Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan for VP candidate sets up yet another dangerous election scenario between two corporate-friendly candidates; one bad (Obama) and one extremely bad (Romney.) Ryan makes the election all the more ominous as he is one of the primary far-right austerity voices and one of the architects behind proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

As the New York Times noted today in its editorial, Ryan “has drawn a blueprint of a government that will be absent when people need it the most. It will not be there when the unemployed need job training, or when a struggling student needs help to get into college. It will not be there when a miner needs more than a hardhat for protection, or when a city is unable to replace a crumbling bridge. And it will be silent when the elderly cannot keep up with the costs of M.R.I.’s or prescription medicines, or when the poor and uninsured become increasingly sick through lack of preventive care.

More than three-fifths of the cuts proposed by Mr. Ryan, and eagerly accepted by the Tea Party-driven House, come from programs for low-income Americans…All of this will be accompanied, of course, by even greater tax giveaways to the rich, and extravagant benefits to powerful military contractors. Business leaders will be granted their wish for severely diminished watchdogs over the environment, mine safety and food quality. ”

In Wisconsin, we know all too well just how dangerous Ryan has been to working class people. He “represents” the Janesville area which is the one of the most economically depressed regions in the state and Ryan’s policies have only acted to harm those already hurt by unemployment and poverty. Check out Ruth Coniff’s recent article in the Progressive on Ryan here and the Progressive magazine cover story on Ryan here.
Also, check out a Wisconsin protest against Ryan – who had the nerve to march in a labor day parade in the video above.

Lastly, check out the trailer for Brad Lichtenstein’s film “As Goes Janesville” which gives context to the region he represents and the consequences that emerge when politicians like Walker and Ryan help to drive more and more people into poverty by their policies.