Paul Ryan could make a real difference in the Republican presidential campaign, since his selection as Mitt Romney’s running mate.

A six-term Republican congressman from Wisconsin, Ryan has some fresh political ideas on fixing the federal budget, especially on Social Security and Medicare.

The good thing about Ryan, whether you agree with his proposals or not, is that he has been willing to stand up and put something concrete on the table, to offer bold legislation. Most federal elected officials are for everything they think voters want, and opposed to everything they think people are against. They don’t stand up for anything.

Right now, we are facing big financial issues in this country, and we need tough solutions for them. Those four big issues are: The economy, jobs, Medicare and Social Security.

With both parties attacking each other with negative and misleading ads to the public, much media attention has been diverted from these core issues. These media shows are diversions from the central issues facing the electorate right now.

Ads by supporters of both parties have made this presidential election campaign a divisive, hateful and negative one. The Democrats’ campaign tone seems to divide the country with class warfare, while some Republicans have suggested that the president isn’t really “American” enough. 

The economy is in serious trouble. It cannot be fixed quickly. Our debt continues to grow toward $16 trillion. If our federal government had to have a balanced budget, we would be bankrupt. Increased government spending, instead of cutting back, will lead to deeper debt and more economic woes. Not everyone will agree with everything in Ryan’s proposed budget, which passed in the House but was defeated in the Senate, but at least he has acted strongly and thoughtfully, trying to get us to face our problems. 

In addition to reining in expenses, we need job creation. Many businesses are holding back on making new hires, because they are concerned about potential new taxes.  Politicians can pass taxes, but people and capital can move. A lot of wealthy celebrities from other countries came to the United States to live, in the past, because our taxes were lower than what they would have had to pay in their own countries. Likewise, companies can build offices and plants abroad, and take their profits in places with low tax rates. 

All business expansions face risk, but to get people back to work, we need to have an economic environment where businesses feel reasonably safe about future tax policies. Then, we need job-skill training programs. If companies can hire more people, and find more American workers with the right skills, people will earn more, and have more money to buy more goods and get the economy going again.

Ryan also has a plan to save Medicare, not end it, with a voucher-type system. His plan has plenty of critics, but Medicare needs fixing. Its costs are rising much more quickly than its revenues.  The elderly population of the country is growing, and is expected to double between now and 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. One in five people will be over 65, and of those, 21 percent are expected to be over 85 years old. Without some fundamental changes in our Medicare policies, the program will be unable to continue. 

Social Security issues also need to be worked out, because the program is also in danger. Worker retirement will probably have to move to 67 from 65 years of age. Benefits will need to be reduced for those with higher incomes. In his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama opposed raising the retirement age or cutting back on COLA, the annual cost-of-living adjustments. But in 2011, Obama proposed reducing the annual COLA, but the deficit reduction talks failed, because the Democrats and Republicans in Congress could not agree.

Ryan has a plan to turn the economy around during this fiscal crisis. His budget plan is different and challenging, while the Democrats do not have a specific plan. Ryan’s easy-going manner connects with the younger generation, but his social and fiscal policies are not as appealing to many women or minority voters.

It is a shame that in a country as diverse as ours we can’t seem to elect people who are seen as fair on both fiscal and social issues.

— Bernard Featherman is a business columnist for the Journal Tribune and former president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce.