The Choice Is Clear Now

It has been a day since Willard Mitt Romney (aka Wall Street Willie) picked Paul Ryan to be his running mate, and after thinking about it a little more, I still believe my initial reaction was correct. This was about the best thing Romney could have done for the Democrats. The only thing that could have been better would have been picking Sarah Palin again (and even Romney is not that stupid).

This pick clarified the choice that Americans will have to make in November, and it's a choice between ultra-right-wingnuttery or reasonable policies to bring this nation out of this jobless recession and put it on the road to recovery. There may have been some doubt as to where Romney stood on the issues (since he has been on both sides of nearly every issue), but there is no doubt where Ryan stands. He stands with the rich and the corporations, and against the 99%.

Do you want the deficit reduced? Then you should vote for Obama/Biden. The president's policies won't eliminate the budget deficit overnight, because he knows there must be some investment in America to stimulate jobs. But while Ryan (and Romney) claim they want to bring the deficit down, the Ryan budget plan actually adds billions of dollars to the budget deficit.

Do you want to save Social Security and Medicare, and keep them healthy for future generations? Then vote for Obama/Biden. They want to fix those programs. But Ryan/Romney have made it perfectly clear that they don't like either program and would love to get rid of both. They want to privatize Social Security and let the Wall Street bankers gamble with your retirement funds. And they want to abolish Medicare altogether -- and give the elderly vouchers to purchase private insurance, insurance that will be very expensive because the private companies know the elderly will have to use that insurance much more often than younger people.

Do you think the giant oil companies still need huge government subsidies (in spite of making record profits)? Then you should vote for Obama/Biden -- who would have already eliminated many of those subsidies if the Republican House hadn't blocked it. Ryan/Romney have supported the huge subsidies and would continue them far into the future.

Do you think the rich (and the corporations) should pay their fair share of taxes? Then you should vote for Obama/Biden, who want to slightly raise taxes on the rich to reduce the deficit and pay for jobs programs. Ryan/Romney have made it clear they want to give the rich huge new tax cuts and if they have their way, corporations would pay no taxes at all.

Do you want clean air and water? Then you should vote for Obama/Biden, who have freed the EPA to initiate stricter standards to stop pollution and protect our resources. Ryan/Romney have made it clear they want to get rid of the EPA, or fund it at such a level that they would be unable to do their job.

The choice is very clear now. Do you want to vote to hand this country over to the rich (Ryan/Romney), or do you want to vote for a more prosperous and fairer country (Obama/Biden)? The choice is yours.