GOP Convention: the bigger picture

(Vatican Radio) Economics aside, “the bigger picture that you’re going to see at this Convention is what is America and how has America changed under President Obama”, says editor-at-large for the US based National Review Online, Kathryn Jean Lopez, from the sidelines of the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida. Listen to her interview with Emer McCarthy:

“One of the things that Mitt Romney is going to talk about in his address on Thursday night is religious freedom, which may not be what the Republicans are leading with, it may not be the headlines in the New York Times, but it is important, and the electorate know it”.

On the first full day of events at their National Convention Tuesday, Republicans formally nominated Mitt Romney and his running mate, Paul Ryan, to challenge President Obama for the White House in a Nov. 6 election that polls show is tight.

Ratification of a party platform was prelude to Romney's nomination.On economic matters, it backs extension of the tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 and due to expire at year's end, without exception. It also calls for an additional 20 percent reduction in income tax brackets that Romney favours.

The GOP platform also pledges that a Republican-controlled Congress will repeal, and Romney will sign, legislation to repeal the health care legislation Obama won from a Democratic-controlled Congress. So, too, for the measure passed to regulate Wall Street in the wake of the 2008 economic collapse.

On abortion, the platform says, ``The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed.''

Also Tuesday, the Archbishop of New York and President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced that he will be delivering the closing prayers at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. The Democrat Convention is scheduled to take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, from Tuesday, September 4th to Thursday, September 6th.

On Wednesday key speakers include New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, Arizona Senator John McCain, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan.