snatched defeat from the merry-go-round ring post. All of your points were spot on. We will not let America forget that Mitt buys into the Ryan budget, or that Ryan is a congressman with a foolish approval rating.
I intend to spread the word that Romney wants to cut SS, MC, and MA!
I know a lot of old folks and will twist arms to get them to the polls to save Social Security.

2belinda
Member
2belinda

KT indeed and thank you.
Ryan 2011-12 election contributions, so far, from the following financial institutions, the same Ryan voted to bail-out: $12,150 from Wells Fargo, $10,000 from Goldman Sachs and $9,700 from Bank of America. (opensecrets.org)

kalie
Member
kalie

So once again, the GOP has gone off the cliff and picked a very controversial VP. I think that there are probably even GOP members who would not be happy to lose their social security and medicare because it would result in a reduction of their fortunes. Now if we can just minimize the voter suppression or have it delayed in litigation, we can vote in Obama and more dems so they can get back to the work that really needs to be done. No more of this obstructing while America loses credibility in the world.

lynettema
Member
lynettema

Kalie, it is so important this year for activists to help get voters registered properly. Equally important is getting our Dems and left leaning voters to the polls. We can’t afford to be divided for the next few months.

kalie
Member
kalie

Im working on that….

goleafsgo
Member
goleafsgo

Aw, Kalie! You had to go and remind me about the tyrannical rule of the many states who are legislating away democracy. Up ’til your post, I was fist pumping…Go Obama Go! The scariest part of this most important election is the disenfranchisement of a significant segment of the electorate, and not just because, as everyone knows, it could…it would take thousands of votes away from the President in key states.

I am amazed that a country that prides itself on “freedom” and “liberty” for all allows this loss of democracy, that millions have died to preserve, to happen with so little outrage or action. How can this be?

An observant Canadian

kalie
Member
kalie

goleafsgo:
Sorry to inhibit the fist pump but the voter suppression has to be the most evil thing the GOP has done to date. But they are not done yet and i never underestimate what they will do to get (more) money and power. Evil knows no bounds. I know that their is litigation going on in the background but I wish Obama would be more vocal about what is going on. All i hear on TV is Romney this, Romney that, and its stifling. People that live in the south (where I vacation) don’t even get MSNBC so all they hear is 24X7 Faux noiz. So fist pump away, because if sanity rules, then it will be Obama/Biden 2012!!

lynettema
Member
lynettema

“seems more like Romney’s focus is on minimizing his loss while going for a one chance in a million gamble than appealing to the most voters as possible by abandoning extremism.”

Seems to me this was the same thing McCain did 4 years ago.