Continuing to choose the millionaires who fund his campaigns instead of the people of Wisconsin to whom he swore an oath to represent, Paul Ryan has once again shown that his Washington political priorities are grossly out-of-touch with our Wisconsin values.

From raising healthcare costs for our seniors by privatizing Medicare, to reducing Pell Grants and Stafford Loans for our students, Paul Ryan is single-handedly working to dismantle each and every program that people of all generations count on. Instead of a laser focus on creating jobs, he focused solely on removing safety nets for our most vulnerable populations.

I lived my version of the American Dream that Paul Ryan always talks about. I started two successful small businesses that turned a healthy profit that allowed me to retire early, while providing excellent benefits for my workers. I took care of my workers, they took care of me and together we took care of our customers. And I did this without the tax breaks, loopholes and schemes that Paul Ryan’s new budget creates for his Wall Street buddies and campaign funders. Instead, I was able to run these businesses because of the very investments in our people that Paul Ryan wants to take away from our children – Pell Grants and Stafford Loans.

As Paul Ryan likes to preach about in his new taxpayer-funded campaign ads, we do have a choice between two futures. One future, under Paul Ryan’s “Path to Poverty”, ends Medicare for our senior citizens, provides tax breaks only to Paul Ryan’s campaign contributors and places the weight of making up the loss in revenue on our already struggling families. The other future is one that puts people over corporations and begins the long haul of an economic recovery that doesn’t place the blame and burden on our working families.

Paul Ryan has tried to scare America into submission in the past. It didn't work then, and it won't work now. Make no mistake about it: the American people are a lot smarter than Paul Ryan gives them credit for. They will see through his fancy videos and op-eds and know his budget for what it really is: a path to poverty and ruin for the middle class across our country. People around Wisconsin and the nation are fed up with slick corporate-funded politicians like Paul Ryan. In November, they will send a message loud and clear that Paul Ryan’s 14 years of fatally flawed judgment are up.”

Last week, Zerban launched a “Protect Medicare Now” petition drive with a goal of collecting 10,000 signatures from people who oppose Paul Ryan’s disastrous plans to end Medicare. 

The “Protect Medicare Now” petition reads:

"Medicare belongs to the people who worked their whole life to pay into the system. It's not the government's piggybank to balance the budget on the backs of seniors. Medicare needs to be protected, not privatized.

I oppose any plan that includes cutting guaranteed Medicare benefits or creating health care vouchers.

I OPPOSE ALL EFFORTS TO END OR DISMANTLE MEDICARE.

I will only support and vote for persons who pledge to fight the Republican plan to end Medicare and work for real solutions that strengthen Medicare for the long term."

People can sign the pledge at ProtectMedicareNow.com, and Rob will personally deliver all petition signatures to Representative Ryan’s office to show him the American people reject his radical plans to end Medicare.