Toronto, Canada – Wave Accounting, the disruptive creators of award-winning free small business accounting and payroll software, announced on September 11 the results of its small business opinion poll on the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election. Wave polled the U.S.-based portion of the company’s more than 300,000 customers regarding their opinions on the candidates’ potential impact on small business.

Key findings include:

• On the question, “Who is better for small businesses,” 53% of respondents chose Romney/Ryan, 39% chose Obama/Biden.
• Reducing government red tape is the number one issue for Republican voting respondents, with an overwhelming 90% citing this issue as “crucial.”
• Among voters intending to vote Democrat, the most important issue is improving health care options for small businesses (77% called it “crucial.”)
• Size matters: Support for Romney/Ryan grows as company size grows. 47% of companies with 6-9 employees say they are definitely voting Romney/Ryan, vs. 45% among companies with 2-5 employees, and 43% among one-person businesses.
• Support for the GOP ticket is strongest in the South where 57% of businesses favorRomney/Ryan.

“These insights represent the real opinions of real small businesses in America,” said Kirk Simpson, CEO of Wave Accounting.

Recent “small business” surveys have included opinions from companies with hundreds of employees and many millions in revenue. Because Wave specializes in online solutions for real small businesses with 9 employees or less, the company can access key insights from a unique and significant segment of the market.

“This group makes up 95% of businesses in the U.S., yet their voices are badly underrepresented in media and politics,” said Simpson. “Their opinions and needs are interesting, in some cases unexpected, and deserve to be heard.”

The complete Wave Small Business Opinions Report — 2012 U.S. Presidential Election is available at www.waveaccounting.com/election2012.

The article Small Businesses Prefer Romney for the U.S. Elections appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On the day that Paul Ryan was to give his acceptance speech for the nomination of Vice-President, Ryan knew he had to bring it. Not just because needed to excite the base. Nor was it because he needed to set the narrative in a way that combated the attacks he has already received since Mitt Romney selected him as his running mate. No, he needed to hit it out the park, because a day and half of the same message from different people had grown, if not tedious, certainly stale.

We Built It and We Can Do better may be the rallying cry, but it needed to be told in a fresh way something fierce. If there were any worries about Ryan’s ability to get the job done, they were unfounded.

Simply put, Ryan knocked the ball out of the park.

In a speech that interwove his personal story and beliefs with the plans of a Romney-Ryan ticket, Ryan effectively made the case for the plans and policies they are fighting to implement. Many have commented on Ryan’s likeability and personable manner. Both traits came through in both tone and demeanor. Stories about his family and calling his mother, “his role model” are flatly stock in trade items in politics, but there was an earnestness that permeated through Ryan. He is not just saying these things, they are true for him. This will go a long way for him in the campaign, and made the strong medicine he threw at Obama non offensive.

In a speech that had plenty of zingers in it, Ryan nonetheless never made the attacks personal. They were, in fact, not attacks, so much as critiques. What was different in his speech, in contrast to the attacks thus far from President Obama, is that Ryan focused on the results of the last three years. He zeroed in on facts, and figures, but personalized their consequences.

He made it personal as he talked about the GM factory in his hometown of Jamesville, Wisconsin, the people that he knew who used to work there, and the Obama administrations broken promise to keep it open. This was in contrast to the half a billion the President used in Solyndra. 

Ryan is known as a policy guy. For him its about the numbers, the policy and the results that follow. Ryan, however, was able to explain, keep the speech flowing, serve red meat, and do it with in a humorous way. His best zinger perhaps being the vivid image he conjured with this line: “Americans in their 20′s should not have to move home with their parents house, living in their old rooms, looking up at fading Obama posters and waiting for life to begin.”

A comment meant to target younger voters, but still managed to convey an important message to adults as well. Its a tactic that he used more than once. Throw a funny zinger like, “The President has said he has not communicated enough. That is his job to tell a story. In the last four years we have not suffered from a lack of words from the White House. What we are missing is leadership in the white house.”

Never in the speech did it become about Obama personally or about ideology. Just the results and what needs to be done to get better results. This is why the speech was a home run. Not because he could get applause lines, or get a standing ovation from the people in attendance. They are all going vote for Romney and him anyway. No the brilliance was delivering a speech that moderates, independents, and apathetic voters can understand. The message came through because it was a truthful one delivered at partisan event that did not sound at all partisan. Not in tone. And that is what Romney will need from Ryan during the campaign.

Image Courtesy of  PBS News Hour

The article Paul Ryan Needed to Bring It…and Delivered appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

In the streets of downtown Tampa, dual preparations continue as the city braces for tropical Storm Issac and the Republican National Convention. Convention officials delayed the start of the events from Monday afternoon to Tuesday as a safety precaution. Issac is not projected to hit landfall in Tampa, but that will not stop massive amounts of rain and strong winds from shutting everything down for a day.

There is one thing, however, that will continue to work inside the Forum center and serves as a loud remainder of what this election is about. That item is a large clock keeping track of the amount of financial debt, added each second. Tampa may be worried about the impending storm of Issac, but the entire country is facing a debt storm that is bearing down on everyone like a category 5 hurricane.

The optic of the clock is a perfect anchor for one of the foundational fights that will be played out this presidential election. President Obama will fight to make this election about Romney’s taxes, women’s rights, and Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan. The President’s surrogates and spokespeople will attempt to distract voters away from the economy.

Thus far, they have done an excellent job of doing so. But, the fiscal cliff that the spending of the Obama administration has enacted is a problem that Romney must keep front and center in the campaign. Nothing does that better than the backdrop of a debt calculator displaying the massive bill the country is racking up.

This is a message that the republicans must take to heart as well. The last two weeks have seen the Romney camp get bogged down over Medicare and the comments of Senate candidate Todd Akin regarding rape and abortion. The economy and the debt are problems one and two. They cannot afford to get caught in the Obama trap of defending themselves and talking about things that have nothing to do with those issues.

Many in the media will play along with President Obama and will be all too willing to cover other issues. Optics is one way around this obstacle. Do not just talk, show. Judging by the large and ominous clock clicking up every second of the convention speakers’ speeches, the Romney campaign may be on their way to making this election about what it needs to be about.

