GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's selection of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan is probably the best selection he could have made. It may not deliver Wisconsin in his category like the selection of Sen. Rob Portman may have done for Ohio, but it is an indication that the GOP at least plans to have a serious discussion about the issues facing America this fall.

Despite the hysteria that accompanied the selection on the left, Ryan is no extremist firebrand. He's more conservative than Romney, but that's a relatively easy bar to clear. Ryan's district--the one he's been re-elected to for over a decade--has a Democrat-majority in registration. Obama won Ryan's district in 2008 by several points and Ryan put up even better numbers.

Unlike President Obama, Paul Ryan is a serious man. The budget blueprint he's presented over the past several years--while not necessarily everything I would like--is a credible plan for bringing the nation's entitlement mess under control. Unlike the budgets submitted by President Obama over the past few years, elected officials have actually voted for Ryan's budget. Obama's proposed budgets have garnered not a single vote in either chamber of Congress.

Despite the atrocious economy, a crippling tax hike and defense budget sequester that President Obama has shown zero leadership on, the Romney-Ryan ticket still has a big hill to climb before November.

I was talking to a friend today and she had been asked about the Ryan selection by a friend who only knew Ryan as "that guy who wants to get rid of Social Security." I once again applaud the media for doing such a brilliant job of communicating serious issues to the voting public.

There's little doubt that much of the Democrat strategy for Obama's re-election is nothing more than "Look! A squirrel!" Obama's complete abdication of anything more than ceremonial presidential duties over the past year to run full time for re-election should have earned scorn from the media. With all of the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the beginning of next year and a huge cut looming over the defense budget--one that Obama's own defense secretary has said would be disastrous--where has Obama been? Certainly not leading.

With the selection of Ryan, we're poised to have a serious discussion about the cost and size of government, entitlements, the role of government in the economy and so much more--if the media will allow it. Now's the time to break away from the horserace reporting and the day-to-day soundbites, "gaffes" and other chaff that's dominated far too many political campaigns at every level.

Let's discuss the Ryan budget blueprint--and compare it to Obama's in a sober, honest fashion. Let's see what Obama has really accomplished over the past four years and whether 8+ percent unemployment really is the best we can and should expect.

This is an important election. Let's hope the media can be a little more serious and a lot more honest in 2012.