“He doesn’t understand the middle class” and the Ryan pick confirms that, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters after the union movement’s mass rally on Aug. 11 in Philadelphia. Romney wants “more tax cuts for the rich, fewer jobs for us and less regulation” of businesses.

Permanent extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, and conversion of Medicare into a voucher system after 2023 were key elements of the federal budget plan that Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman, jammed through on a party-line vote earlier this year. His budget also ordered deep cuts in domestic spending.

Ryan’s budget and Medicare plans were focal points of other leaders’ comments:

● Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt: “Mitt Romney made his fortune by outsourcing jobs and kicking American workers to the unemployment line. Now, he has chosen Paul Ryan as his running mate, providing further evidence that Romney’s goals are to help the rich get richer by hollowing out America’s middle class.

“As a congressman from Wisconsin, Ryan has done nothing to create or protect jobs for his home district. Whether it’s outsourcing jobs, ending Medicare as we know it, raising taxes on the middle class or putting higher education out of reach for millions of students by cutting Pell grants, the Romney-Ryan plan will have a devastating impact on America’s working families,” Neuenfeldt added. The Wisconsin state fed then posted “12 things you should know about Paul Ryan” on its website.

● Teamsters President James Hoffa: “By choosing Ryan as his running mate, Romney is doubling down on his campaign to make the American middle class poorer so the rich can get richer. Ryan is the author of a radical budget proposal to cut Social Security and kill Medicare. The Ryan budget gives a $187,000 tax cut to every multi-millionaire and billionaire, but forces seniors to pay as much as $5,900 more for health care. And it cuts 62% percent of programs for low-income workers.

“The Ryan budget has been described as ‘reverse Robin Hood on steroids.’ It will increase poverty and inequality more than any other budget in modern times... Romney said the Ryan budget is ‘an excellent piece of work” and “very much needed.’ He is wrong. The Romney-Ryan vision is the last thing America needs.”

● Steel Workers President Leo Gerard: “Romney’s choice of Ryan pairs the anti-seniors Wisconsin congressman with the anti-worker off-shorer from Bain Capital. If you didn’t like the way Romney’s vulture capitalism hurt working families with good jobs, you won’t like both these guys lumped together as wealthy elitists bought by billionaires to end Medicare and Social Security, plus the middle-class American majority.

“Romney’s announcement affirms he is a captive of the extremist mentality of ‘Tea Baggers’ who hijacked the Republican Party and are firmly in control of its agenda. Social Security, Medicare, veterans, education, and infrastructure -– everything is to be offered up on an altar of sacrifice to fund more tax breaks for the rich.

“The Romney-Ryan agenda is out of touch with reality. The ‘magic of the market,’ the idea that if you just turn over the store to the very rich, everything will miraculously be wonderful for everyone, doesn’t work. We tried that under Bush, and it crashed the economy and destroyed millions of jobs. President Obama has listened to us as American workers. He has laid out a vision of America in which jobs and prosperity are created for all –- not just for the 1%.”

● Amalgamated Transit Union President Larry Hanley: "The choice of Ryan cements Romney as out of touch with the middle class and all working Americans. Tea Party extremist Ryan is single handedly trying to dismantle Social Security and Medicare. He is a Washington gasbag who has produced little in his career except a distorted economic theory which would deliver a death blow to the middle class.

“His policies are those of a class warrior who would drive most Americans into poverty. Romney and Ryan would give wealthy Americans and corporations more tax breaks while continuing to undercut middle class Americans. It\'s now even more clear that a Romney presidency is the wrong choice for America."

● AFT President Randi Weingarten: "Romney conceded with the selection of Ryan that this fall’s election is not a referendum on President Obama. Instead, Romney cemented the fact that this election is a clear choice between two vastly different visions for America’s future. On one hand, the Obama-Biden ticket wants to strengthen the middle class and restore prosperity for all Americans. On the other, the Romney-Ryan ticket stands for creating more wealth for those who need it least and telling the rest of America, ‘You’re on your own.’

"Ryan’s record speaks for itself. He would reduce, not expand, real opportunities for all students to have access to high-quality public education. He would repeal the healthcare reform law that is helping millions of Americans gain access to the medical care they need. And he is the architect of the radical Republican budget scheme that would end Medicare as we know it. Romney’s selection is a clear signal the Republican ticket doesn’t understand the needs and challenges Americans are facing right now.”

This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.