Rep. Moore: Paul Ryan wants to talk poverty

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said she expects to have a meaningful conversation with fellow Wisconsin lawmaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R) on the issue of poverty during his meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus this week.

“He has seemed to be interested in having a conversation about ending poverty, and we certainly agree on that,” Moore said on MSNBC’s “Disrupt” on Sunday.

{mosads}”So, we see this as a tremendous opportunity to talk to a powerful member of Congress, the chairman of the Budget Committee, about more strategic ways to help the poor with job training opportunities, and with economic development activities, rather than slashing and burning benefits,” she said.

While looking forward to the meeting, Moore slammed Ryan for his 2015 budget proposal, which she says is not balanced mathematically or morally.

“You just can’t cut benefits to the very, very poor; to those who are unemployed; and say that you are helping the poor,” Moore said. “We can’t be tricked with some of the accounting tricks Ryan has.”

The meeting comes after Ryan made comments that poverty is caused largely by a “tailspin of culture,” specifically in inner cities, which drew severe backlash from a number of lawmakers.