Who PAUL RYAN REALLY Represents!

This being an election year, with large numbers of Americans still unemployed or underemployed, I continue my periodic posts profiling those in public office who are working in the interest of big business or special interest groups rather than for the well-being of the vast majority of citizens. These officials are out of touch with average working Americans' needs and speak only for the wealthy and privileged. Today, my focus will be on Wisconsin's 1st District conservative Republican Representative Paul Ryan, who has shown an affinity for rigid Republican ideology instead of concern and direct action for the struggling and working people of his district as well as those around the rest of the country. All data in this post comes from a combination of three fabulous source websites: www.opensecrets.org (an arm of the Center for Responsive Politics), www.ontheissues.org, (a nonpartisan site dedicated to listing all candidates' voting records on a host of major issues) and www.themiddleclass.org (the nonpartisan Drum Major Institute for Public Policy's analyzation on legislation affecting the country's current and aspiring middle class).


Mr. Ryan, at 40, represents the young, ultra-conservative Turks of today's far right GOP. Like former Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, for whom he once served as legislative director, Ryan is a dyed-in-the-wool social and economic conservative, right down to his Reaganesque haircut. As we all know, these types believe in small, very limited government with an unrestrained free market approach to economics. This, by its very nature, favors big business and the wealthy and miserably fails to meet the needs of everyone else. Examples of this propensity of Ryan's can be found below.


There is a very good reason Paul Ryan has earned a mere 16% approval rating and has garnered many an "F" grade for his voting record from themiddleclass.org. Let's examine his most recent performance, for 2009:

2009 F
2008 F
2007 F
2006 F
2005 F
2004 F
2003 D

Voting Record past year (2009)
Bill /Vote /Supportive of the Middle Class?

H.AMDT. 534 TO H.R. 4173
Amendment #534 (Mortgage “Cramdown” Amendment) to Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009 / NAY /NO

H.R. 4173
Wall Street Accountability and Consumer Protection Act
TOPICS: Consumers, Corporate Accountability, Corporate bankruptcy, Corporate taxes, Credit cards, Debt & Bankruptcy, Deceptive advertising and marketing, Executive compensation, Financial literacy, Government Accountability, Housing, Mortgage lending, Payday loans, Personal bankruptcy, Refund Anticipation Loans, Shareholder rights, Student loans, Tax Fairness / NAY /NO

H.R. 3962
Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Corporate Accountability, Health Care, HMOs and insurance companies, Hospitals, Medicaid, Medical research, Medicare, Prescription drugs, Public health, SCHIP, Tax Fairness, Universal health care /NAY /NO

H.R. 3639
Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Credit cards, Debt & Bankruptcy /NAY /NO

H.R. 3269
Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act of 2009
TOPICS: Corporate Accountability, Executive compensation, Shareholder rights /NAY /NO

H.R. 3221
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
TOPICS: College tuition, Community college, Debt & Bankruptcy, Education, Job training, Pell Grants, Preschool, Student loans /NAY /NO

H.R. 2847
Jobs for Main Street Act of 2009
TOPICS: Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Child care, Community college, Economic stimulus, Education, Efficient technology, Elementary school, Energy & Environment, Government Accountability, Green buildings, Green jobs, Health Care, High school, Housing, Job training, Layoffs, Medicaid, Middle school, Public employment, Public housing, Public infrastructure, Teachers, Unemployment, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO

H.R. 2749
Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009
TOPICS: Civil Justice, Consumers, Food safety /NAY /NO

H.R. 2454
American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Education, Efficient technology, Energy & Environment, Energy conservation, Global warming, Green buildings, Green jobs, Job training, Pollution, Renewable fuels /NAY /NO

H.R. 1728
Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Debt & Bankruptcy, Housing, Mortgage lending /NAY /NO

H.R. 1664
Pay for Performance Act of 2009
TOPICS: Corporate Accountability, Executive compensation /NAY /NO

H.R. 1106
Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Debt & Bankruptcy, Housing, Mortgage lending, Personal bankruptcy /NAY /NO

H.R. 1
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - Conference Report
TOPICS: Alternative minimum tax, Child care, Child tax credit, College tuition, Consumers, Corporate Accountability, Earned income tax credit, Economic stimulus, Education, Efficient technology, Elementary school, Energy & Environment, Energy conservation, Executive compensation, Global warming, Government Accountability, Green buildings, Green jobs, Head Start, Health Care, High school, Housing, Income taxes, Medicaid, Medical research, Middle school, Pell Grants, Preschool, Public housing, Public infrastructure, Renewable fuels, Sales taxes, Shareholder rights, TANF, Tax cuts, Tax Fairness, Unemployment, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO

H.R. 627
Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009
TOPICS: Consumers, Credit cards, Debt & Bankruptcy /NAY /NO

H.R. 626
Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009
TOPICS: Family leave, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO

H.R. 2
Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
TOPICS: Health Care, Immigration, Medicaid, SCHIP /NAY /NO

S. 181
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
TOPICS: Civil Justice, Employment discrimination, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO

H.R. 11
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 - House Version
TOPICS: Civil Justice, Employment discrimination, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO

H.R. 12
Paycheck Fairness Act of 2009
TOPICS: Civil Justice, Class action lawsuits, Employment discrimination, Workplace & Job Creation /NAY /NO
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Like many far right Republicans, Paul Ryan has a long history of casting anti-worker, anti-environment, and pro-big business votes. Here are some good examples:


