Press Release: NETWORK Reacts to Choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s Running Mate

FOR RELEASE: August 11, 2012

CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797 x224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Washington DC: NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, believes that the newly announced Romney-Ryan Republican presidential ticket presents U.S. voters with the starkest election decision in years about the moral vision and future of our nation.

Our recent “Nuns on the Bus” tour was created to point out immoral budget priorities present in Representative Ryan’s proposed federal budget. Tragically, his budget passed the House of Representatives and has now been formally endorsed by Gov. Mitt Romney.

Sister Simone Campbell, NETWORK’s Executive Director, stated,  “We agree with Catholic Bishops that Paul Ryan’s budget fails the test of Catholic Social Teaching since it deliberately harms people at the economic margins. It is also unpatriotic because it says that we are an individualistic, selfish nation. This is emphatically not who we are. Both our Constitution and our faith teach us that “We the People” are called to care for one another, to have responsibility for each other. This year’s election will present us with a critical choice. Do we want to favor the rich on the backs of people in need? Is that who we want to be?”

NETWORK strongly opposes the Ryan Budget because it will eliminate critical food assistance for many hungry families, decimate safety-net protections that keep people from falling further into poverty, and enrich the ultra-wealthy at the expense of low-income families.