The article Romney Must Focus On Debt Storm appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Tampa, U.S.A. — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Republican National Convention CEO William Harris made the following statements regarding convention planning:

“The Republican National Convention and the Republican National Committee, working in consultation with the Romney/Ryan campaign, are in regular contact with the National Weather Service, Governor Scott and local emergency officials in an effort to track and understand the potential impact of the storm. Governor Scott and local emergency officials have assured us that they have the resources in place to respond to this storm should it make landfall, as our primary concern is with those in the potential path of the storm.

We will continue to work closely with them and federal officials to monitor the storm and discuss any impact it might have on the Tampa area and the state of Florida. We continue to move forward with our planning and look forward to a successful convention.” – Bill Harris, President and CEO of the Republican National Convention

“We are just days away from the Republican National Convention where we will officially nominate Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as the ticket who will get America working again. The Republican Party is ready for the mission ahead: sending America’s Comeback Team to Washington to rein in federal spending and put Americans back to work.

While President Obama is out of ideas, we have candidates for president and vice president who are uniquely qualified to answer the challenges of our time, and we look forward to helping them get elected in November.” – Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee

About the 2012 Republican National Convention

The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum August 27-30, 2012. Nearly 50,000 visitors are expected to come to the Tampa Bay area for the event, including delegates, alternate delegates, media and other guests.

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

The article GOP Chairman Reveal Update on Convention Planning appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Washington, U.S.A. — Following Congressman Akin’s controversial remarks on Sunday, the Romney-Ryan campaign quickly released the following statement: “Governor Romney and Congressman (Paul) Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”

After praising Congressman Ryan’s pro-personhood record in a press release last week, Personhood USA has now expressed concern about the appearance of compromise on the part of Congressman Ryan.

“Personhood USA does not endorse political candidates, but we had hoped that Congressman Ryan would be a good influence on Governor Romney, considering Romney’s liberal abortion record,” explained Jennifer Mason, Communications Director for Personhood USA. “Reading today that babies conceived in rape should suffer the death penalty under a Romney-Ryan administration is extremely concerning, and indicates that Congressman Ryan’s pro-woman and pro-baby positions would have little influence if he wins the office of Vice President of the United States.”

In December, Personhood USA asked GOP Presidential hopefuls to sign a “Personhood Pledge,” affirming the Republican party platform and following in the steps of President Ronald Reagan. Governor Mitt Romney declined to sign the prolife pledge.

Personhood USA spokesperson Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived in rape, has had the opportunity to speak to many presidential hopefuls over the past five years. When speaking with Governor Mitt Romney several years ago, Rebecca commented that he was largely unresponsive and seemingly disinterested. By contrast, Rebecca’s conversation with Texas Governor Rick Perrymade headline news, with Governor Perry stating, ”Looking in her eyes, I couldn’t come up with an answer to defend the exceptions for rape and incest.”

“As someone who really cares about rape victims, I want to protect them from the rapist, and from the abortion, but not the baby. A baby is not the worst thing that could ever happen to a rape victim — an abortion is,” explained Kiessling. “We need to educate the American public on the truth in this matter and not make public policy based on myth and misinformation.”

“Governor Romney claims to be prolife, but it appears he is prolife with exceptions – if the baby was conceived in rape, it seems that Romney does not believe that baby has a right to life. This position is contrary to the Republican party platform and contrary to the beliefs of prolife Americans nationwide. All babies have a right to live, regardless of the circumstances of their conception,” concluded Mason

Image Courtesy of   NewsHour

The article Critics on Romney-Ryan Abortion Campaign on Rape Cases appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

President Obama has now shifted his criticism from Ryan’s Medicare plan to his education plan. Obama is saying that Paul Ryan’s budget plan will have terrible consequences for the education system; his cuts on education will be dramatic.

According to the AP, during a political rally in Ohio on August 21, the president was going to tell to the voters that “Ryan’s budget proposal would cut $115 billion from the Education Department, remove 2 million children from Head Start programs and cost 1 million college students their Pell Grants over the next decade.”

Michael Shank in an article on Al Jazeera also supports Obama’s ideas. He explains that “that under a Ryan economic regime, education spending would be cut by 45 percent, despite the fact that our educational performance in reading, science and math continues to fail to rank in the top ten of the OECD’s rich world countries.”

Also, Michael Linden in an article on the Center for American Progress is very skeptic of Ryan’s budget plan.

Linden says that “each component of the new House Republican budget threatens the middle class while doing nothing to add jobs or grow our economy. It ends the guarantee of decent insurance for senior citizens, breaking Medicare’s bedrock promise. It slashes investments in education, infrastructure, and basic research, all of which are key drivers of economic growth and mobility. And it cuts taxes for those at the top, asking the middle class to pick up the tab. It’s a budget designed to benefit the top 1 percent at everyone else’s expense.”

The Democratic National Committee also released an ad criticizing the education cuts Romney’s running mate’s budget plan would do. The ad called “shop around,” says that the Romney-Ryan education plan would not help students to pay their college tuition and the only solution Romney has proposed for the students is to “shop around” or to borrow money from their parents.  The ad also explains Romney would cut grants for nearly 10 million students. The ad finishes saying that “students cannot afford Mitt Romney.”

Ryan’s spokesman has responded to the recent criticism, stating: “Under President Obama, the costs of college have skyrocketed — making it more difficult for students to attend college — and his economic policies have made it harder for graduates to get jobs.” The spokesman also thinks these kind of accusations are intended to distract people from Obama’s terrible record in office.

The article Romney-Ryan Education Plan Under Hard Criticism appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Paul Ryan recently made a speech in front of many elderly and beneficiaries of Medicare citizens  at The Villages in Florida, one of the key states in which the Republicans are receiving hard critics for their Medicare plans, which the Democrats claim would hurt American seniors.

Paul Ryan is considered to be a great speaker; the first thing he did during his Florida speech was to introduce his mother (Betty) to the crowd. He said that under Obama’s leadership the United States has become a “nation deeper in debt and further in doubt,” he added that now more than ever the country needs a leader that would make tough decisions to get the country back on track. He also criticized that President Obama and other politicians have “become more focused on their next election than on the next generation.”

Ryan also said that it is true that Obama “inherited a difficult situation,” but the problem is that he made it worse. He added that his speech is not hope and change anymore, it has now changed into anger and frustration.

