If Paul Ryan WANTED To Destroy Jobs In Wisconsin He Couldn't Be Any More Effective Than He Already Is

Paul Ryan has big dreams and Wisconsin's first congressional district is an important stepping stone for him. Unfortunately for the folks who live there, that's the only way they're important to him. He's been a one-man job loss machine for southeast Wisconsin. While other members of Congress have bent over backwards to bring jobs to their districts, Ryan-- in an attempt to prove his far right ideological purity-- has been adding to the destruction of the area's manufacturing base. Yesterday was no different. I doubt any of them will publish it-- or question him about it-- but a DCCC press release went out to all the media outlets in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville and Kenosha pointing out that Ryan has been as unhelpful about helping small businesses as he's been in denuding the area of the automotive industry.

While millions of Americans struggle in this recession, today Representative Paul Ryan opposed extending tax credits to help small businesses add and keep workers while making America more competitive in the 21st century innovation economy.
 
“At a time when businesses on Main Street need help to continue creating good paying jobs for American workers, Representative Paul Ryan tried to give them the very last thing they need: higher taxes,” said Ryan Rudominer, National Press Secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Businesses hoping to avoid more layoffs and continue fueling America’s economic recovery deserve better than Representative Ryan’s plan to have them pay higher taxes."

You may recall that yesterday we were trying to puzzle out HR 4213, the Tax Extenders Act of 2009, which is meant to help with job creation and foster the kind of growth and innovation that spurs economic recovery. I've spent a lot of time on the phone with Jared Polis and Chris Himes trying to understand it and understand why a small handful of well-intentioned Democrats (basically, them) opposed it. Ryan, on the other hand, took no explanation to understand. He's a quintessential, super-partisan obstructionist. The measure provides $17.8 billion in business tax relief and encourages businesses to increase investments in technology and create more high-tech jobs for the twenty-first century. That's enough of a reason for why the anti-Obama squad is trying to throw a spoke in every wheel, no matter who gets hurt.

It's probably also worth noting that Ryan, who eagerly voted for Bush's gigantic $700 billion TARP giveaway to banksters-- unsurprising since Ryan has gotten more loot from Wall Street ($1,704,095) than any other politician, from either party, in the history of Wisconsin-- is screaming bloody murder because Obama wants to use the $200 billion that was paid back, for job creation projects. That that's exactly what most Americans want to happen is of no concern to Ryan. Ryan, a smooth operator and notorious concern troll, in effect, is giving the finger to southeast Wisconsin voters who favor a plan calling on the government "to create jobs through spending on public works, investments in alternative energy or skills training for the jobless," bring down the deficit and hand the bill to the wealthy (i.e., Ryan's patrons).

A Bloomberg National Poll conducted Dec. 3-7 shows two-thirds of Americans favor taxing the rich to reduce the deficit... The findings are in tune with the job-promotion initiatives President Barack Obama announced Dec. 8, as well as the administration’s assurances it will address the deficit, and proposals from some Democratic lawmakers to raise taxes on the wealthy.

...The poll contains some of the features Obama announced in his jobs plan. Two-thirds of Americans back boosting spending on infrastructure. Six of 10 also support more spending on alternative energy to stimulate job growth, another measure Obama announced.

Tuesday evening Wisconsin's Blogging Blue caught up with Ryan making one of his pedantic ideological speeches while his constituents lose more opportunities. They also came up with a fascinating stat that Ryan's media allies are unlikely to make available to voters.

I was curious to see how much stimulus money has gone into the first District. Under the Recovery Act you are able to trace this by program, by District and by actual disbursements.  If Paul Ryan and his cohorts had been in charge, the 1st District would have seen the loss of $141, 528, 544 in commitments  and the actual expenditure of $78,290,703 according to the Government tracking site (select District 01). This isn’t chump change and I’m sure the constituents in his District that have benefited from these expenditures wouldn’t be happy to see them yanked or to require re-payment.

No, it isn't chump change-- but Paul Ryan is certainly playing Wisconsin voters for chumps. Please, consider what you can do to help elect Paulette Garin.


UPDATE: Ryan Wants To Do For America What He's Done For Southeast Wisconsin

According to today's Washington Post Ryan is eager to increase unemployment!

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), has, as usual, a better idea: Repeal the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act of 1978 that, he says, "dangerously diverted the Fed from its most important job: price stability." For 65 years after its creation in 1913, the Fed's principal duty was to preserve the currency as a store of value by preventing inflation from undermining price stability. Humphrey-Hawkins gave it the second duty of superintending economic growth.

Preserving the currency isn't something that ever occurred to Ryan while Bush was debasing it for eight years. He was widelu considered the most knee-jerk rubber stamp in the Wisconsin delegation. His record on jobs is equally clear-- the worst the state has ever seen.