Back in 2009 I remember a friend of mine forwarded me a link to a youtube video. This was during the big debate in the country over Obamacare. The video in the link had a Republican congressman who was doing an interview with two hosts on msnbc. This particulare congressman had released a statement expressing concern over the speed with which Obamacare was being pushed through Congress. In the statement the congressmen stated it was impossible for all members of Congress to have fully reviewed the legislation and with a recess coming up it would be best for Congressional members to go home, hear their constituents out and review the bill completely before rushing it through.
Now, as most people know, msnbc veers very far to the left and it didn't take long for them to ignore this Congressman's point completely, asking questions such as "Are Republicans genuine?" "Are there really going to be townhalls or will they just go on vacation?" etc. The congressman took it all in good cheer and patiently explained everything to the msnbc hosts. At one point one of the hosts pushing for a public option in the bill opined she considered it "unamerican" to not have it as it reduced competition. The Congressman was quick to point out that competition is about producing quality produce for a price, government run systems don't have this same drive but ultimately would be the ones picked up. He also pointed out the amount of extra cost this would bring to the taxpayer, and in a very impressive line he lightly rebuked the msnbc host by statying he found it troubling she "was using capitalist rhetoric to push a plan that is inherently anti-market." A short time later the msnbc hosts broke off their own interview quickly thanking the Congressman and saying they would try to do an interview later. In short, they ran away.
Wow, I was very impressed with what I thought was a inexpeienced Congressman at the time. The guy looked so young and yet had handled himself very well. This was my first introductiona dn impression of Paul Ryan. From that interview I remembered him whenever he came up in the news again, most notably as a budget wiz who was doing great things to reign in, or at least try to reign in spending. In one very notable example he proposed a budget to Congress which ultimately failed, but received 200 votes, coming much closer than the President's budget which received no votes at all.
In the lead up to Romney making his choice I knew Ryan was on the short list, but to be honest I hoped he wasn't going to be chosen. The man is a great congressman who has done so much for this country. I'm not sure he would be able to do the same as Vice President. If we don't win in November I wonder how much stock the Dems will now put into trying to oust him completely from office. So it goes though. Ryan was the pick and he is a good pick. His eloquancy, his ability to argue for the budget in terms relatable to most Americans, and of course the overreaction of the partisan leftists have put this man to the forefront and have given Mitt a needed bump.
I can only hope this bump continues through till November. Our country is in tough shape right now and I fear what four more years of reckless spending on top of little to no growth will leave us. We must win, there is no other way, and I hope Ryan will continue to impress people the same way he impressed me during that same interview I saw three years ago.
