Running Mates

Mitt Romney had tried not to frighten
Those whose Medicare worries were heightened,
But picked for his second
A fellow who reckoned
He'd cut it, and put that in writin'.

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has chosen as his running mate Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Chairman of the House Budget Committee. While Mr. Romney's core beliefs can sometimes seem hard to pin down, Mr. Ryan has captured the attention of the political world with a deficit-reduction proposal that would do away with Medicare in its current form, something heretofore considered the "third rail" of American politics. In the Ryan proposal, Medicare would become a state-administered voucher program. In bringing Rep. Ryan into his campaign, Mr. Romney has given new energy to both Republicans and Democrats, each of whom now see a starker choice in November.