This is a great interview of Paul Ryan by Peter Robinson of Uncommon Knowledge on Oct 3, 2011
Some quotes and notes.
Paul Ryan "Either we give the country a choice of two futures or we just go down the path we are on. I feel we have a moral obligation. Whether this is going to work politically or not, it doesn’t really matter. All I want to know is that… I did everything I can to stop this country from going off a cliff."
He talks about the difference a defined contribution plan would have rather than the defined benefit plan we currently have.
Peter Robinson "So your hope is generational, for seven decades, Americans have been taught to rely on Federal Government, first for old age pensions, then for health now for food stamps. Your hope is that by changing these programs, not eliminating them, not living up to Milton Friedman's ideal of wiping out seven decades of legislation. But by changing them you can begin instucting new generations in individual liberty" (Start time 34:53)
In answer to how do you keep getting elected in a democratic district, Paul Ryan said:
I don't say anything different at home than what I am saying to you right here. This is exactly who I am. That's the key. Don't try to be somebody you're not. You know if you don't get elected, you don't get elected. No big deal. If you want to be good at this job you have to be willing to lose the job.
I was at a stop and go gassing up the other day... I had a guy come up to me and said, "You know what, I don't always agree with everything you do, but I can tell you're trying and you're sincere and that's what matters to me"
What I believe is that people want conviction in politicians. They want people who are not just giving them vague platitudes. They want somebody trying to tackle these problems. People just know in their guts that we are going off the rails. This country is in deep trouble. ... They want people who are standing up and doing something about it. (Start time 36:34)How the election needs to be. "We have to win an affirming election where the country give us the authority and the obligation to do this. If we don't, if we go into this election with just a personality contest, muddling the differences, just beating each other up, then its going to be ugly afterwards, no matter who wins."
