We know Paul Ryan is a budget hawk. But what about other issues?
US Rep. Paul Ryan became a national political figure when Republicans took over the House of Representatives in 2010 and the seven-term Congressman assumed leadership of the Budget Committee.
Details of the 鈥淩yan plan鈥� 鈥� a major belt-tightening that could impact many aspects of public and private life 鈥� became the object of praise among fiscal conservatives and derision by more liberal critics and even a few Republicans. (Remember Newt Gingrich鈥檚 comment about 鈥渞ight-wing social engineering?鈥�)
But as a veteran of House debates and law-making, Mr. Ryan also has a track record on other important issues. Here are some of the most important.
Abortion: Ryan voted to ban federal health coverage that includes abortion, opposes allowing human embryonic stem cell research, voted to make it a federal crime to harm a fetus while committing other crimes, and opposes so-called 鈥減artial-birth鈥� abortions.
In a 2009 column in a Wisconsin newspaper, Ryan wrote: 鈥淧ersonally, I believe that life begins at conception, and it is for that reason that I feel we need to protect that life as we would protect other children.鈥�
Anti-abortion activists are delighted with Romney鈥檚 choice of Ryan, whose Roman Catholic faith strongly guides his position on the issue 鈥� one that has earned him a 100 percent rating by the National Right to Life Committee.
鈥淏y selecting Congressman Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, Governor Romney demonstrates his commitment to protecting American women and unborn children,鈥� Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List said in her endorsement.
Ryan 鈥渉as tirelessly supported the unborn,鈥� says Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America.
Ralph Reed, president of the Faith and Freedom Coalition,聽calls Ryan 鈥渁 person of devout 海角大神 faith who has a 100 percent pro-life and pro-family voting record in his 14 years in Congress.鈥�
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Immigration: Ryan calls for comprehensive immigration reform, including 鈥渟trong border security provisions, an enforceable guest worker program, a secure employee verification system, and a system that does not reward illegal behavior, but provides equitable treatment for all immigrants.鈥�
He opposes the DREAM Act 鈥� a path to citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants brought to the United States.
鈥淚 understand the points that DREAM Act supporters have raised,鈥� he says, but adds that 鈥渋t would be a serious mistake to pursue piecemeal reforms like the DREAM Act without first putting in place these fundamental components of immigration reform.鈥�
While Ryan鈥檚 position may be seen as less harsh than some other Republican lawmakers and presidential hopefuls 鈥� during the GOP debates, Romney called for 鈥渟elf-deportation鈥� 鈥� it may not help the Republican ticket with Latino voters.
鈥淧aul Ryan聽voted against the DREAM Act in 2010聽and voted for the聽infamous Sensenbrenner bill in 2005, which would have turned undocumented workers and anyone who helped them 鈥� including their priests and pastors 鈥� into felons,鈥� said Frank Sharry, executive director of the immigration reform organization America鈥檚 Voice.
鈥淔or those holding out hope that the VP selection would represent an indication that Romney and the Republicans are ready to start improving their immigration stance 鈥� and to start repairing their brand image among Latino voters in the process 鈥� today鈥檚 selection of Paul Ryan is a troubling reinforcement of the Republican immigration status quo,鈥� Mr. Sharry said in a statement Saturday.
Another position likely to rankle many in a key part of the Latino community: Ryan opposes the trade embargo on Cuba.
Gay rights:聽Ryan has voted to prohibit job discrimination based on sexual聽orientation, and his general attitude here indicates compassion toward individuals. But he鈥檚 also voted against ending 鈥渄on鈥檛 ask, don鈥檛 tell鈥� in the US military and for the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
鈥淚 believe that marriage should remain between a man and a woman, and I have heard from many of the people I represent who are concerned about activist judges abusing their power and rewriting our society鈥檚 definition of marriage,鈥� Ryan said.聽鈥淚 had hoped that this amendment wouldn鈥檛 be necessary, but increasingly it appears that laws such as the Defense of Marriage Act will not be sufficient to protect marriage from certain courts that distort state and federal constitutional law.鈥澛犅�
聽鈥淢arriage is not simply a legal arrangement between individuals,鈥� he has said.聽鈥淭he institution of marriage is an integral part of our civil society and its significance goes well beyond eligibility for benefits and similar considerations.聽Its future should not be left to a few overreaching judges or local officials to decide. That鈥檚 why I support this effort to amend our Constitution to protect marriage.鈥澛犅犅犅�
Foreign policy and national security: Although he鈥檚 a veteran lawmaker, Ryan has little experience in this area. From what鈥檚 known so far 鈥� he鈥檚 strong on Israel, supports (although not enthusiastically) the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has helped fatten the Pentagon鈥檚 budget at a time when he wants to trim most other programs 鈥� he appears to be what Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, calls 鈥渏ust a generic Republican on foreign policy.鈥�
Romney has no foreign policy or national security experience either. (Nor, for that matter, did Barack Obama when he first ran for the presidency.) But Vice President Joe Biden 鈥� who Ryan will face in debate 鈥� has decades of experience in an area that made him a Senate expert.
"Ryan will have to be tutored in this subject prior to his debate with Biden,鈥� Professor Sabato told Reuters. 鈥淏iden will be loaded for bear in his own area.鈥�
Environment: Ryan received a meager 3 percent rating on the League of Conservation Voters scorecard for 2011 and a 20 percent rating for all years.
Over the years, he鈥檚 voted to speed up forest thinning, for deauthorizing critical habitat for endangered species, against AMTRAK improvements and the 鈥�cash for clunkers鈥� program getting gas hogs and polluters off the road, and against protecting free-roaming horses and burros. He鈥檚 also voted to eliminate EPA limits on greenhouse gases and for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Although Ryan鈥檚 weapon of choice for deer hunting in Wisconsin is a bow and arrow, he has earned an 鈥淎鈥� rating from the National Rifle Association.
IN PICTURES:聽On the Campaign Trail with Mitt Romney
