Hudson Reacts to News of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's VP Pick

Everyone seems to have an opinion on the news that presumptive Republican presidential nominee as his running mate.

Jesse Garza, chairman of the St. Croix County Republican Party, issued the following statement via phone on Sunday evening:

"I think this is a great pick. What this did for activists in Wisconsin is give us the shot in the arm that we needed after going through so much turbulence the last two years with the recalls and recounts.

"This was a way to get all the activists engaged and excited. They were definitely there for Romney, but they're tired. Our home state guy Paul Ryan does a lot for getting activists out knocking on doors and making phone calls, and we're excited to have him on board. 

"In a sense, the pick that Romney made shows you how seriously he takes the job of running for president and being president. He knows that this country needs someone with bold and strong ideas in order to get us through this $16 trillion defecit. Ryan is that guy."

Susan Stori, chairwoman of the St. Croix County Democratic Party, issued the following statement via email on Sunday:

"We find Mr. Romney’s choice of Mr. Ryan quite surprising.  Ryan has become associated with the radical right in this country, especially regarding budgetary issues.  We conclude that the formerly moderate Romney has completely flipped on many issues and joined with the Tea Party extremists.

"As chief architect of the radical Republican House budget, Mr. Ryan continues to promote more tax cuts for the very wealthy minority in the US.  So we must conclude that neither he nor Mr. Romney is interested in supporting the middle class and the poor, as evidenced clearly in his choice of someone still so wedded to the failed 'trickle down' policies of previous Republican administrations.  

"Rewarding the already rich 1-2% of the population additional tax cuts they do not need comes at the expense of the middle class and seniors especially.  To line the pockets of the very rich, Ryan’s plan includes drastic cuts to education and other investments we need to grow.

"Of most immediate concern has been Ryan’s alarming proposals that will drastically impact older Americans.  Turning Medicare into a voucher program is absolutely unconscionable, especially considering it will result in dramatically increased costs to individuals. Privatizing Social Security after watching the recent stock market gyrations seems ridiculous.  Both programs have been very successful in caring for our seniors, and individuals have paid for them.  And the radical right now wants to gamble with them on the private market?  Incredible.

"We look forward to learning more about the Romney/Ryan team.  The bright light of the national campaign will bring the truth of their extreme proposals to all our citizens, who will then reject them as unjust and dangerously impractical." 

Twin Cities TV crews from both KARE 11 and WCCO crossed the border to talk to Hudsonites about Romney's pick.

• WATCH THE WCCO SEGMENT
• WATCH THE KARE 11 SEGMENT

In addition, here's what people on the Hudson Patch Facebook page had to say about the news:

• Denise Steinke Krogman: YES!!!!
• Mary Raad Yacoub: Excellent
• Deb Hoople: Wonderful choice!
• Deb Hoffman Elwood: Paul Ryan will bring some fiscal sanity back to our nation.
• Steve Erickson: Will energize conservative base. Also the liberal base. Should be fun to witness. I can't wait for the Ryan/Biden debates!
• Scott Willems: Going down in flames in Romney's campaign will not help his chances in future elections.
• Chris Larsen: Romney needed to get conservatives on board. This does it. Frankly, I'm surprised Ryan agreed to do it. He essentially refused to get involved in the presidential race and now he's going to jump into the fire for VP?
• Seth Holmes: two sociopaths in a pod!
• Mike Book: I was worried that Romney actually had a chance....I'm not worried any more!!
• Elisabeth Murcia-Friesen: LOVE IT!
• Carla Hamill: What a great day for America! Romney chooses a running mate who has the guts to offer real solutions. We deserve so much more than a campaign of name calling and finger pointing. A Romney/Ryan ticket offers a clear choice. Do we want leaders who will make the tought decsions to get the US back on track or do we continue on to go further into debt and on the path to Greece.
• Erik Olson: And the puppet theater continues. World keeps turnin'.
• Dolores Framke: Great choice!
• Todd Welch: It is unfortunate that Paul Ryan was selected as VP. Romney needed a conservative running mate to solidify the base and Paul Ryan is not it. Romney has had trouble securing the base because of his liberal record in Massachusetts and Paul Ryan is anything but a tea party conservative.
  The Republican Party has chosen another big-government fake conservative to run on the ticket in 2012.
  Some examples of Paul Ryan's big government / anti-tea party stances: Voted for the 2008 economic stimulus (HR 5140), voted for the auto bailout, voted for an additional $192 billion stimulus in 2009, voted for the Medicare prescription drug benefits, voted to provide $70 million for section 8 housing vouchers, voted to extend unemployment benefits, voted for Head Start, voted for No Child Left Behind, voted to make the PATRIOT act permanent, voted to allow electronic surveillance without a warrant, begged Congress to bail out the big banks (TARP)... that's the same banker bailout that 99% of Americans were against and that created the modern day tea party. Finally his budget plan would take thirty years before it makes a dent in the deficit, does anyone really think the federal government can stay on the same course for thirty years?
• Erin Lohfink Bitter: I think it's a great choice for democrats. Republicans: Extremist all the way!
• Greg Lipovac: He's pro free market but voted for the government takeover of GM. He's for reducing the deficate but keeps voting to increase the debt ceiling. 
  Could it be that after all these years in Washington the intellectual leader of the Republican Party still doesn't know the difference between Nay and Yay?
• Jake Wagner: Whose budgets have received more votes, Obama or Ryans? Erin, why do you say the republicans are extreme but do not ever look in the mirror and ask the same of the democrats move to the polar opposite extreme?
• Gayle Couch: Now that he's been dubbed Eddie Munster-- all I see is that widows peak and those pointed features.
• Passport House Cleaners Lange: FYI the Patch asked what we think and I am not getting into a spat with anyone on here. That being said I think the Republicans just dug their grave, and I am happy to put dirt on top of it!!

What do you have to say? Tell us in the comments below.

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