Paul Ryan claims fondness for the music of Rage Against the Machine, a hard-left, union-backing and “peace-marching” grunge group. Ryan specified that the music — rather than lyrics — forms the attraction. For this, the band’s outraged lead guitarist (Harvard-graduate) Tom Morello recently took to the pages of Rolling Stone magazine to denounce Ryan as “clueless.”

“Ryan is the embodiment of the Machine our music Rages against!” raved an ungrateful Morello, proving that for leftists it’s “politics uber alles!” (Can you imagine Ted Nugent or Trace Adkins insulting their customers?)

“Paul Ryan’s love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing,” continued the scandalized Morello. “Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn’t understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn’t understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless about his favorite band, Rage Against the Machine.”

Clueless? Rage Against the Machine honors Che Guevara as their icon and “fifth band member.”

“We’ve considered Che a fifth band member for a long time now,” gushed Morello, “for the simple reason that he exemplifies the integrity and revolutionary ideals to which we aspire.” The Stalinist mass-murderer’s image features prominently in RATM’s amps and album covers.

Let’s consider the two issues and determine who’s genuinely “clueless” here.

A rock group (RATM) boasts that the central inspiration to its “irreverent” music and “anti-authority” image is the co-founder of a totalitarian regime that outlawed rock music, graffiti and “disrespect for authorities” — all under penalty of forced labor, torture and even firing squad.

“Youth must refrain from ungrateful questioning of governmental mandates,” commanded Guevara in a famous speech in 1961 where he denounced the very “spirit of rebellion” as “reprehensible.” “Youth must dedicate themselves to study, work and military service. Youth must learn to think and act as a mass . . . It is criminal to think of individuals!”

“Union activists” (RATM, that’s you) have made central to their music and image a Stalinist who outlawed strikes under penalty of prison and firing squad.

“By no means can Cuban workers go on strike!” declared Guevara, Cuba’s then-Minister of Industries on June 26, 1961. “Cuban workers must adjust to life a collectivist social order!”

“Peace activists” (RATM, that’s you) have made central to their music and image the boastful blusterer of the following statements from Guevara:

“We reject any peaceful approach! . . . My nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood! . . . Violence is inevitable! To establish Socialism rivers of blood must flow. The victory of Socialism is well worth millions of atomic victims!”

Morello also professes immense pride in his black heritage and in Obama’s presidency. “I honestly thought I’d never live to see this day,” he gushed in Nov. 2008. “Obama’s election is a huge step toward civilization for a country whose past is so steeped in racism.” But the icon on Morello’s guitar, amplifier and album cover went on record that: