I feel confident hed help us turn the ideas in the Houses agenda into laws to improve peoples lives.
By Cong. Paul Ryan
When Donald Trump became the Republican Partys presumptive nominee for president one month ago many
Republicans like me faced a big question.
Six months earlier in October as
I was taking the job as House speaker my colleagues and I were discussing an equally important question: What could House Republicans do to
give Americans a clear choice about the future of the country?
Sure count us among the majority of Americans upset with the direction our country is headed. But thats not enough. We agreed that we must focus less on what were against and more on what were for. So long before we knew who our nominee would be we decided we would present the country a policy agenda that offers a better way forward. We know what we believe in so lets bring it to the country.
Thats how Ive always looked at it. Ive spent most of my adult life pursuing ways to help protect the American Idea"the notion that the condition of ones birth does not determine the outcome of ones life. The first step is always putting it on paper and having a real debate. And with the Obama presidency nearing an end we have a real opportunity to get big things done the next four years.
Thats why next week my colleagues and I will start introducing a series of policy proposals that address the American peoples top
priorities. These plans are the result of months of work by House Republicans.
The concept from the start was simple: If we had a Republican president ready to sign bills into law what would we do?
This month well show the country what a better tax code looks like. Well outline a plan not just for repealing Obamacare but replacing it with a better system more focused on patients choices and lower costs. Well offer a plan to restore the Constitution and the separation of powers that decades of executive overreach have eroded. Well present the ideal national security and foreign policy to keep Americans safe. Well show how we can reform rules and regulations so theyre spurring the economy and creating jobs not destroying them. And well offer a better way to help lift people out of poverty and into lives of self-determination.
It will be a positive optimistic vision for a more confident America.
Its short of all thats required to save the country but the goal was to focus on issues that unite Republicans. Its a bold agenda but one that can bring together all wings of the Republican Party as well as appeal to most Americans.
One person who we know wont support it is Hillary Clinton. A Clinton White House would mean four more years of liberal cronyism and a government more out for itself than the people it serves. Quite simply she represents all that our agenda aims to fix.
To enact these ideas we need a Republican president willing to sign them into law. Thats why when he sealed the nomination I
could not offer my support for Donald Trump before discussing policies and basic principles.
As I said from the start my goal has been to unite the party so we can win in the fall. And if were going to unite it has to be over ideas.
Donald Trump and I have talked at great length about things such as the proper role of the executive and fundamental principles such as the protection of life. The list of potential Supreme Court nominees he released after our first meeting was very encouraging.
But the House policy agenda has been the main focus of our dialogue. Weve talked about the common ground this agenda can represent. Weve discussed how the House can be a driver of policy ideas. Weve talked about how important these reforms are to saving our country. And weve talked about how by focusing on issues that unite Republicans we can work together to heal the fissures developed through the primary.
Through these conversations I feel confident he would help us turn the ideas in this agenda into laws to help improve peoples lives. Thats why Ill be voting for him this fall.
Its no secret that he and I have our differences. I wont pretend otherwise. And when I feel the need to Ill continue to speak my mind. But the reality is on the issues that make up our agenda we have more common ground than disagreement.
For me its a question of how to move ahead on the ideas that Iand my House colleagueshave invested so much in through the years. Its not just a choice of two people but of two visions for America. And House Republicans are helping shape that Republican
vision by offering a bold policy agenda by offering a better way ahead.
Donald Trump can help us make it a reality.
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Janesville represents Wisconsins 1st Congressional District and serves as Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives. Readers can send email through www.paulryan.house.gov.
