2020 Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) was on Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night where the host suggested that “it’s kind of hard to run against the economy in Ohio.”
“The reality of it is most people are still struggling to make ends meet. I’ve been living that for the last 45 years outside of Youngstown, Ohio,” Ryan said. “I’ve been studying and trying to figure out how do we get this economy working for working class people.”
“But aren’t they all saying that? I’m asking you why you’re different. You’re telling me what everyone of them has said,” Maher replied.
“Here’s where I’m different: I know what direction we need to go in,” Ryan said. “I know where the economy’s going.”
“Where? What do you know they don’t know?” Maher interjected.
“Well, right now, nowhere,” Ryan suggested.
“Well, come on. The economy is not horrible. 4.4 percent is the unemployment rate in Ohio. It’s kind of hard to run against the economy in Ohio, isn’t it?” Maher asked.
“No, because the average wage has only gone up 20 bucks a week,” Ryan responded.
“Wages did finally rise. We have to admit. Trump is president for two years. We can’t ignore that fact. Finally wages went up. He’s the guy in the office at the time. He’s going to run on that,” Maher said.
Ryan, however, maintained that things aren’t as good as they seem when it comes to the economy, and pointed to recent layoffs in Ohio as an example.
“We need to move into the future economy,” Ryan said. “There’s about one to two million electric vehicles today being made. In the next ten years, there’s going to be 30 million electric vehicles made. I want those made in the United States. I want the batteries made in the United States. I want the charging stations made in the United States.”
Ryan’s full interview with Maher can be watched below:
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tim Ryan” by Bill Maher.
