House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) reluctance to back 69-year-old real estate mogul and 2016 GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump shows he’s not fit for his current job. Newly minted Oct. 29, 2015 as House Speaker, Ryan doesn’t yet understand his job as GOP House leader. Pushed into office because House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) disqualifying himself over his Benghazi comments, Ryan doesn’t really get his new role as House Speaker. Backed by the Tea Party and House Freedom Caucus, Ryan doesn’t speak only for one House faction. Stating objections to CNN’s Jake Tapper, Ryan looked at times baffled by his own statements. Ryan knows that Trump has GOP rank-and-file voters behind him in overwhelming numbers, preferring to engage in sophomoric debates about the role of government or the presidency. Ryan’s job as House Speaker is to unite the GOP.
Speaking only on behalf of the Tea Party or House Freedom Caucus, Ryan doesn’t see the shift in GOP voters about the direction of the Party. Paul seems confused about his role in the House versus his backing of the so-called conservative movement. GOP voters—the only constituency that counts—back Trump’s move at practical conciliation with Democrats. Since entering the House representing Wisconsin’s 1st District Jan 3, 1999, Ryan’s been one of the most zealous conservatives in Congress, pushing, together with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to shutdown the government to de-fund Obamacare Oct. 1, 2013. He pushed for the so-called Jan. 1, 2013 government “sequester” that imposed draconic cuts on the Pentagon and federal social safety net. Refusing to back Trump because he doesn’t know his views on “limited government and the Constitution” is preposterous.
Whatever Ryan’s personal or public views on “limited government and the Constitution” have nothing to do with backing the GOP’s presumptive nominee. Ryan’s so worried about falling out-of-favor with the Freedom Caucus that made him House Speaker, he’s confused his personal views with those of GOP primary voters that overwhelmingly back Trump. Whether or not former GOP candidates Jeb Bush or Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) or 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney or former President George W. Bush boycott the convention is irrelevant. Ryan’s not yet a political has-been: He’s House Speaker. His job is to represent all 435 members of the House, not just Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) 41-member Freedom Caucus. Ryan’s inability to represent the full House makes him not fit to do his job. Debating his versus Trump’s political ideology goes over-the-top.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) thinks Ryan’s off-the-wall not backing Trump as the GOP’s presumptive nominee. Ryan knows Trump has the overwhelming backing of GOP primary voters, dispatching Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich after his landslide May 3 Indiana primary. Ryan wants to know whether Trump “will advance our [Freedom Caucus] appreciation limited government for the Constitution, for the proper role of the executive, for the principles that not only built our party, but built our country,” said Ryan, showing his political immaturity. Ryan’s too blinded by his own right-wing zealotry to see how inappropriate and out-of-line for him to impose his views on his Party’s nominee. Ryan’s public objections about Trump shows how he can’t control his personal bias but, more importantly, he doesn’t understand his job as House Speaker.
Fox News’ conservative host Sean Hannity questioned May 6 whether or not Ryan was fit for duty as House Speaker. Even Ryan’s colleagues, former House whips Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fl.), can’t believe or understand Ryan’s behavior. “I just don’t think any of them realize . . . the reason Trump is the nominee is because people are mad at Republicans in Congress for not getting anything done,” said Westmoreland, imploring Ryan to wake up. With an 11% House approval rating, the public wants a big change in 2016. Ryan’s call for the Tea Party’s limited government sunk Romney’s campaign in 2012. Once Mitt’s named Ryan VP Aug. 10, 2012, he promptly went after Social Security and Medicare, the nation’s most popular entitlements.
Ryan needs to get over his fear of getting dumped by Jordan’s Freedom Caucus and do his job representing all 435 House members. Ryan’s personal views about the role of the executive, limited government or anything else aren’t relevant to his job as House Speaker. Like the president, that represents all the people, not just Democrats and Republicans, Ryan fails to represent the House’s broad constituency. “I’m not ready to support Ryan anymore,” said Hannity, dumbfounded by Ryan’s refusal to support Trump. Debating the pros-and-cons of limited government or the role of the executive shows how out-of-touch Ryan is with his job as House Speaker. Ryan didn’t run for president and has no place usurping GOP voters and influencing Trump’s political agenda “I think we should humble ourselves to a degree and unite,” said Ross, urging Ryan to get behind Trump’s nomination.
