Elections

Noonan: Ryan must ‘quickly’ explain plan to save entitlements

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
Font Size:

During Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s “This Week,” Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan said Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan needs to “quickly” tell Americans that his goal is to save — not dismantle — critical entitlement programs.

“It’s good to remember that the Republicans won in 2010 — rather overwhelmingly — and part of the reason they won in the congressional races was that the American people have really become concerned about the future of their country when they think about the endless hemorrhagic spending that is going on from Washington,” Noonan said.

“Now, Paul Ryan has been very associated, primarily associated on the Republican side, with being someone who has come forward and said, ‘We have got to more align revenues with what we are spending. We have got to get a little more reasonable here.’”

It’s important, Noonan added, for the Wisconsin congressman to define his policies for the public instead of letting his opponents define them first.

“The challenge for him and the danger, I think, of his nomination, is that there are a lot of Americans who are in financial hard times, a lot of Americans are living near the edge, a lot of Americans perhaps half are receiving some money from the U.S. government each month. Paul Ryan — when you include Social Security — Paul Ryan has to go to those people, I think, quickly, and convince them, ‘Look, I’m not trying to end the things you need. I am trying to save the things you need.’ The Democrats are going to say that he’s shark. He has to say that he’s the lifeboat.”

Follow Jeff on Twitter