As the nation waits to hear from vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan tomorrow night, this actually isn’t the first time he’s spoken at the convention. Here’s Ryan on September 1, 2004, giving an afternoon speech to a nearly empty convention hall, echoing many of the same sentiments we’ll hear from him on Wednesday night:
The speech is a little canned and turgid, but Ryan hits many of the same themes we’ll hear tomorrow:
In response, President Bush delivered broad tax relief for all Americans, because he understands that people, not government, start the businesses and create the jobs that drive our economy.
He pushed Congress to accelerate the tax cuts to boost growth and job creation. He doubled the child tax credit and cut the marriage penalty to help parents make ends meet. He provided incentives for small businesses to invest and expand.
And he put the death tax on the path to extinction.
Because of the president’s leadership, the economy is now strong and getting stronger. During the past year, we’ve created over 1.5 million new jobs. Unemployment is falling. Productivity is surging. And America’s manufacturing sector is adding jobs.
Thanks to the Bush tax relief, every American who pays federal income taxes now keeps more of what he or she earns.
For Nathan and Kris Blank of Janesville, Wisconsin, this meant a lot. Nathan is a police officer, and Kris is at home with their daughters, McKenzie, Allison and their new baby girl, Natalie. Nathan earns $51,000 a year. And last year, because of the tax cuts, they saved over $2,000 which helped Kris start a business from home.
Coincidentally, Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney spoke to the convention later that day.
— Christian Schneider is a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.