Paul Ryan on Principles & Values Republican nominee for Vice President; U.S. Rep. (WI-1)

The American Idea: way of life based on freedom and equality

We need different policies to safeguard the American Idea

Appeal to citizens with focus on economy & private rights

The left offers people a full stomach and an empty soul

FactCheck: Did Anderson ever meet such a child? On July 31, 2013, she testified to Congress [and told that same story].

Had she actually met this boy? Her spokesperson said she misspoke; the story came from a TV interview 25 years ago. When we told Ryan, he posted a notice saying, "I regret failing to verify the original story."

Tea Party & libertarians bring "creative tension" to GOP

He compares today's intra-party squabbling to the beginning of the Reagan revolution, when a "battle of ideas" gave way to a long period of conservative dominance in American politics: "We're figuring out the best way to apply our principles to the challenges of the day," Ryan says. "Sure, we have our disagreements. And yes, they can get a little passionate. I like to think of it as 'creative tension.' That's how it always is: You fight it out. You figure out what works. You come together. Then you win. It's messy and noisy and even a little bit uncomfortable. But the center of gravity is shifting. We're developing an agenda."

Progressives seem to have answers, but can't keep promises

Ryan laced his blistering critique with caveats, saying progressives were not evil, but merely misguided in pursuit of the shared goal of American exceptionalism.

He acknowledged the appeal of the liberal message and the success Democrats have had in peddling their vision to voters. "This vision proved compelling," Ryan said. "It drew thousands of people into government. They seized the moral high ground. They said they were for the people. And their opponents? They were for the rich. They were selfish. Progressives seem to have an answer. The progressive state offers a sense of security. But it's a false sense of security because government can't keep all its promises."

Lives now on same block in Janesville where he grew up

I live on the same block where I grew up. We belong to the same parish where I was baptized. Janesville is that kind of place. The people of Wisconsin have been good to me. I've tried to live up to their trust. And now, I ask those hardworking men and women and millions like them across America to join our cause and get this country working again.

Side-by-side issue comparison to Joe Biden

Obama-Biden vs. Romney-Ryan on International Issues:
• Climate Change
• Oil Drilling
• Nuclear Power
• Free Trade vs. Protectionism
• China Policy
• Mexican Border
• Illegal Alien Deportation
• Immigrant Benefits
• Cuba Policy
• Iranian Sanctions
• Iraq War
• Israel/Palestine
• International Diplomacy
• Patriot A Guantanamo and Torture
• Defense Spending
• Afghanistan War
• Syrian Civil War

I credit Ayn Rand for getting me involved in public service

In that same 2005 speech: "The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand," he said. "If we're going to actually win this we need to make sure that we're solid on premises, that our principles are well-defended, and if want to go and articulately defend these principles and what they mean to our society, what they mean for the trends that we set internationally, we have to go back to Ayn Rand," Rep. Ryan said.

"I think a lot of people would observe that we are right now living in an Ayn Rand novel, metaphorically speaking," Rep. Ryan observed in 2009.

Ayn Rand is thought-provoking, but objectivism is ridiculous

Ryan once touted Rand as someone who "more than anyone else has done a fantastic job of explaining the morality of capitalism, the morality of individualism." Speaking about the Obama administration, Ryan added, "And I think a lot of people would observe we are right now living in an Ayn Rand novel, metaphorically speaking."

But last summer Ryan said any talk of an obsession with Rand was a "canard." "You know I read her novels when I was young, I thought they were good at defending free markets and free enterprise. Her philosophy is kind of a ridiculous one in my opinion, objectivism. I'm a devout Catholic, how can you believe in that stuff? But I think her novels are thought-provoking."

Pursue three goals: Freedom; Growth; and Renewal

The second is Growth. I believe we must pursue a bold agenda of growth by casting aside the shackles of class envy and promoting economic growth and opportunity through lower taxes and by ultimately replacing the tax code.