Paul Ryan also talked about Romney’s credentials. It seems he has taken seriously the job of making his running mate seem as the leader America needs in this difficult situation. He talked about Romney’s business records, which have been one of his most criticized aspects by Obama’s campaign, by saying that Romney has helped in creating successful businesses many people know about like Sports Authority or Bright Horizons.

He also talked about Romney’s political experience, saying that Romney was a Republican governor in a Democratic state like Massachusetts, and he was able to negotiate with the Democrats in the legislature to balance the budget without increasing taxes.

Ryan also spoke about Medicare, the controversial issue that has been debated during the past few weeks. Democrats claim the Republicans want to turn Medicare into a voucher system and the Republicans claim Obama has taken $716 billion out of Medicare to support his own program (Obamacare).

Ryan said he wants a debate over Medicare and that a debate is needed. While talking about Medicare he referred to his mom, who is retired in Florida and is enrolled in Medicare. The vice presidential candidate said that for him Medicare is not a “bunch of numbers,” it is the program that his “mom relies on.”

Ryan explained that his mom is enrolled in Medicare and planned her retirement on the promise the government made her, because she paid her payroll taxes in order to become a Medicare beneficiary. Paul Ryan added that Obama has taken $716 billion from the program to pay for Obamacare and this will cut benefits from seniors.

He also added that Obama put a board of bureaucrats in charge of Medicare to fulfill his plans. The Wisconsin congressman said that because of the way Obama has handled Medicare, millions of seniors are projected to lose their benefits. He clearly stated: “Medicare should not be used as a piggy bank for Obamacare.”

The vice presidential candidate said that Romney and him would not let this board of bureaucrats “mess with [his] mom’s healthcare.” He also responded to recent accusations that he would end Medicare as it is known right now and make seniors pay more for their health programs by saying that if you are 55 or over, the Romney-Ryan plan for Medicare would not affect your benefits. He added that in order to save Medicare for the generation of 55 or over, a Medicare for his generation is needed, so the program does not go bankrupt when his generation wants to retire.

Ryan also explained the plan they intend to follow to save Medicare originated in the Clinton’s Commission Plan to Save Medicare, and it would not change benefits to people who are 55 or above. Instead, it provides a choice for the kind of medical coverage the younger generation wants to receive, including the traditional Medicare plan.

Ryan explained that this forces the insurance providers to compete between each other to gain customers. Ryan added that instead of being begging for mercy from bureaucrats to get health insurance, this Medicare reform would provide the opportunity to choose the insurance plan that suits each senior better.

Image Courtesy of  WisCoMedia

The article Paul Ryan’s Outstanding Performance in Florida appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan was recently reported by the New York Times as a fan of band Rage Against The Machine. Given the approach with which the band addresses major topics for world change in their songs, the association seemed odd to many.

Tom Morello, Rage Against The Machine’s guitarist, wrote an open letter in response to Ryan’s appreciation, published by Rolling Stone:

Paul Ryan’s love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades. Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn’t understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn’t understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless about his favorite band, Rage Against the Machine.

Ryan claims that he likes Rage’s sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don’t care for Paul Ryan’s sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage.

I wonder what Ryan’s favorite Rage song is? Is it the one where we condemn the genocide of Native Americans? The one lambasting American imperialism? Our cover of “Fuck the Police”? Or is it the one where we call on the people to seize the means of production? So many excellent choices to jam out to at Young Republican meetings!

Don’t mistake me, I clearly see that Ryan has a whole lotta “rage” in him: A rage against women, a rage against immigrants, a rage against workers, a rage against gays, a rage against the poor, a rage against the environment. Basically the only thing he’s not raging against is the privileged elite he’s groveling in front of for campaign contributions.

You see, the super rich must rationalize having more than they could ever spend while millions of children in the U.S. go to bed hungry every night. So, when they look themselves in the mirror, they convince themselves that ”Those people are undeserving. They’re . . . lesser.” Some of these guys on the extreme right are more cynical than Paul Ryan, but he seems to really believe in this stuff. This unbridled rage against those who have the least is a cornerstone of the Romney-Ryan ticket.

But Rage’s music affects people in different ways. Some tune out what the band stands for and concentrate on the moshing and throwing elbows in the pit. For others, Rage has changed their minds and their lives. Many activists around the world, including organizers of the global occupy movement, were radicalized by Rage Against the Machine and work tirelessly for a more humane and just planet. Perhaps Paul Ryan was moshing when he should have been listening.

My hope is that maybe Paul Ryan is a mole. Maybe Rage did plant some sensible ideas in this extreme fringe right wing nut job. Maybe if elected, he’ll pardon Leonard Peltier.  Maybe he’ll throw U.S. military support behind the Zapatistas. Maybe he’ll fill Guantanamo Bay with the corporate criminals that are funding his campaign – and then torture them with Rage music 24/7. That’s one possibility. But I’m not betting on it.

Image Courtesy of   Stephen Dyrgas

The article Tom Morello Responds to Paul Ryan’s Love for ‘Rage’ Music appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Usually vice presidents do things that presidents can’t do by themselves. They try to complement the president in the areas in which he is weaker. That is what Paul Ryan and Joe Biden are doing: Biden is helping Obama gain support of white-working class voters and Ryan is helping Romney with the most conservative wing of the Republican Party.

Although in age and in most political views Ryan and Biden are totally different, they share some things in common. Both are Catholics and both suffered a terrible loss. Ryan lost his father when he was young, and Biden lost his daughter and wife in a car accident.  Both of them have used their personal stories in political rallies.

Daniel Burke in a Washington Post article said that although both Ryan and Biden are Catholics neither of them is a serious defender of their church’s main political causes.  Burke states that “Biden agrees with the church on social justice issues like poverty, but runs afoul on gay marriage and abortion rights. Ryan, meanwhile, agrees with Catholic doctrine on abortion and gay marriage, but clashes with church leaders on social justice issues.”

This proves how both of them are politically opposite in key issues. The real question is if the Catholic vote would be decisive in this election. And, if it is, who would the Catholic voters support?

Biden considers himself to be Obama’s big brother: he has the mission to grant the president the experience he has in aspects like foreign issues from his long political career and credibility in Washington. Ryan, on the other hand, has to give Romney credibility in a key aspect like the federal budget. Ryan needs to show that a Republican government in the White House would reduce the deficit, something the Republicans are claiming Obama has increased by a trillion dollars every year.

But Biden has received recent criticism, and the Republicans are trying to take advantage of it to project a bad image of him. During a political rally in Virginia, in which many in the crowd were African-Americans, the vice president said that Romney’s plans for Wall Street would put them “back in chains.” For this declaration, Biden has received multiple accusations of using racial undertones for political purposes.

In a recent interview with People magazine, Obama defended Biden, saying that he only intended to say that if the Republicans repel the Wall Street reforms his government has made, consumers won’t be protected.

Ryan referred to Biden’s declaration during an interview with Fox News Radio, saying: “You know, these are the kinds of things you say when you’re desperate in a campaign.” He added, “I think you’re going to hear more of these things as we go on because they have a terrible record and can’t run on it so they’re going to kind of sink this campaign to these low levels to distract people.”

Image Courtesy of  pennstatelive

The article Ryan, Biden and their Presidential Support appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Las Vegas, U.S.A. — One thousand federal workers and union activists from the American Federation of Government Employees and the AFL-CIO gathered outside a GOP fundraiser attended by Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan last night to draw attention to the devastating budget cuts that the congressman has proposed.

AFGE members, who are in Las Vegas for the union’s National Convention, joined with the Nevada AFL-CIO to protest outside the Venetian Hotel where Ryan attended a fundraiser sponsored by casino owner Sheldon Adelson, who has already donated $10 million to a political action committee supporting the Romney campaign.

As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Ryan authored a budget plan endorsed by former Gov. Mitt Romney that delivers more tax breaks to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans while slashing vital federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Outgoing AFGE National President John Gage led the protesters in a chant denouncing the Romney-Ryan economic plan, shouting “Romney Hood, Ryan Hood, not in our neighborhood.” Union activists held signs reading “Paul Ryan: Hustling for the 1%,” “Romney/Ryan Road to Ruin,” and others.

“Governor Romney’s selection of Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate indicates just how much contempt this ticket will have for the federal workforce and the vital programs we deliver to the American public each and every day,” Gage said.

The grand economic recovery plan offered by Romney and Ryan is to deliver more tax breaks to the millionaires and billionaires, oil companies and Wall Street firms who continue to score record profits while the rest of the country struggles to recover, AFGE officials said. American companies would receive lucrative new tax incentives to move jobs overseas, worsening the employment prospects of the millions of Americans who remain out of work. And programs like Medicare and Medicaid, food inspections, veterans’ health care and so many others would see their funding slashed.

“We think the choice of Ryan, with his extremely specific anti-federal employee budget proposals, makes it crystal clear that the Ryan budget will be the plan for the Romney Administration,” AFGE Legislative and Political Director Beth Moten said.

Image Courtesy of   SpeakerBoehner

The article Paul Ryan Protest: One Thousand Federal Employees Say “No” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan as the Republican’s Vice Presidential candidate this Saturday. So who exactly is Paul Ryan, and what does this selection tell us about how the Romney campaign and the fight for the Presidency is shaping up to be?

Paul Ryan is the US State Representative for the state of Wisconsin, and also chair of the House Budget Committee. Over the past couple of years his plans for the US budget has been the subject of much conversation and controversy; he mostly talks up the need to cut debt and spending, and the way he seems to want to go about that is through slashing funding for welfare programs, among others. He’s very conservative politically and quite a favorite among the GOP.

Ryan seems to be widely considered very intelligent and competent. Many see him as a rising star, someone young and ambitious, and many have written about how he, in many ways, somewhat overshadows the actual presidential candidate, Romney. His plans are now what’s brought up whenever the policy of the republican presidential candidacy is discussed and he seems to be considerably more charismatic than Romney, who doesn’t seem particularly ideological or at least does not give off the impression of being genuinely passionate about ideology, and is seen as rather bland.

As someone who has made his name almost entirely on policy issues–namely his Ryan plan for the budget–there is widespread expectation that the conversations in this election cycle are finally going to go back to some talk of actual policy instead of mostly mudslinging and generally trying to point out what terrible people the other side are. Though that’s perhaps almost unrealistically optimistic.

Much like Romney and the current Republican Party, he’s anti-abortion and against gay adoption and gay marriage and has a fairly poor record for supporting women’s rights. He also supports further tax cuts for the rich and for businesses, and since taxes on the wealthy won’t be going towards cutting the debt in his plan, he intends on fighting the deficit by cutting government spending in welfare programs and education spending, which means the recipients of these welfare programs are going to be considerably worse off. Namely, the poor and seniors, whose medical care is paid for by the rather intuitively named Medicare.

These exact same stances are very similar to everything that the current Republican party seems to push for and that Romney has presented, so this was a VP pick that was reinforcing those ideas instead of trying to provide something different or appeal to a different angle or set of voters.

So what does this tell us about Romney’s campaign? Well, Romney could really have gone two different angles with his campaign now that he’s almost certainly going to be the Republican candidate for President to run against Obama. He could’ve tried to capture moderate voters who aren’t really very much on one side or the other, who almost undoubtedly, like everyone else in America, are unhappy with the economy as it is right now.

By trying to move a bit more from the right to the center and hoping that with the votes from conservatives and enough of a share from moderates, he could try to win the election. Along those lines, he could’ve even tried to reach out to groups rather alienated by Republican policies like women or Latinos.

However, Romney has never really been popular with conservatives who are the base of the Republican Party; when the primary elections to choose a party candidate to run for President were going on people, seemed to want any other choice, but all of the other options turned out to be too problematic for various reasons.

Earlier in his political career, when he was Governor of his home state of Massachusetts, Romney’s policies had been very different and not very right-wing, but now as he fights for the presidential nomination, he’s had to backtrack on a lot of it, and this gives the impression to a lot of conservatives that he hasn’t been conservative enough in the past. As a result, he’s not too popular among the conservative base.

So by choosing Paul Ryan as his VP pick, he has thoroughly burnished his credentials as a right-wing guy who’d bring about right-wing policy if elected President. This means Romney has decided that the support of an energized and enthusiastic conservative base could be more useful than attempting to win over moderates and risk losing support from the conservatives. Also, he’s doubled down on policies that would be useful to businesses and the rich–less regulation, lower taxes on them–so companies and the wealthy looking out for their own interests are more likely to back him.

