DES MOINES – Iowa Democratic Party Chair Tyler Olson issued the following statement in response to Governor Terry Branstad’s endorsement of Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposed budget.

“Governor Branstad’s endorsement of the Paul Ryan Budget once again shows why we need new leadership in the Governor’s Office.

“The Ryan Budget is simply more of the same failed policies the American people rejected during the last presidential election.  Paul Ryan wants to protect tax breaks for Wall Street while cutting services for those on Main Street.  He continues to try to end Medicare as we know it and double seniors’ out-of-pocket expenses.  And he proposes the same kind of austerity measures we know will kill hundreds of thousands of jobs and stop our economic recovery.
“It is not surprising that Terry Branstad, who was known for keeping two sets of books during his first stint as Governor, would embrace a budget that uses as much funny math as this one does.  After railing against the President’s $716 billion in Medicare savings, Paul Ryan puts it in his budget.  He takes into account the repeal of Obamacare which will not happen.  And he doesn’t list a single tax loophole that he would close.

“This is a bad budget that Iowans and Americans rejected last November and Governor Branstad should be ashamed for supporting something that would hurt seniors, the middle class and our economy.”