The Romney-Ryan election strategy is not hard to comprehend: It is to cripple Medicare and Medicaid by various means, including privatization and to eliminate or shrink programs and services that the public, especially the poor and the sick, depend on for survival.

This may appeal to the wealthy and true-blue conservatives, but what worker would be attracted to vote Republican after listening to the Romney-Paul agenda? You’d be surprised.

Nevertheless, the Republicans can trap voter support on a variety of other issues. For example, workers are deeply concerned that healthcare costs will rise for them. They see their retirement income under attack from various sources. Many feel that the government has become too large and wasteful under Obama, and hundreds of programs and services can be dropped, that will achieve deep cuts in the huge federal deficit.

The Romney campaign is awash with millions to spend on advertising that cleverly creates fears in the minds of people that Obama’s economic policies will lead us to a new recession. With wages stagnant or worse, people’s fear can easily be heightened about the future of the economy.

The AFL-CIO is Confident of an Obama Victory

AFL-CIO leaders have not taken steps to mobilize their members to oppose the Republicans. That can be a serious mistake. If the Republicans can build up a substantial following among union members and unorganized workers, they can increase their attacks on unions, even after the elections.

It is true that top union leaders have issued strong statements against the Romney-Ryan campaign, but not much else.

What is needed is an educational campaign among union members, so they will get a clearer picture of where the Obama administration and the Romney-Ryan ticket stand on the election issues — and with opportunity for members to comment.

There is still time for the AFL-CIO NOW website to foster the debate in the remaining few weeks before the election. Let’s have some straight talk on the issues.