I am off to Tampa for the Republican National Convention, where Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will make their case for a smaller, more efficient government that will again produce jobs for the American people.  After all of the dust settles, this election (like most elections involving an incumbent) will be a referendum on President Obama’s job performance.  When you take away all the Super-PACs, the acrimony, name calling, scare tactics, and class warfare, the American voters are faced with the same basic question they had during the last presidential election – but this time with the benefit of more information.  Four years ago, the only real, non-political, substantive question was whether Barack Obama had enough experience to handle the massive burdens of the Presidency. With the economy  mired in slow- or no-growth mode, unemployment at or above 8%, and a deficit that has exploded to unprecedented proportions, I think that question has been answered in the negative. I am not one of those Republicans who believe the President is a bad man. He is just in way over his head and his decisions, especially as they related to the economy reflects that point.  The Republican Party, however, still needs to offer a viable, electable alternative and the purpose of this week’s convention is to showcase the Republican alternatives to continued big government policies.

I am scheduled to arrive later today and am extremely hopeful that the weather does not wreak havoc on my travel plans.  I look forward to providing daily firsthand accounts of the goings on at the convention, both official and unofficial. The Delegates’ schedule is packed with events before and after the convention sessions. Each day starts with a Delegate breakfast which usually includes very interesting guest speakers. Each day of the convention has a specific theme and the various speakers and presentations are all representative of that theme. Monday’s theme, “We Can Do Better”, will give us a chance to hear from some of the rising stars in our party, including South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Republican Senate Candidate Ted Cruz, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers, the highest ranking Republican woman in the House. We’ll also hear Arthur Davis, former National Co-Chairman of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, tell us why he’s supporting Mitt Romney this year. And of course, the main attraction of the evening will be Governor Romney’s wife Ann, who will tell us her own personal story of why she believes her husband is the right man to lead our nation.

The GOP is the big tent party with plenty of diverse opinions and viewpoints.  I look forward meeting other delegates from around the country and will keep you posted on the activities during the week.

Michael V. Puppio