Voted NO on modifying bankruptcy rules to avoid mortgage foreclosures. (Mar 2009)
Voted NO on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package. (Jan 2009)
Voted NO on monitoring TARP funds to ensure more mortgage relief. (Jan 2009)
Voted NO on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy. (Sep 2008)
Voted NO on defining "energy emergency" on federal gas prices. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on revitalizing severely distressed public housing. (Jan 2008)
Voted NO on regulating the subprime mortgage industry. (Nov 2007)
Voted YES on restricting bankruptcy rules. (Jan 2004)

Voted NO on $40B for green public schools. (May 2009)
Voted NO on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects. (Nov 2007)
Voted NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges. (Mar 2006)
Rated 8% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes. (Dec 2003)

Voted NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution. (Jun 2009)
Voted NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets. (Sep 2008)
Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation. (May 2008)
Voted NO on tax incentives for renewable energy. (Feb 2008)
Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel. (Aug 2007)
Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR. (Aug 2001)
Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)

Rated 0% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence. (Dec 2006)

Voted YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade. (Jul 2005)
Voted YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement. (Jul 2004)
Voted YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement. (Jul 2003)
Voted YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile. (Jul 2003)
Voted NO on withdrawing from the WTO. (Jun 2000)

Voted NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. (Apr 2006)


Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Jan 2007)

Voted NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq. (Jun 2008)

Voted YES on authorizing military force in Iraq. (Oct 2002)
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We have already demonstrated Paul Ryan's tendency to vote for big money and big business rather than for the rest of society. An examination of just who is funneling money into his campaign coffers gives us a clearer picture as to why this is so:

Leadership PAC:
Prosperity PAC

Cycle Fundraising, 2009 - 2010, Campaign Committee
Raised: $2,116,662
Spent: $827,765
Cash on Hand: $2,167,691
Debts: $0
Last Report: Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Top 5 Contributors, 2009-2010, Campaign Committee
Contributor /Total /from Individuals /from PACs

Northwestern Mutual $17,400 /$11,400 /$6,000
Harris Assoc $13,500 /$13,500 /$0
AT&T Inc $10,500 /$500 /$10,000
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance $10,200 /$200 /$10,000
American Assn of Orthopaedic Surgeons $10,000 /$0 /$10,000

Top 5 Industries, 2009-2010, Campaign Committee

Industry /Total /from Individuals /from PACs
Retired $140,275 /$140,275 /$0
Securities & Investment $123,000 /$72,000 /$51,000
Insurance $119,070 /$24,070 /$95,000
Health Professionals $98,673 /$28,356 /$70,317
Misc Finance $45,500 /$30,000 /$15,500

Cycle Source of Funds, 2009-2010, Campaign Committee only
Individual Contributions $1,311,868 (62%)
PAC Contributions$737,558 (35%)
Candidate self-financing $0 (0%)
Other $67,236 (3%)

Plenty of big bank, Wall Street, and other corporate money here to keep Ryan filled up and running. Is it any wonder that he so often votes against the well-being of the average, everyday people who reside in his district?
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SUMMARY: Paul Ryan authored a bill called "Roadmap for America's Future." In it, he outlined specific proposals (RARE for Republicans these days!) on changes that could be made to our Social Security, Medicare, health care, and tax systems. I will give Mr. Ryan credit for actually putting forth sa plan of substance to discuss, something fellow big-shot Republicans John Boehner or Sen. Mitch McConnell have yet to do. But Mr. Ryan's plan is seriously flawed and offers, in my opinion, little that is fundamentally new or practical. Nobel prize-winning Economist Paul Krugman has described it as "a fraud that makes no useful contribution to the debate over America's fiscal future." For this plan relies on the old tired, discredited, and failed 80+ year old Republican policies of slashing taxes for the rich, letting big business have free rein when it comes to economic practices, and keeping the government's influence and oversight over business weak and very limited. Contrary to constant Republican claims, history proves that THESE POLICIES DO NOT CREATE HIGH-PAYING JOBS, DO NOT RAISE OUR STANDARD OF LIVING ACROSS THE ENTIRE INCOME SCALE, and DO NOT WORK.

Paul Ryan is the ranking Republican member on the powerful House Budget (Ways and Means) Committee. Should Republicans regain a majority in the House this fall, that means he will become that committee's chairman, and will try to enact his "roadmap," much the same economic policy which gave us the Great Depression, $4 per gallon gasoline, and our current Great Recession and economic stagnation. THAT IS A VERY GOOD REASON PAUL RYAN SHOULD NOT BE RE-ELECTED THIS FALL!

WHO PAUL RYAN REALLY REPRESENTS: NOT YOU, Wisconsin 1st District voter! His advocacy of tax cuts for the rich, privatizing Social Security, and tax credits without industry regulation for health care so you would be at the mehrcy of the health insurance industry provide nothing of any beneficial substance for you out-of-work paper mill workers or anybody else, for that matter, except for the wealthy. That is why Paul Ryan has got to go! PLEASE retire him this fall, Wisconsin 1st Distruct voters! You;ll be doing yourselves and the entire nation a very great service!