Candidates without ties — they’re just like us!

Is it just me or have the candidates for the top two offices been dressing unusually casual?

Check out Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney in the photo to the right. They’re chumming around in honor of their newly announced union, but they look more like they could be posing for a “Men’s Health” spread.

Of course, this probably has nothing to do with recent criticism that Romney is a mega-millionaire whose budget plans entail tax breaks for millionaires like him and tax increases for middle-class people. If these guys look rich, you might actually resent them. So they ditch the ties — that’s for stuffy millionaires! — and they roll up their starched sleeves.

Heck, I’m surprised Ryan doesn’t go around with Milwaukee Bucks jersey and a backward Brewers hat.

Check out Romney at this campaign stop in front of a BBQ joint. With his sleeves all rolled up, the guy looks like he’s ready to do some grilling himself!

“Hey, Mitteroonie — could you put another rack of ribs on for me? Thanks, guy!”

If he were really savy, he would have donned an apron with the words “Grill Sergeant” on front. Not that’s a guy I can relate to!

Truth is, Romney and Ryan aren’t really aren’t like us. They’re wealthy dudes born to other wealthy dudes. They’ve never had to worry about paying for school, making the rent payment on time or saving money for retirement.

Romney’s got 100 million bucks in his 401(k)!

But they’re not alone in trying to court you with their unbuttoned shirts and jovial back slaps.

In his first campaign for president, Barack Obama practically made a uniform of those rolled-up sleeves and jacket-less outfits. They said, “I’m working class, like you. I don’t own a dozen houses like what’s-his-name with the ties.” This is the guy who, along with vice-president Joe Biden, actually had a beer summit, though for some reason they chose that occasion to actually wear ties.

Come on, guys. If ever there was an opportunity to wear cut-off camo shorts, that was it! Have you completely lost touch?

I blame Harvard Law School, of course, mostly because I didn’t go to Harvard Law School myself.

These candidates aren’t the first to get all casual on us. Remember Reagan and his cowboy hats? For good measure, he might actually get on a horse as well, which made us think, “Hey, he’s just a regular rich rancher, like me!”

I mean — wait. That he’s just another former actor, like me. I mean — shoot.

I guess what I’m saying is these folks aren’t really like us despite all their efforts to unbutton the tops of their expensive, tailored shirts. I mean, sure, at least Obama and Biden were like us, both coming from middle class backgrounds. But if you see them hanging out at the local fair, it ain’t because they want to catch a demolition derby. It’s because they want the camera to catch them being like you.

Photos: Associated Press

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