Many average Americans are pretty apathetic about politics, an apathy that has only been increasing recently with widespread mistrust of all government. However, conservatives have been pretty fired up lately. He’s made the gamble that an enthusiastic base of people who are going to vote and fund a campaign, as well as guarantee lots of campaign funding from businesses and the rich to go towards ads and campaigning, is going to be more useful than hoping to get the more apathetic moderates to vote for him.

Voting isn’t compulsory in the US, so only 50-60% of eligible voters actually vote, and of course more dedicated groups are more likely to vote. Of course, now the Obama campaign will target those same moderates (already begun–the Obama campaign has been focusing a lot on how they would be so much better for the middle class and for women’s rights) because if enough of them care enough to vote, Obama has a pretty great chance of winning, but that’s the gamble Romney’s made now.

Will Obama be able to inspire those moderates enough to actually vote and convince them that voting for him would be good for them, or will lots of ads and campaigning funded by the wealthy and an enthusiastic base of conservatives who will definitely be going to vote when November rolls around, be enough for Romney to win? We’ll have to see how it plays out over the next three months.

Image Courtesy of  monkeyz_uncle

The article What Paul Ryan’s Candidacy Tells us about the 2012 Elections appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Since his designation as Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan has been under a lot of criticism from the Democrats, but his response has not taken long to be heard. In Iowa he criticized the way President Obama has handled the economy for the past four years.

This August 13 during Iowa’s rally, Paul Ryan was dressed for the occasion; he wore jeans, cowboy boots and a red and white checkered shirt. Since his nomination this was the first time Ryan campaigned alone, he was facing thousands of people, but he did well.

Recently in a political rally in Iowa President Obama made hard accusations against Ryan, saying that he blocked a farm bill that would benefit state farmers.  Ryan also had something to say to Obama during another rally in the key-state battleground of Iowa, accusing the president of “spending our children into a diminished future.”

Referring to Obama’s three-day visit to Iowa, Ryan stated: “As you see the president come through in his bus tour, you might ask him the same question that I’m getting asked from people all around America. And that is, ‘Where are the jobs, Mr. President?’” The fact that during his speech Ryan made a direct reference to Obama by suggesting the crowd that if they see the president, they should ask him about where the jobs are, is not a coincidence. President Obama did something similar during his Iowa rally. He told the crowd that if they saw Paul Ryan to tell him how important the farm bill was for Iowa’s rural communities.

Although Ryan made an outstanding appearance in Iowa, the rally was not easy. There were some protesters who interrupted him several times. They were claiming that Ryan was on war with the middle class, and tensions arose to the maximum point when a woman climbed into Ryan’s stage, but she was immediately taken by security forces.  Ryan, to try to cool things down, said that “she must not be from Iowa.”

Iowa is one of the swing states. Obama won it in the 2008 election, but in 2004 Bush won this state, so the Republicans are making a huge effort to regain it. Ryan did not talk about the reform he intends to make in Medicare. In recent days one of the most popular accusations made against Ryan is that he intends to transform Medicare into a voucher system, but in Iowa he did not talk about this controversial issue.

Paul Ryan also intended to avoid Obama’s accusations that he opposed a farm bill that would benefit the rural sector. He said that he “would get into those policy things later,” and stated: “Right now, I just want to enjoy the fair.” But Romney spokesman, Ryan Williams, defended Ryan and Romney on this issue, he stated: “The truth is no one will work harder to defend farmers and ranchers than the Romney-Ryan ticket.”

Image Courtesy of   love4utah [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The article Paul Ryan’s First Solo Appearance as Republican Candidate appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Paul Ryan, Romney’s running mate, is the Republican leader on fiscal and budget issues; he is a seen as a “fiscal hawk.” Ryan is also very popular among the Republican’s most conservative voters.

Ryan is the designer of a new economic plan that intends to drastically decrease government spending, but Romney has taken his distance from Ryan’s plan, which some consider to contain draconian measures. Romney has announced that he respects Ryan’s plan but he has his own plan to reduce the deficit.

Sen. Rick Santorum, one of the nation’s conservative leaders, stated: “Congressman Paul Ryan is an outstanding choice as our country’s next vice president, and today’s announcement demonstrates Governor Romney’s commitment to returning fiscal sanity back to Washington.”

Romney referred to Ryan as a “faithful catholic” who is a supporter of the dignity of every human life. Ryan opposes abortion in all situations. He is definitely supported by the Republican’s most conservative base and would definitely energize them, as they have been very discrete in their support for Romney, and they are one of the Republican’s most important supporters. It is crucial for Romney to have them devoted to his cause in order to win this election.

The Obama campaign has already started to criticize the Republican candidates, claiming they want to take the country back to policies that have already been proven wrong.

The most important thing about Ryan is that he would reinforce Romney’s economic message. He is seen as an economic expert, the contrary of President Obama. That’s why is very important for the Democrats to show that his economic postures are radical and would only benefit the rich.

Obama’s campaign has released an article criticizing the “comeback team,” formed by Ryan and Romney. They explain that both of them support tax cuts for millionaires, that this will lead to tax rises for the middle class, and that the Republican candidates’ plan intends to cut investments in vital areas like education.

The Democrats also explained that Ryan’s budget plan intends to make Bush’s tax cuts for the millionaire permanent, and that he also intends to end Medicare as it is right now. They explain that Ryan’s plan would transform “Medicare into a voucher system which would increase seniors’ health costs by $6,350 a year.” Also, they claim he wants to privatize social security.

The other accusations the Democrats are making against Ryan is that he is a severely conservative man, who would take the country centuries back in reference to women’s health and equal rights. Obama’s campaign explains that Ryan co-sponsored a bill that intends to end in-vitro fertilization and other forms of birth control, and that he is also a supporter of letting states prosecute women and doctors involved in an abortion. They also accuse Ryan of opposing gay marriage.

These are some of the main accusations the Democrats have made against Romney’s running mate; they are trying to make him seem as an enemy of the middle class and women. His position on Medicare could cost the Republicans some votes from the elder people, but he would definitely reinforce Romney’s economic message and will gain conservative support for his position on some of the controversial topics.

Image Courtesy of   bubbablitz

The article Paul Ryan Selected, Obama’s Campaign Accusations Begin appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus has announced that Florida Senator Marco Rubio and New Jersey Governor will have their opportunity to speak at the Republican National Convention on Tampa this month, one will have the keynote speaker role and the other will introduce Romney in his speech, in which he will accept the Republican nomination for President.

