Ryan Roars: Paul Ryan's Speech at Republican Convention Will Frame Election

By Keith A. Fournier
8/31/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Ryan's opponents efforts to demonize him and think they can deflect the American public from listening to his considered positions on the vital issues and challenges we face as a Nation will not only fail, I now believe they will backfire. Ryan's demeanor is warm, human and real - a refreshing change in a political atmosphere polluted with vitriol, vapid detraction and denigration. He lifts up the listener while he speaks truth to a Nation struggling through a desperate hour. He gives the listener hope that they, with good and effective leadership, can actually rebuild the American promise and re-secure the American dream for their children. In short, he dispenses hope in an hour when it is in short supply.

U.S. Republican Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan

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TAMPA, FL (Catholic Online) - On the 13th of August, after returning from the Rally in Norfolk, Virginia where Mitt Romney introduced Paul Ryan as his Vice Presidential running mate, I wrote an article entitled "Romney Goes Bold: Pro-Life Catholic Paul Ryan Chosen as Republican Vice Presidential Candidate."

I made clear I was writing that article as a private citizen. I once again make that clear as I write this article. I opined that I thought the choice of Paul Ryan demonstrated that Mitt Romney was willing to make bold decisions in the interest of tackling a serious crisis in this Nation. I underscore that after having just heard one of the finest political convention speeches I have heard in many years.

On the 13th of August I wrote, "I believe Mitt Romney is correct in his assessment of this gifted man. He is a talented public servant, a truly good family man, a faithful, genuinely Pro-Life Catholic and, as I found out today, much, much more. This man is a tremendous communicator. I have never heard him speak in public and I was truly impressed."

"When Governor Romney called Congressman Ryan up to the podium, he mistakenly referred to him as "the next President of the United States". He quickly returned to correct the gaffe. However, as Congressman Ryan spoke, I actually wondered if the mistake may someday prove to have been accurate. Ryan's sincerity, down to earth demeanor, warmth and believability reminded me of a young Ronald Reagan. This man is a gifted communicator. The first decision made by the 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, choosing Paul Ryan as his running mate, was bold and brilliant."

(Read the Catholic Online Exclusive Interview with 'Catholics call to Witness - Test of 'Fire')

On Wednesday, August 29, 2012, Paul Ryan accepted his party's nomination as their candidate for the Vice presidency of the United States. He gave an acceptance speech which not only reconfirmed my past assessment but upped the ante. His speech electrified the convention and established him as a force for the future in the American political scene.

I also believe that speech sent shock waves into the Obama-Biden Camp. Anyone who watched that well delivered speech - and witnessed this man's capacity to articulate his positions clearly, compellingly and cogently - while inspiring his listeners and drawing such rounds of appaluse- will, along with me, welcome the upcoming Vice Presidential debate between he and Vice President Joe Biden. This so called "wonk" is also a formidable political weapon. This debate will be one for the history books!

He lifts up the listener while he speaks truth to a Nation struggling through a desperate hour. He gives the listener hope that they, with good and effective leadership, can actually rebuild the American promise and re-secure the American dream for their children. In short, he dispenses hope in an hour when it is in short supply. That was one fantastic speech.

As I have expressed in the past, authentically Catholic and genuinely Pro-Life, Paul Ryan not only knows Catholic Social Doctrine, he maintains that he actively seeks to integrate the principles it offers into his own public service and the policy proposals he offers. His ability to do just that over the coming weeks will shake up the Catholic discussion over what truly furthers the common good in the social arena. It needs to be shaken up.

However, I hope it will do much more. I hope it will take these principles out of the rarified academic debates in which they do little practical good and offer them as yeast for the loaf of American culture. I hope it will wrest these principles from the camp of the political leftists who have wrongfully used them as proof-texts for their social engineering efforts.

I also hope it will insert these principles into the policy considerations of those on the right who teeter on the brink of losing an authentic humanism which affirms the primacy of the person, the family and the common good as they rush toward ideologies which fail to place the human person at the center of all considerations. That is because the principles offered by that body of thought called Catholic social teaching are neither left nor right. They are truly human and will help us in our efforts to build a truly just and human ...