The third principle which I will pursue is Renewal. We must replace moral squalor with both public decency and private civility. I believe we can begin this process of renewal by relieving the tax burden and by supporting our wealth of faith based charities. We can help restore good citizenship be freeing up individuals to become good citizens.

Won Tea Party Express poll based on fiscal conservatism

Kremer said, "We have been polling our members for the last couple of months, and Paul Ryan, along with Senator Marco Rubio, out of 27 different candidates on the ballot, had the strongest support from Tea Party Express supporters across the country. Ryan is a strong fiscal conservative, and addresses the serious financial woes facing the country."

"Selecting someone like Paul Ryan, who is so popular with tea party activists, proves that Mitt Romney is committed to addressing the economic issues that have been troubling our nation for the last 4 years," Kremer concluded.

Tea Party Express is the largest tea party political action committee in the nation. The organization aims its activity at reducing the size, cost, & intrusiveness of the federal government by electing pro-growth fiscal conservatives.

Adhere to principles to avoid squabbles among conservatives

"The only way we'll succeed is if we're united," Ryan told the others. "If we tear ourselves apart, we're finished." But, he added. He liked what he was hearing now. Everyone at the table sounded like a genuine conservative. It was a place to start.

Elected at age 28 & immediately focused on budget issues

Promote American exceptionalism

FactCheck: "Progressivists" is intentionally insulting term

Ryan further misleads readers by asserting, "Left-of-center politicians stopped calling themselves 'liberals' and started calling themselves 'Progressives.' I can't say precisely why they made this switch." That is factually incorrect. Liberals and progressives are distinct factions in the Democratic Party, akin to libertarians vs. Christian conservatives in the Republican Party. Hillary Clinton represented the liberal faction in 2008; Barack Obama represented the progressive faction.

Liberals started calling themselves Progressivists

Progressivism is actually an old political movement in America, going back before the beginning of the 20th century. Progressivism marked the point at which some politicians and intellectuals began for the first time to question the meaning of the Constitution, that the Constitution should be a "living" document whose meaning had to "keep up with the times." Suddenly government could create "rights"--and just as easily as it could create them, it could take them away.

The Progressivist vision is to create a new American person who no longer strives to better oneself but accepts one's station in life--and looks to the government to help cope not only with difficulties but with every important personal decision.

[This statement is factually incorrect; see OnTheIssues.org FactCheck --ed.]

Thinker of the "Young Guns" conservative movement

In "The Weekly Standard", they appeared on the cover in a photo taken on a Capitol balcony overlooking the Mall. They kne each other as members of the embattled Republican caucus that had lost control of the House in the disastrous 2006 mid-term election. But they hadn't realized their individual skills were remarkably complimentary: Cantor the leader, Ryan the thinker, McCarthy the strategist. Some of us at "The Weekly Standard" had noticed this. Thus the cover story.

In a sense, their alliance and the creation of Young Guns was a revolt against the older, established Republican leaders in the House. The party establishment was dedicated to protecting incumbents at all cost. With money, manpower, and advice, Young Guns supports challengers. Young Guns is not for "me-too" Republicans, those comfortable with a scaled-back version of the Democratic agenda.

America's greatest strengths lie in Americans themselves

Religious affiliation: Catholic.

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Member of the House Republican Young Guns.

The new generation of pro-market, small government leaders filled such a need that in October 2007, Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard profiled Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan, and Kevin McCarthy and christened them the "young guns."

Kevin approached Eric & Paul about the idea of traveling together, as "Young Guns", to visit Republican candidates interested in a new approach for the party.

What began as an informal way to support like-minded candidates became a more formal structure. Once the three Representatives had studied the candidate and given their support to become a Young Gun, they committed to providing financial support through their campaign committees.

Existing House Republicans were approached with a simple pitch: Are we willing to help ourselves by being proactive and going on the offense to change this House? Dozens of our House Republican colleagues joined the Young Gun effort as one of the many signs that the Republican Party had shifted.