Priebus through his twitter account stated: “Excited to announce this am that @GovChristie will be the @GOPconvention keynote speaker and @marcorubio will introduce @MittRomney!”

With this announcement it is clear that the Republicans are making a huge effort to organize a world-class convention. Almost all of their rising stars are having the opportunity to speak and consolidate themselves as future leaders.

Reince Priebus, referring to the announcement that Christie will be the keynote speaker at the Convention, stated: “As governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie has proven how bold Republican leadership gets results. He has fearlessly tackled his state’s most difficult challenges, while looking out for hardworking taxpayers. He is a leader of principle and conviction, and I am excited to hear him address the Republican National Convention as our keynote speaker. Governor Christie will make the case for America’s Comeback Team and will rally our party and country in support of the Romney-Ryan ticket.”

The key note speaker position will also represent a great opportunity for Governor Christie to be considered as a presidential candidate in the future, and it will also grant him the opportunity to express his ideas nationwide. Referring to the announcement that Rubio will introduce Romney, Priebus also had something to say.

He stated: “Senator Marco Rubio is without a doubt one of America’s most dynamic and inspiring leaders, and I am excited to announce that he will introduce Governor Romney at the Republican National Convention…Senator Rubio is a proven leader and a man of true character and it is fitting that he will take on such an important role at our convention in his home state. Throughout his career, he has shown true dedication to constitutional principles, fiscal responsibility and free enterprise. As the son of immigrants, he has witnessed the promise of the American Dream firsthand and has worked to secure that promise for future generations.”

The presidential nomination acceptance speech by Senator John McCain at the Republican National Convention in 2008 drew 38.9 million viewers across the country. This year more viewers are expected, and the introduction is a great opportunity for Rubio to consolidate himself as the leader of the future.

Let’s not forget that not until few days ago, when it was not known that Paul Ryan would be Romney’s running mate, Rubio and Christie were some of the favorite candidates to become the Republican’s vice-presidential pick, and although they are consolidated figures among the Republicans, they had not been announced as speakers at the Convention. Many thought it was because one of them was going to be chosen as Romney’s running mate, and many still believe that Rubio will become the United States first Hispanic president.

Image Courtesy of  Luigi Novi [CC-BY-3.0 or CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The article Chris Christie and Rubio Join GOP Convention Speakers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The most popular buzz in the political world this weekend has to be the revealing of Governor Mitt Romney’s Vice President pick, Paul Ryan. Ryan, Wisconsin’s representative, has been one of the many who were being vetted for Romney’s VP in the past few months. People and the media have been wondering who Romney would pick, whether it would be Paul Ryan, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Marco Rubio of Florida, or Rob Portman of Ohio. In the end, on August 11, Romney tweeted:

“I am proud to announce @PaulRyanVP as my VP. Stand with us today. http://mi.tt/Romney-Ryan #RomneyRyan2012″

Ryan, also know as the chair of the House Budget Committee, is known for his fiscal policy. His personal website says that “He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Social Security, health care and trade laws.” With a strong background in economics and budget plans, he is a smart addition for the Romney team.

However, the media has much to say about Romney’s decision. Obviously, not everybody is going to love Paul Ryan. Some are saying Ryan is good for the Democrats, that he is “bad for women,” and hates medicare. Many Americans are worried about Ryan’s Medicare plan. Ryan’s budget plan, which is somewhat controversial, intends to to make Medicare something called “premium support,” meaning that the government will offer seniors a set amount of money to spend in a health insurance exchange. This would allow seniors to choose their own private insurance, or use the government-run insurance. Once the senior has a plan, they would have to pay more out of pocket.

Current Vice President, Joe Biden, recently said that “Ryan’s plan to privatize Social Security was irresponsible.” Along with this, CBS news said that, “Ryan, a seven-term congressman and chairman of the House Budget Committee, wants to slice away at Medicare, food stamps and virtually all domestic programs, with military a notable exception.”

Besides fiscal policy, budget plans, and Medicare ideas, the media has also been showing another side of Ryan. Ryan is young, smart, and apparently a fitness buff. The ever so popular internet meme of Ryan has gone viral. Based off of the Ryan Gosling meme, that often starts off with “Hey Girl..” to melt women’s hearts, the Paul Ryan meme is very similar, having some that say “Hey girl, unlike the debt, our love will never hit a ceiling.” The memes have gone viral, and are the topics of many Ryan headlines.

Also headlining for Ryan, is his physique. Politico recently published an article called, “Forget the budget, Paul Ryan is hot.” It details how Ryan is included in the Hill’s top 50 Most Beautiful List and one of the top suggestions for google when one types in Paul Ryan, is “Paul Ryan shirtless.”

Romney’s decision has caused a spark in the political world. Paul Ryan’s budget plan, fiscal policies, internet memes, and pictures of him shirtless will definitely keep him in the media for a while. The question is if his budget plan and six pack will help Romney win the election in November.

Image Courtesy of  monkeyz_uncle (Flickr: DSC_6842) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The article Romney Finally Picks a Running Mate appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Obama for America Campaign Manager, Jim Messina, has released a statement criticizing Paul Ryan selection as Romney’s running mate:

“In naming Congressman Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney has chosen a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to the flawed theory that new budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy, while placing greater burdens on the middle class and seniors, will somehow deliver a stronger economy.

The architect of the radical Republican House budget, Ryan, like Romney, proposed an additional $250,000 tax cut for millionaires, and deep cuts in education from Head Start to college aid. His plan also would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors.

As a member of Congress, Ryan rubber-stamped the reckless Bush economic policies that exploded our deficit and crashed our economy. Now the Romney-Ryan ticket would take us back by repeating the same, catastrophic mistakes.”

Messina wants to convince the voters that if the Republican ticket gets back to the White House they would repeat the same mistakes that led to the economic crisis.

He also recently posted the Des Moines Register’s editorial in Twitter, which he thinks shows that most Romney plans are unrealistic. The editorial says that is obvious that the welfare check should require work, and that President Obama is not against it. The editorial adds that Mitt Romney is trying to convince the voters that Obama would end work requirements from the welfare check, which is not practical.

The editorial also talks about Iowa, a key state battleground, and how only about 15,000 Iowans receive a monthly check from the government, which only gives them about $334.  The editorial adds that the requirements to qualify for the check have become harder, because in the past almost 12 million people received their welfare check and now only 4 million are beneficiaries.

The editorial also explains that the idea that people are relying on the government just waiting for the state to send them the check is benefiting Romney, that’s why he continues using it.

Messina also tweeted the Denver Post editorial, which is in his same line of thinking, that says that Romney chose a radical candidate. The editorial considers that Ryan’s budget plan is radical.

The main ideas expressed in the editorial are that Ryan’s budget plan would lower Bush tax cuts for the wealthier Americans. The editorial also adds that Ryan intends to transform Medicare into a voucher system.

The Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, has defended Romney and Ryan against the different accusations they have received, Priebus wrote on his Twitter account: “Obama campaign about small things – accusing Romney of being a felon & murderer. Next thing you know, they’ll accuse Romney of eating a dog.”

Image Courtesy of  White House (Pete Souza) / Maison Blanche (Pete Souza) (The Official White House Photostream [1]) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The article Jim Messina Fires at the Republican Ticket appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Vice president Joe Biden has two main things in common with Paul Ryan, the person who is trying to substitute him. Both are Catholics and both suffered terrible loses when they were young. Ryan lost his father and Biden lost his wife and daughter in a crash in 1972. Also, both men have clear differences in the way they plan to run the country and Biden recently called Ryan’s policies “irresponsible.”

In a political rally in Durham, N.C. Biden said that Romney and Ryan are decent men, but they have very different values from him and Obama. He said their main differences are in education policies, tax issues and government spending. Both Republican and Democrat tickets have very different points of view on how these issues should be handled.

Also, Biden referred to Ryan’s plan to privatize social security as irresponsible. The vice president criticized that Ryan wants to end Medicare and give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.

Obama, who has been campaigning in the swing state of Iowa, criticized Ryan for blocking a farm bill that could help the farmers get the resources they need. President Obama during a rally in Iowa stated: “If you happen to see Congressman Ryan, tell him how important this farm bill is to Iowa and our rural communities,” Obama added “we’ve got to put politics aside when it comes to doing the right thing for rural America and for Iowa.” The Democrats are trying to deflect all the positive attention Ryan could get by making hard accusations on him and trying to prove his budget plan would only favor the wealthy.

On the Medicare issue Romney has defended his running mate, saying that what he intends to do is to preserve Medicare. Romney added that Ryan has different ideas than Obama, and added that “the president’s idea, for example, for Medicare, was to cut it by $700 billion. That’s not the right answer.”

Ryan has also defended the accusations that he would turn Medicare into a voucher system. He said that his mother is a Medicare senior in Florida, and criticized the government by saying that the government made promises to the elderly community, promises with which they have organized their retirement. He added that if the government wants to fulfill those promises it needs to reform Medicare for the younger generation, and that is what he intends to do in order to guarantee a secure future for the elderly.

Romney said that the only president in the nation’s history that has robbed Medicare is Obama. He stated:  ”There’s only one president that I know of in history that robbed Medicare,” and added that it was going to cost $716 billion to implement his own risky program commonly called Obamacare.

Image Courtesy of  Jason and Bonnie Grower / Shutterstock.com

The article Joe Biden, Paul Ryan and Medicare appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Paul Ryan has been chosen as Mitt Romney’s running mate in the upcoming US elections. After his nomination he updated his new Twitter account @PaulRyanVp with the following: “I’m honored to join @MittRomney on America’s Comeback Team. http://mi.tt/Romney-Ryan  #RomneyRyan2012.”

Paul Ryan was born in the community of Janesville, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Joseph A. Craig High School from his home town and earned a degree in economics and political science from Miami University in Ohio.

Ryan has served in Wisconsin’s first congressional district since 1999, but as of August 11, Ryan became the Vice President hopeful in Romney’s campaign.

As the Chairman of the House Budget Committee he gained notoriety by working to bring fiscal deficit and accountability to the government. He is seen as a “fiscal hawk,” representing what some believe Obama is not. He has criticized the exaggerated government spendings of the past years. He proposed a new plan that would eliminate medicare. He plans to change it from an insurance program to one where seniors get government subsidy to buy their own private insurance. Ryan’s ideas are clear: small government and low taxes.

In Ryan’s first speech he first thanked Romney for the opportunity of being his running mate and said that the former government is the leader the country needs during these difficult times. Ryan also introduced his family to the crowd, his wife, his daughter and his two sons.

Paul Ryan is only 42 years old. In his speech he said he is committed to putt his Congress ideas and experience into Romney’s administration. He declared that Romney is the one that would put America back into the prosperity road. Ryan connected easily with the crowd with simple words and stories, for example he told a story about his dad who died when he was young. He told that his dad always said: “Son, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.” He added that Barack Obama has become part of the problem and Romney is the solution.

The Republican nominee also admitted that Obama did not inherit a good economic situation, but he explained that during the first two years in which the Democrat’s where in control of Congress and in which Obama was able to pass nearly “every item in his agenda, but that didn’t make things better.” Ryan criticized Obama’s economic management, saying that his has been “the worst economic recovery in 70 years, unemployment has been above 8% for more than three years, the longest run since the Great Depression.”

Ryan also said that the U.S. has now the biggest deficit and the largest government since WWII, and said that Obama’s government has a record of failure. He also criticized Obama for not being willing to make difficult decisions to fix the country because he is only thinking about the next election.

Ryan also made a declaration that pleased the conservatives. He said that our “rights come from nature and God, not from government.” He added that “this idea was founded on the principles of liberty, freedom, free enterprise, self-determination and government by consent of the governed.” Paul Ryan said that this idea is now under assault, freedom and security are being threatened and Ryan promised that if they were elected they “won’t replace the founding principles, they would reapply them.”

Image Courtesy of  Tobyotter

The article Paul Ryan Applauded for His First Speech as VP Nominee appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Washington, U.S.A. — A Romney-Ryan White House would be a dream for the richest 1 percent of Americans who are millionaires, but an economic nightmare for the vast majority of middle-class and lower-income Americans, according to Americans for Tax Fairness Action.

