As Paul Ryan Says Goodbye, Progressives Say 'Good Riddance' to 'Coward Who Sold Our Economy to Highest Bidders'

As House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) delivered his farewell address on Wednesday after 20 years of relentlessly working to gut social programs for the poor and successfully ramming through “one of the biggest transfers of wealth to the richest one percent in U.S. history,” progressives made sure to let the outgoing congressman know what they think of his legacy.

“Speaker Ryan will always be remembered for rigging the system to prioritize the wealthy and big corporations’ greed over working families’ needs.”
—Americans for Tax Fairness

With the hashtag #GoodRiddanceRyan, progressive advocacy groups and commentators denounced Ryan for spending his 10-term tenure in the House pushing an agenda that rewards wealthy corporate donors at the expense of the American working class.

“He’s a coward who sold our economy to the highest bidders,” declared Patriotic Millionaires.

Americans for Tax Fairness echoed this assessment of Ryan’s career, writing, “So long to a Speaker who has deliberately chosen to throw white, black, and brown families under the bus so the wealthy, big corporations, and his donors can receive massive tax cuts.”

While the congressman’s speech was mostly light on substance and littered with motivational platitudes—”always dream big” and “always raise your gaze”—Ryan’s speech eventually turned to the subject of “entitlement reform”—the right-wing euphemism for slashing Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Ryan expressed deep regret that he and his party ultimately failed to gut these programs, which provide a lifeline for millions of Americans. The Wisconsin congressman has previously said he’s been dreaming of cutting Medicaid since he was “drinking out of a keg” in college, and during his speech on Wednesday he described “entitlement reform” as his party’s “greatest unfinished business.”