Romney-Ryan---This is Getting Good

Imagine that you just returned from a routine doctor's visit and you learn that there is a large, painful malignant tumor growing in your body.

You are surprised by your doctor's reaction.  He hardly discusses the tumor, your life expectancy or your chances of survival.  Instead, he simply prescribes a renewable prescription for a highly addictive painkiller.

You decide to get a second opinion and this time the experience is completely different.

Image from Glamour.com

This time, your doctor takes X-rays and biopsies.  He educates you on your cancer, shows you exactly where the tumor is located and discusses the growth rate of the mass.  As painful as it is to hear, he blatantly tells you that left unchecked, the tumor will eventually kill you.

He then offers some good news.  He informs you of different treatment options and tells you that an intricate surgery to remove the mass will save your life.  He warns you that it will be painful, but promises that removing the tumor will eradicate the cancer cells, improve your quality of life and add years to your life expectancy.

Is it any question which doctor you would choose?

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Although it may be a sophomoric comparison, I think in many ways this is analogous to the approach that Republicans and Democrats use to address our country's fiscal problems.

The leadership on the left want to continue to ignore that many government programs are slowly bankrupting our government.  The only discussion they want to have only involves new and creative ways to raise taxes in order to fund inept and massively expensive programs; i.e. Medicare, Social Security, The Postal Service and now Obamacare.

These leaders don't seem willing to talk about the fact that these programs cannot sustain themselves and will eventually go bankrupt.  Their approach---like the first doctor---is simply masking the pain.

Leaders on the right have a track record of being more like the second doctor.  They want to talk about the problems with our government-run programs.  They want to eliminate expensive overhead and come up with lasting solutions.  It appears that they are actually interested in solving our problems.

Image from NBCnews.com

I think this is at the heart of why Mitt Romney selected Paul Ryan as his VP pick.  Aside from being a young, vibrant and incredibly likable guy, Paul Ryan is a problem solver.  He is not afraid to tackle big issues.  He is not afraid of painful solutions.  He is not easily intimidated and even better, he is incredibly articulate.  Ryan has shown that he is not afraid to talk about the "cancer."

America is in trouble.  I think it would be difficult to find even one person in America who doesn't see that government spending is out-of-control and that our leaders in Washington DC have become completely ineffective in fighting for the greater good.

Is it time to really discuss America's economic future?  Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan certainly think so.

But according to our president, the answer is no.  He just wants to continue creating elaborate and creative ways to tax the wealthy so that he can continue to justify funding broken and inept programs.  He wants to simply prescribe a "painkiller" and leave future generations with the bill.

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By choosing Ryan, Mitt Romney is making a bold declaration to the American people.  He is saying that he wants this election to be about getting our government on the path to solving our fiscal problems.

Mitt Romney is running a campaign with the promise that he wants to fix what is broken in our government.  He is committed to get America back on the path to prosperity.

Image from CBS News.com

Paul Ryan is going to help him do it.

Even more powerful?  He and Ryan each have a track record of reaching across the aisle to come up with bi-partisan solutions.  Romney and Ryan understand the power of compromise.  It has been nearly 4 years, can the same be said of our president?

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In the coming days, the Obama campaign is going to do everything they can to destroy Paul Ryan.  They are going to brand him as "extreme" and "dangerous."  

The negativity is going to be a like watching an annihilation.  Why?  Because the Obama camp wants to keep this campaign a small and trivial debate about Mitt Romney's tax returns.

They don't want the campaign to be about the president's lack of accomplishments, his plans for a second term or how trillions and trillions of borrowed dollars have been spent and yet, unemployment is still above 8%.

In choosing Ryan, Romney is boldly declaring that he is not afraid of big ideas.  Romney is willing to talk about the "cancer" and he is ready to present the American people with real solutions.

Image from Foxnews.com

What makes this team such a threat?  They are both problem solvers and Mitt Romney's resume reflects an individual who has actually done what he said and been successful nearly every time.

Can the same be said of our president?