“A Romney-Ryan White House would be Robin Hood in reverse, and that’s not the kind of America we want to live in,” said Frank Clemente, campaign manager for Americans for Tax Fairness Action. “Both of their budget plans would lavish the richest 1 percent of Americans who make over $1 million with yearly tax breaks of at least $250,000, while raising taxes on 95 percent of Americans who make less than $200,000. Politicians stacking the deck in favor of their wealthy campaign contributors and sticking the rest of us with the tab is not right.”

“We need to overhaul the tax code so that it reflects our values, and so everyone plays by the same rules and pays their fair share,” added Clemente. “That’s why we should end tax breaks for companies like those that Bain Capital invests in that ship jobs overseas, and level the playing field for small businesses that create jobs in America. We should end tax breaks for the rich like Mitt Romney who use offshore tax shelters in places like the Cayman Islands to avoid paying the taxes they owe, so they can pay a lower tax rate than the teachers who educate our kids.”

Romney’s tax plan, which would make the Bush tax cuts permanent, including for the richest 2 percent, and cut the top income tax rate by another 20 percent, would give people making over $1 million in 2013 a net tax cut of over $250,000, according to a new analysis by Citizens for Tax Justice. Romney’s tax plan would increase taxes by an average of $2,000 on families making less than $200,000 a year, according to a new report by the Tax Policy Center (see page 6 ).

Ryan authored the House budget t hat also wou ld make the Bush tax breaks permanent, including those for the richest 2 percent, and cut by 30 percent both the corporate income tax rate and the top tax rate paid by the wealthiest Americans.

It would give the richest Americans a tax break of nearly $300,000, while raising taxes on a typical household earning between $50,000 and $100,000 and filing jointly by over $1,350, according to the Joint Economic Committee. It also would end the Medicare guarantee and requires seniors to pay $6,000 more per year for fewer benefits than they get now, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation Program on Medicare Policy.

Americans for Tax Fairness Action is a 501c4 organization that is separate from the Americans for Tax Fairness coalition, which is a 501c3 organization The 140 organizations that comprise the ATF membership are separate and distinct from Americans for Tax Fairness Action. Any references to ATF action should not make any association between the coalition that comprises ATF and ATF Action

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

The article Romney-Ryan White House Would be Reverse Robin Hood appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

As if there is not already too many Republicans cooks in the kitchen, former New York governor George Pataki may be considering entering the fray. Although earlier in the year, Pataki dismissed the idea that he would run for the White House, the Republican just can’t seem to help himself when looking at the crazy field out there.

The New York Daily News reports that close advisors to the former governor expect him to make his announcement but no date has been set. Despite his earlier denial, Pataki has been hinting of a possible run.

In June, Pataki told reporters that he would jump in if no one else with a credible chance of winning comes along. Clearly, televangelist Rick Perry, hypnotic Michele Bachmann and the man with a health care problem Mitt Romney are not credible chances. Pataki has relatively liberal social views which make his chance of winning his party’s nomination a degree above nil.

Meanwhile, Republicans voters are still begging for another candidate to enter the race. However, the name Pataki has never been mentioned. Despite Rep. Paul Ryan’s repeat announcement that he will not run for president, it seems his fan base is still encouraging him. Pressure is also mounting on New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Sarah Palin allegedly has not made up her mind yet.

“Do I think the field is complete yet? I would have thought so, but I’ve got to be honest. I think there could be a few more surprises,” said New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Jack Kimball. According to the Wall Street Journal, former Reagan administration official William Bennett has urged Rep. Ryan to consider a presidential bid.

Christie has stated he has no plans to enter the presidential race either. “The intensity of the recruitment efforts has certainly increased to a new level, but nothing has changed in terms of the governor’s plans,” said Christie adviser Mike Du Haime.

Although many thought Perry would be the lifesaver of the party, it only took days for many party insiders to realize that Perry is not going to beat Obama in the general election.

Many big dollar donors are waiting on the sidelines before backing a candidate. Even with the potential of Sarah Palin jumping in and the former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani considering a run, time is running out.

“To develop a national campaign, you have to have been in a serious planning mode for months by now,” said Phil Musser, a Pawlenty adviser.

Image Courtesy of christopherleonard

The article The Overcrowded, yet Unenthusiastic Republican Presidential Field appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Count Paul Ryan out of the presidential race, this time. Rep. Ryan (R-WI) has been floated as a possible presidential contender in an already overcrowded and strange field. But, the congressman says it isn’t happening.

Ryan issued a statement on Monday stating he appreciates supporters urging him to seek the 2012 nomination, but he hasn’t changed his mind about staying out of the race. Ryan is perhaps best known for his budget plan that would slash federal spending on various programs, including Medicare.

Ryan chairs the House Budget Committee. In his statement, he says he hopes the GOP will nominate a candidate committed to an agenda that “restores the promise and prosperity of our exceptional nation.”

Although it still appears that the GOP is searching for the one favorite candidate that could be the “savior.” Many thought Texas Governor Rick Perry would be that candidate but his new campaign has already run into a series of problems. Rumors last week surfaced stating that New Jersey governor Chris Christie would jump into the fold, but Christie’s camp has denied any plants to enter the race.

Meanwhile Rep. Ryan is trying to create more tax loopholes for his largest donors. For months, Ryan has argued that closing tax loopholes would help to pay for his proposed tax cuts in his budget plan.

“We’re talking about keeping revenues where they are, but having a better tax system to collect those revenues with an eye on economic growth and job creation,” he said during an April interview on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.”

He added, “You have to remember, the people in the top tax brackets are the ones who enjoy most of the loopholes and deductions.”

But, his record reflects a different attitude in general. Since Ryan was elected to Congress in 1998, he has tried to create an array of special loopholes specific for his top contributors. For example, S.C. Johnson & Son is one of Ryan’s biggest donors.

Ryan introduced two bills in May 2005 that would have granted the company special exemptions from tariffs. Specifically, his bills sought to suspend duties for imported components of “unique air freshener products … assembled by S.C. Johnson in the United States,” Ryan said during floor remarks at the time. Neither bill advanced.

A year later, Ryan put forward another bill to reduce the duty on S.C. Johnson cleaning appliances “capable of dispensing cleaning solution into a tub or shower enclosure using a button-activated, battery-powered piston pump controlled by a microchip.” That bill didn’t move.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-Ryan/89309491492

The article Paul Ryan Not Running for President, Still Kissing Up to Donors appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.