A quantum of umbrage: The worst thing about the Paul Ryan VP pick

The worst thing about Romney's choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate is the likelihood that now we'll spend the next three months listening to two competing approaches to the deficit:

1. The deficit means we have to to eliminate all social programs.

and

2. The deficit means we have to eliminate some social programs and cripple the rest. (This is known as the compromise position.)

Jobs? Or the idea that putting Americans back to work is the most important single step we can take toward cutting the deficit?

Off the agenda.