Just four days after the announcement that he would be Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan spoke to an enthusiastic crowd of about 6,000 on the campus of his alma mater, Miami University in Oxford.

Following remarks from a former professor and Governor John Kasich,  then an introduction by Senator Rob Portman, Congressman Ryan spoke to the crowd for about fifteen minutes.  He briefly reminisced about his days at Miami, then focused on the clear contrasts between the direction President Obama wants to take this country and the vision that Governor Romney and he have for America.  It was a message that brings genuine hope to conservatives.

Paul Ryan understands that our rights come from God – not from government.  He said so.  He gets it.  That is essential to understanding the proper role and limits of government.  He believes in fiscal responsibility – you don’t spend money you don’t have.  And, he recognizes that jobs come from successful small businesses, unburdened by regulations and taxes.  His message resonated with the principles of Constitutional limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free markets.   His was a message of hope – because his vision has a foundation in principles. This is a stark contrast to Obama’s “hope” that is merely a wish for a utopia that has no foundation other than empty political rhetoric.