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1 - 10 of 52 Comments

Mary
8 months ago
Listen up, People! JoAnn knows what she is talking about. Wasn't that one of Obama's platforms that everyone went so wild about and caused so many people to elect him into office in the first place? Every time he said that he was going to "FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM THE UNITED STATES", the Democrats ROARED WITH DELIGHT. I think that their hearts were in the right place. I really don't believe that they realized what Obama's definition of "FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM" was. However, it is NOT TOO LATE to correct our mistake because if he is re-elected to a second term, EVERYONE, DEMOCRATS included is going to wish they could do it all over again! ALL of our FREEDOMS (of RELIGION, SPEECH, and any other Freedoms you can think of) ARE GOING TO BE A THING OF THE PAST! Our children's SCHOOL BOOKS are already changing. Please, Please Everyone. Don't vote Democrat this time. Better Safe than Sorry!!! EVERYONE, Please Pray for God to see that we ALL make the right decision for our COUNTRY. May GOD bless us ALL and keep our wonderful Country SAFE.
JoAnn
8 months ago
Vance: Actually, to be fair. It wasn't just Dems. It was the "globalists" in both parties. Just like the progressives in both parties today are a cancer in our government Have you looked up the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) yet? This is an entity full of "globalists." The only way anyone can become a member, is by invitation "only." They are all globalists and they, along with the Federal Reserve and the Brookings Institute. are the entities that will be responsible for the "fundalmental transformation" of America. Obama is just the instrument that will get America to go along. If Obama gets another 4 yrs., he will turn over our sovereignty to the UN. If you get a list of the current and past members in the CFR, you will recognize a lot of names. About 50% of our presidents and the people in Washington come out of this entity. And a lot of members are in the media. The Federal Reserve is supposed to evolve into the one world economy, Brookings Institute is the think tank, "beliefs if you will" and the CFR is the entity that cranks out the globalist that will do the "transforming." The UN will end up being the "World Government." and NATO will be the world's law enforcers. Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy? God bless.
vance
8 months ago
JoAnn, great post. You certainly know your history. Apparently the Party of Death and Deceit must have had a sizable majority in congress to get these socialist programs passed back at the turn of the 20th century. Karl Marx's Das Kapital called for an Income Tax. He must be cheering from hell because he has gotten most of everything he wanted. God bless.
JoAnn
8 months ago
Vance: Auditing the Fed should be first on any president's list. BUT it would not be as easy as you might think. The Federal Reserve is no more a government entity as the Federal Express. It is a privately owned entity and we have been slaves to it since its inception. The minute Woodrow Wilson signed it into existance, we lost control of our money. That's why our Founding Fathers fought hard against having one.. They knew that a central bank would enslave the nation. They don't even tell us how much money is in circulation like they used to. Ron Paul, who is on the House Banking Committee was asked in an interview if he knew. He said "No." Then he was asked "You mean to tell America that, your on the House Banking Committee and you don't know how much money the FR has in circulation." He said "No." Hmmm. Do you think that the FR is getting ready to print more money like there's no tomorrow? Just wondering. Over $11 trillion dollars was given out to banks in bailouts. A lot of it went to foreign banks, not US banks. When seated before Congress, Bernake was asked what banks got the bailouts. He said "I can't tell you that." He was asked "Why." He said (this does make some sense) he couldn't tell anyone because if the depositors of these banks were to find out that their bank was in trouble, there would be a run on the banks that would start a chain reaction all over the world. That's the problem with MAED. Mutually Assured Economic Destruction. Look it up. $500 million went to a bank in Germany. The Federal Reserve came straight out of Europe and was set up according to European policies. It was born in Nov. 1910 on Jekyl Island, off the coast of Georgia. Paul Warburg, a banker from Germany is known as the Father of the Federal Reserve. Look him up. Mayer Amschel Rothschild, one of the Feds power's-that-be said "Give me control of a nations money, and I care not who makes her laws"? And then Frank Vanderlip, National City Bank president, who was one of the bankers on Jekyl Island said. " If it were to be exposed publicly that our particular group (the elites) had gotten together and written a banking bill, that bill would have no chance, whatsoever, of passage by Congress." Everybody just cannot imagine how world wide what Obama and his "powers-that-be are doing and that they have been in charge of our lives since the early 1900's. (Not Obama, of course) There are 12 Federal Reserve Banks in the US. Timothy Geitner, who is our present Secretary of Treasury, came from the #1 Federal Reserve Bank in New York. Nothing like getting the "fox to guard the henhouse." God bless.
vance
8 months ago
Rob, it's not about looking for conspiracies around every corner. It's about 'Questioning' our government and what they are doing. What they are doing makes no sense. The Weather Forecasting Agencies do not need thousands of rounds of hollow tipped bullets. The IRS does not have an armed police force. Anyone who would be busted for tax cheating is arrested by Federal Marshalls not IRS agents. The FBI and the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms are the other Federal arresting agents not Weather Forecasters. This is another reason for 'Auditing the Feds'.
Rob
8 months ago
vance, read the rest of my post. Weather service was a typo. But seriously, if Obama or any president for that matter wanted to turn the government against us, it would probably only take one fighter wing to take us all out. I don't think we have to worry about a few law enforcement officers.

