Defining Paul Ryan & What His Addition to the Romney Ticket Means for America
August 20, 2012
It was only a few short days ago that Mitt Romney, Republican presidential nominee, introduced Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman from Wisconsin, as his vice presidential running mate. Since the announcement, a media frenzy has ensued and everyone wants to know, “Who is Paul Ryan?” The Daily Beast compiled some interesting facts about the man everyone is now obsessing about:
1. He skins and butchers animals to make his own Polish sausage (courtesy of The New York Times).
2. He is “pretty low-maintenance” (as his wife, Janna, tells People).
3. He is “kind of hot” (thank you, Politico).
4. The second–most popular search term for Ryan is “shirtless” (fun fact from The Washington Post).
5. He’s a former altar boy and a fitness buff” writes The Daily Beast.
Okay, now that we know how Ryan prefers his meat and that everyone wants to see him shirtless, what about his politics? What does Paul Ryan stand for, and if Mitt Romney does get elected, what will Ryan be whispering in his ear? Here are some of his stances on the big issues:
1. Abortion: Ryan is as far to the right as it gets on this issue. He is strongly pro-life and believes that life begins at conception. According to The Political Guide, “Congressman Ryan has voted in favor of making partial-birth abortions illegal, in favor of removing funds from Planned Parenthood, and in support of what is known as the ‘Mexico City Policy.’ This policy, which was enacted under the Bush administration, prevented money from going to groups that promoted abortion as a family planning.”
2. Gun Control: Ryan supports Second Amendment rights and voted in favor of the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act. This “allows people who had concealed carry permits in their home states to carry concealed weapons in other states if that state has concealed carry laws.” On the flip side though, Ryan did vote in favor of some restrictions by voting in favor of the Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act in 1999, but unfortunately this law did not pass.
3. Gay Marriage: Ryan believes in the traditional definition of marriage, with marriage only being between a man and a woman. He does believe though that each state should have the right to define what marriage is and he does not believe that a judge in one state should be able to force their definition on another state.
4. Iraq: In 2002 Ryan voted in favor of using force in Iraq and in 2007 he voted against withdrawing troops. In 2011 he wrote in a statement, “On October 21, 2011, President Obama announced the withdrawal of all U.S. troops and trainers from Iraq to be completed in 2011. Since January 1, 2012, the United States has maintained normalized relations with Iraq, and will continue to assist in the training of Iraqi forces, encouraging regional security, peace and respect for Iraqi sovereignty. I am encouraged by the progress that has been made in Iraq, and we must remain vigilant to ensure that the hard-won gains in Iraq do not slip away now that America’s combat participation has ended.”
5. The Paul Ryan Plan: In 2012 Ryan created a plan called “Path to Prosperity” which would bring some major changes for healthcare and taxes. The Huffington Post breaks down what would happen if this plan were passed into law:
a. Ryan’s budget proposal would save those making between $20,000 and $30,000 just $246 in taxes, compared to savings of $265,011 for those who make over $1 million, according to analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
b. The “Path to Prosperity” would cut $2.4 trillion from Medicaid and other health care programs for people with low or moderate incomes, according to analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
c. As many as 44 million fewer people would be covered under Medicaid, according to CBS News.
d. Ryan would raise the age of Medicare eligibility from 65 to 67. If the Affordable Care Act was repealed, something Romney has pledged, that means many 65- and 66-year-olds would be left uninsured, the CBPP reports.
e. A single mother of two working full time at the minimum wage would have her Child Tax Credit cut by more than $1,500, assuming she made $14,500 a year, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
f. Compared to the most recent White House budget proposal, Ryan’s budget spends 33 percent less on education, training, employment and social services, the Washington Post reports.
g. The current government worker pay freeze would be extended under the “Path to Prosperity,” meaning public-sector employees wouldn’t get a raise until at least 2015, the Washington Postreports.
So, now you know a little more about Paul Ryan and what he stands for. Important to note, just because Ryan holds these beliefs, does not necessarily mean Romney agrees with them. Even more important to note, Ryan may not be running for president, but he is running for vice president and his thoughts do matter. Check out how Ryan feels about other issues here.
What do you think of Ryan? Will you be voting for the Romney/Ryan ticket come November? Either way, share your thoughts below!
