Paul Ryan to Tell CPAC: ‘Go Bold’ in 2012 or Go Home
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) will tell the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference’s opening-night banquet Thursday that the right can’t expect to simply run against President Obama’s record and win in November.
The House Budget Committee chairman said that Republicans need to “go bold” in 2012, whoever their candidate may be, with a “full-throated” defense of conservative principles.
In a phone preview of his speech to bloggers today, Ryan said it is equally important to spell out a vision when pointing out the “dismal record” of the commander in chief.
“The president is trying to transform our country away from our founding principles,” Ryan said. “…Because he cannot run on his record he will run on class division.”
He said that conservatives must meet the challenge of urging Americans to “reject the divisiveness” and focus on bringing the country away from government intervention.
Ryan said he will tell CPAC that the 2012 election must be about ideals instead of personalities, giving the country a very clear choice that steers away from Obama’s “debt, doubt and decline.”
The chairman also said he’ll emphasize that the clock is ticking to get America back on track.
“I really think that we only have 2 or 3 years before we get into a very ugly debt crisis,” he said, that would result in “austerity mode.”
The president’s budget is due on Monday, and Ryan said early indications suggest it is a “status quo” document.
“We want to accentuate differences,” Ryan said, noting that Republicans will build off last year’s plans in their budget roadmap.
Budget Committee Republicans, though, haven’t yet sat down to write their budget as they’re waiting for a baseline from the Congressional Budget Office first.
“We still have to wait for our measuring stick from CBO to put our budget together,” he said.
Ryan said they will be focused on “designing a plan to save the country from a debt crisis.”
He said Obama and Democratic leaders are increasingly showing “they would rather double down on the progressive philosophy… and demagogue.”
“We’re not going to punt,” the chairman said. “We’re going to show how we’ll fix these problems.”
Welcome, Bridget, and congrats on joining this top-notch (and my fave) media outlet!
I look forward to hearing Rep. Ryan speak at CPAC and appreciate your preview. However, this caught my eye:
“Committee Republicans, though, haven’t yet sat down to write their budget as they’re waiting for a baseline from the Congressional Budget Office first.”
How about Ryan and the House Repubs “Go REALLY Bold” and try a zero-based budget? After all, it’s not as if Harry Reid intends to bring ANY budget to a vote in the Senate, so why not take the opportunity to show America a different, more responsible – conservative – way to manage taxpayer dollars.
It’s so refreshing to hear an “A” teamer speak.
The contrast is remarkable.
No tone deafness. No diva hissy fits. No attacks on the free market or capitalism. No shrill or strident over the top edgy tonality.
No dividing the Republican and non-leftist base, but uniting them.
THIS is what an “A” teamer sounds like. Sadly, it’s not what we are getting where we really need it to be as well.
Of course, there’s always the Sweet Meteor of Death. (Via Ace as well)
http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/02/06/the-sweet-meteor-of-death-2012/
This is why somebody like Rep. Paul Ryan NEEDS to be the vice-presidential nominee. If not him, somebody like him. Another good conservative candidate for Vice President could be Bobby Jindal, the Governor of Louisiana. We have a lot of talent out there. Whoever is at the top of the presidential ticket just has to realize that and make a good choice.
Who’s at the top of the Repub ticket is a clueless jillionaire who has already said the minimum wage should be institutionalized as an apprenticeship stopper and youth unemployment tool by tying it to inflation.
Where’s the candidate or party that will run on simply letting people effing alone!
We simply need to enforce the thirteenth amendment against our government! This is a possible path to stop the insanity coming from Washington. Just a thought! Amendment 13 – Slavery Abolished. Ratified 12/6/1865.
1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
VIVA LA TEA PARTY!
The idea of having something to vote for is appealing.
The ‘lesser of two evils’ voting is getting really, really old.
Draft Ryan? I believe he could win both the nomination and the election.
Ryan said they will be focused on “designing a plan to save the country from a debt crisis.”
We spend 45% MORE than we earn, unless the budget announces the disbanding of at least 1 federal department (I nominate Homeland/Security Theature) then it is NOT serious.
The simple fact is a full blown “Greece” style debt crisis is unavoidable at this stage as the spending and regulatory cuts needed to prevent it are politically impossible for EITHER side of politics.
Party like it’s 1929, because it is…
Hey Congressman Ryan,
why didn’t YOU announce your candidacy for President, and run against Obama and his record?
Instead of urging the others to do that?
What you’re doing sounds reminiscent of Obama-type “leading from behind.”
It’s because Ryan, Rubio, Palin, Christie didn’t run that we ended up with Romney, Gingrich and Santorum.
Is CPAC still in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood? Are the fifth-columnists Suhail Khan and Grover Norquist still using “conservative” CPAC as a Trojan Horse for the stealth jihad? Why do the “conservative” and Republican establishments give these two credibility?
90 DC workers face firing for unemployment fraud Monday, February 6, 2012
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/02/06/national/w113420S61.DTL
“…giving the country a very clear choice that steers away from Obama’s “debt, doubt and decline.”
I might amend that to “debt, doubt, decline and division.”
Jim DeMint on Ron Paul Jan 19, 2012- 7:10 – South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint on why Ron Paul is the most important voice in the GOP presidential field, and why journalists are saying the momentum is shifting Paul’s way
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1402355705001/jim-demint-on-ron-paul