Ryan values don’t match all Christians

Ryan values don’t match all Christians

I am ashamed that Paul Ryan should claim to share my Catholic Christian values. His economic plan has been condemned by the American bishops, campaigned against by the American nuns, and is distasteful to those of us who put a high value on helping the poor, the needy, the victims of corporate and social and governmental injustice.

Our ideal is in Matthew 25:31 ff. where Jesus’ judgment is firmly in favor of the option for the poor along with the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, for education, health care, living and just wages.

Ryan’s ideal is Ayn Rand the objectivist whose extreme individualism cuts off compassion and the requirement for the good of the commonweal as called for in the preamble to our Constitution.

Ryan has taken the Grover Norquist pledge of no more taxes to trump his allegiance, i.e. his oath of office to our Constitution. The Grover Norquist pledge is a flip-flop perversion of Nathan Hale whose patriotism made him regret he’d only one life to give for his country.

The Norquist pledge makes politicians regret they might have to spend even one more dollar for the good of the country. It makes private affluence more important than public decay — layoffs for teachers, police, firemen, public maintenance workers. Paul Ryan, the layoff king of Wisconsin.

Get real,

Marion J. Reis

Wheaton