Politifact's #1 Lie of 2011

Now Obama's  #1 talking point.

Ryan's Budget Is Radical?

Far from it.  Of course, I was raising this same point months ago.

Why This Election Is So Important

John Hinderaker had an opportunity to see Representative Paul Ryan speak today.  He summarized the themes of Ryan's speech as follows:

1) The United States has a brief time remaining when we can solve our budgetary crisis without drastic measures. Soon, our debt to GDP ratio will inhibit economic growth, the sheer magnitude of the debt will overwhelm efforts to get it under control, and rising interest rates will crush all other budgetary considerations. For now, we have an opportunity to solve the fiscal crisis without, for example, having to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits to existing seniors. This is what the House Republican budget seeks to do. But that window is rapidly closing. 

2) Ever-increasing numbers of Americans are becoming dependent on the federal government. Currently around 40% are either “dependent” or “reliant” on federal checks, and 70% of the population takes more out of the federal government in benefits than it pays in taxes. The Democrats seek to accelerate these trends in order to perpetuate their own power (my paraphrase). But those numbers are somewhat misleading, as many are now dependent on government as a result of the current recession. The United States remains, for the time being, a center-right country, and a clear majority continues to favor freedom and opportunity over cradle to grave government control. 

3) For the above reasons, the 2012 election is a pivotal contest in which Americans will likely choose one of two destinies: a return to the commitment to freedom and opportunity that is embodied in the Constitution and in American history, or a decisive turn toward European-style social democracy. 

4) It is important for this election to be one in which the choice facing the voters is framed starkly so that, if the Republicans win, they will have a mandate to do what is necessary to rescue America from financial collapse and return to the opportunity society that was envisioned by the Founders.

 Let's hope that we are up to the challenge..

A Path to Prosperity?

Yesterday, for the second year in a row, Republican Congressman Paul Ryan revealed a credible, serious plan to tackle the impending debt crisis (something Obama and the Democrats do not even claim to have done).



Watching him in the below video actually depresses me because I realize we don't have a presidential candidate who is, like him, willing to honestly and coherently speak to the American people about the choice we face.

All that said, my first reaction upon reviewing the plan is that it still does not go far enough, fast enough.  It appears the Vodkapundit, Steven Green, had a similar reaction, so I will let him do the hard work and simply refer to his post.  Still, I think it says a lot about our political class when the boldest man in Washington is still nowhere near bold enough.