Is Paul Ryan the future of the GOP?

There might be some much better choices out there in the Republican party.

Not if the conservatives ever want win another election again.........They could go the way of the insignificant libertarian party. Too much tea, makes you pee!

But I wish he was. We'd never have to worry about them getting control of the SCOTUS again!

Unless they really want to loose the next election too, and prove that they really are that out of touch with the US citizen's

If he is not, we need another like him!

Unless they've decided to throw in the towel.

they better hope not.

God- I certainly hope not......

how about he go back home, have his 3rd glass of wine, and shut the hell up

Much as every Democrat in America would love to have such a proven out of touch extremist with a history of lying and losing leading the increasingly irrelevant Republican Party, I can't imagine that the Republicans are quite ready to commit the ultimate political suicide just yet.

And if anyone thinks his "political star is rising", then I wonder what psychoactive drug they took that's making them see stars.

I hope not!

If that's the plan then they have no future. They already lost millions for how they handled the nomination process.

I voted no. But who can say at this point? Lots will change before the next presidential election. But if he is the future of the party, Democrats should be very happy about that.

The people should be the future of the GOP, can we get that right at least, please?!

I would hope not. The Tea Party has changed the face of the GOP to put them totally out of touch with reality. The divide is growing and people like Ryan espouse the idea of continuing that divide. Please, GOP in the sense of being fair...find someone new.

hope so

Unfortunately he may be.

let's hope not

The Tea Baggers have taken over. They keep supporting people like Ryan it will be the end of the GOP.

I certainly hope so.... that would be a sure win for Democrats of the future if he is!

At least I hope not. Paul Ryan is the type of stuffed shirt that started the Republicans on their path to failure. He is a professional politician. He understands polls and knows how to establish his positions based on the poll results. Unfortunately he has sold his soul for power and a pretty shirt.

I believe the GOP should stand by there values, personal responsibility, Yes, if people need help and we should help them but, this can only be done by people working paying taxes and helping other. I believe if you feel the Government will take of you, then you are wrong, People leave other counrty because they are under Government control,
and they are proud to come to America. I believe America need not turn her back against GOD.

Unless they've just completely given up.

It's too early to say. Sure he was VP, but on a ticket that lost in an electoral landslide. The GOP could just as easily pick someone like Rubio instead.

The GOP is a scumbag party. So I don't see why it won't continue to be so. OH! You meant Ryan specifically? Then NO. He's been used and abused. Credibility = 0.

As a Democrat I certainly hope so that way they'll lose again in 2016.

The Republican Party is a long way from being able to pick a candidate for 2016. First they have to clean up their act and
#1 set up a platform that the people can believe in,
#2 Somehow straighten out their immigration issues (what to do with the 11-12 million undocumented immigrants),
#3 The women (single mom's included) have to know and believe that the candidate will support their needs and causes,
#4 The platform has to support an expedited path to citizenship for the immigrants already here (we lost the Hispanic vote because our candidates wanted to ship them all home).

There are just a lot of things the Republican Party needs to clean up before getting serious about a candidate.

"undocumented immigrants"?
Try Illegal Aliens. Honest Legal Immigrants should be offended by such "PC" nomenclature of those that game the system, while their own friends and family are denied legal entry or take decades to get here the legal way.
What a disgrace our "PC" culture has become...

There are a lot of problems with assuming #4 will help:

1. Who is to say that Hispanics are still a potential swing bloc and not more like blacks? Obama got 75% of the Hispanic vote. In 2016, it will have been more than a decade since Republicans broke >40% with Hispanics (running on #4, but still). They could already be lost for a generation.

2. There is the possibility that a lot of Republicans would stay home. Or less likely, vote for a third party. You can already hear people like Herman Cain talking about the latter.

3. Even if it helps peel off enough hispanic voters to win in 2016, Republicans problems with them go beyond just their image on immigration. Unless they find other ways to appeal they will still have a demographic problem in the long run.

4. The President (and by extension his party) get the most credit for legislation. If Obama passes amnesty, it will not matter if a large chunk of the GOP supports that. The Democrats will reap the benefits with hispanics. Just like they did with blacks when LBJ passed Civil Rights legislation with the support of moderate/liberal Republicans.

Great response. I'm obviously not as well versed as yourself but my point is that they have to come up with something other than "ship them all back".

He gave up his conviction to easily when it contradicted with Mitt's platform. We need a bold conservative who will not cave and compromise his values.

I certainly hope not. Republican Representative Paul Ryan voted for Indefinite detention when he pulled the lever for the NDAA and he pulled the lever to make the Patriot Act permanent.
What we need are people who actually understand the Constitution to step up in the GOP...

the GOP has no future, civilization as we now know it will not exist in 4 more years... the scary times are here my friends and there is nothing we can do about it, except put our heads between our legs and kiss our azzzzzes good bye

Ryan doesn't realize it yet, but he is part of problem that Republicans are facing.

If the GOP knows what's good for it, Paul Ryan and his extremist counterparts will become a thing of the past in the not too distant future. If not they will go the way of the Whigs.

yep you know it

What a loser.....won't even be in the running. His head isn't flat for nothing.....on second thought?

Paul Ryan's biggest problem is that he is a hard ass. He undoubtedly had an authoritarian father. That bodes well if your in the Marines, or a GOP leader, but collectively Americans are not going to buy it. Just as Mitt had an inherent mean streak that started back in his childhood, and could not cover it up, Paul Ryan is not going to be able to be marketable and believable unless he faces a devastating, life changing crisis in which he faces some existential questioning. He might be appealing in Wisconsin, but not nationally.

On a superficial level, his Eddie Munster persona does not help either.