Judy, I get what you are saying. But the problem with that strategy is that it does not encourage change on the part of those we elect. The only thing they do not have to be is the "other guy." They will never lose their job so long as they do not openly embrace those things opposed by their bases. We the voters are forced to "make the best" while they go on advancing the agendas of their contributors and ignoring the social issues unless their is some political advantage to be had.

I do agree with you regarding the state of catholicism in our country. It is really a sad state of affiars. I will take you up on the book recommendation. I've avoided a lot of Thomas Merton's writings in the past, but I know that book in particular is responsible for the conversion of many. I have a book for you to read too. It's called "Crazy Love." Father Larry Richards recommended it to me when he was here for our men's conference. It will blow you away in regards to discipleship and Christian witness. Personally, I believe a book like that speaks loudly about the problem american christianity is facing. I would love to get your's and JoAnne's take on that book. I'm not sure I've ever been more convicted.
vance
8 months ago
Rob, 170,000 plus rounds of ammo for the "Weather Service"?? Do they Weather Forecasters running around in uniform busting people? I think this is a bit suspicious don't you?
Judy Claar
8 months ago
Rob. Referring to your post of 3 Days ago: Lowering the bar to what we will accept?
Well, there is sure NO ONE ELSE! So we can quit Dreaming about that, and accept what we do have, and make the best of it! IF we want better, it is my opinion that we had better change our tactics now,(Dear God if it is not too late) by starting to vote our choice at the lower levels of government, (and up) and by the time good people reach the Congress or Senate, we might have someone to choose from. One who can pass God's test of keeping True to Oneself with God. Which includes: Not giving in to the greater majority of Secularism and Socialism, Greed, Me, Myself and I, etc. Then we will Perhaps have a half way decent good House and Senate.
In all actuality, WE and our seed, should have been voting like this all along...perhaps things would be different.
However, to make this at all plausible, we would need a good solid Catholic/Christian layity of voters.
We have what we have because of why? IT IS NOT JUST THE POLITICIANS.
This did not happen overnight. It has been a long time coming. And one has to be well versed in History to understand it.
Not only that, SOME Catholic/Christians have become more Lax with Each generation. That is, some have sold themselves to Modernism. It is my humble opinion, it was done because they had not the Time to Keep Learning the Deep Mystery of Their Faith. In this way they just sorta went with the wind of crowd. And here we are.
To this may I suggest reading "Seventh Story Mountain", by Thomas Merton.
Good Reading and Blessings...
JoAnn
8 months ago
I would like to invite EVERYBODY to go to "theblaze.com." Click on Breaking news & opinions. When you get in, click on WORDS MATTER" and watch it. I would like to hear your thoughts on it. Judy, Mary, Vance, Theresa H. Bill Sr., I know you will probably do it. I really hope everyone does. Thanks. God bless
Rob
8 months ago
174,000 bullets translates to a little less than 600 rounds per law enforcement official who works for the SSA. You know the guys that go out and arrest folks for social security fraud etc? Lot's of governmental agencies have law enforcement divisions. The ordering of the bullets for the "weather service" was a typo. The order was legit but the wrong agency was lited in the RFP. These rounds were for agents who patrol ocean vessels, game wardens etc.

In 10 seconds I found the answer, c'mon guys, stop seeing a conspiracy around every boulder.

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