House Speaker Paul Ryan on Wednesday encouraged a group of Capitol Hill interns to try to elevate the political discourse in the midst of a contentious primary season, and wistfully told them about American politics: “It did not used to be this bad, and it does not have to be this way.”
The Wisconsin Republican who was thrust into the high-profile job just a few months ago also revealed a change in his own thinking about the nation’s welfare policies, and said he has dropped his practice of identifying public aid recipients as “takers,” and those who pay the taxes as “makers.”
Ryan’s staff touted his address as one on the “state of American politics,” and it comes as the GOP Republican presidential race appears headed toward a likely raucous open convention in July, followed by an intense general election process. Donald Trump has seemingly changed the game with his blunt assessment of various politicians as “losers,” and the GOP establishment has responded with calls to nominate anyone other than Trump.
Ryan didn’t mention Trump or any other politicians by name, and indicated that it’s the fault of both parties for allowing political discourse to become harsher over the last several years.
“Looking around at what is taking place in politics today, it is easy to get disheartened,” Paul told the interns. “How many of you find yourselves shaking your head on what you seen on both sides of the aisle today?”
“I made it my mission to raise our gaze and aim for a brighter horizon,” Ryan said. “I want to take to you about what politics can be.”
Ryan called for a political process that focuses on ideas, “not to trade insults.” Instead of “playing to your anxiety,” politicians should “appeal to your aspirations.”
“We don’t insult them into agreeing with us,” he added.
Ryan said his focus on poverty issues has changed his way of talking about people who need welfare. His change of heart came after he spent time touring poverty-stricken areas, he said.
“I realized I was wrong,” Ryan said. “‘Takers’ isn’t how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap. Most people don’t want to be dependent and to label a whole group of Americans that way was wrong.”
Ryan said he is also a “late convert to criminal justice reform,” and said “we are going to bring criminal justice reform bills … to the House floor,” that would make it easier for some criminals to be released form prison sooner and participate in reform programs.”
“Redemption is a beautiful thing,” said Ryan, who added that his “Catholic guilt” played a role in his evolving position on criminal justice.
The interns loved the speech, and one said it was “awesome” that Ryan would take the time to talk to them. One intern asked Ryan how young people can maintain optimism in the political system.
“We are slipping into becoming a divisive country,” Ryan said. “That is where it doesn’t need to be, where it wasn’t and where it shouldn’t be.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill agreed, and said Ryan has failed so far to bring about a change in how the House is run.
“The Speaker’s ‘Year of Ideas’ has been marred by the same level of internal Republican dysfunction that dogged his predecessor while a runaway Republican primary constantly reminds the American people of the extreme policy positions advocated by so many in the House Republican Conference,” he said.
