Peace Action Wisconsin & Allies Expose Paul “1%” Ryan & GOP’s Budgetary Priorities

Becky Cooper, Peace Action Wisconsin at March 25, 2013 press conference.

Peace Action Wisconsin gathered with allies from Citizen Action WI, Progressive Democrats of America, and concerned citizens and veterans to share the real-life consequences of Paul Ryan’s proposed budget (the Budget of the 1%, the Budget of Pentagon Bloat, the Budget of – well, you get the idea…).

“To understand Paul Ryan’s budget plan, you only need to know two numbers: A $35 Billion dollar increase in handouts to military contractors and a 47% cut to education and job training. Ryan’s budget is staggeringly short-sighted and ensures our economy will falter for generations to come,” said Becky Cooper of Peace Action Wisconsin. “These are Paul Ryan’s priorities: the 1%, oil tycoons, and military contractors.”

Speakers and attendees at this press conference included health care workers, educators, Paul Ryan’s congressional challenger Rob Zerban, and those who are already struggling in programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and VA care, and fear even further hardship should the GOP’s priorities prevail in our nation’s budgetary debates.  Although Ryan’s budget has been rejected in the Senate, a surplus of handouts to military contractors and draconian cuts to our vital programs are still on the table.  We must continue to organize to demand federal spending priorities that are sensible and beneficial to the majority of Americans.

“We have to stop paying for the things we can’t afford so that we can afford the things our families need,” said Jennifer Epps-Addison, Economic Justice Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “This includes Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and the Affordable Care Act. And it includes discretionary domestic programs such as Head Start, nutrition aid, job training, education and cancer screening, just to name a few.”

Congress, listen up – invest in people, not the Pentagon!