I’ll keep this brief. About a week ago, Paul Ryan gave a speech to a group of interns to basically bash Donald Trump. Included in the speech to make himself look like a “reasonable-conservative(TM)”, he dropped this little bombshell
There was a time that I would talk about a difference between "makers" and "takers" in our country, referring to people who accepted government benefits. But as I spent more time listening, and really learning the root causes of poverty, I realized something. I realized that I was wrong. "Takers" wasn't how to refer to a single mom stuck in a poverty trap, trying to take care of her family. Most people don't want to be dependent. And to label a whole group of Americans that way was wrong. I shouldn't castigate a large group of Americans just to make a point.
Now lets pretend this little stunning comment is happening in a bubble. Let’s imagine that he’s not saying this because he needs to look like a reasonable moderate come convention time. Let’s imagine he is not saying this in an effort to be the reluctant savior who wants to come swoop in and take the nomination.
Let’s imagine that he genuinely believes what he says. I will only accept his apology and give him a clean slate, another chance at my trust, or another chance at leadership if one of these two things come out of his mouth at the end of that paragraph.
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(1) ”Therefore I am choosing to resign my position as congressman from Wisconsin. My comments, as wrong as they were, were damaging to a large portion of American citizens and how they are perceived. No apology on my part can give them their dignity back.”
- OR…
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(2) ”I recognize now that my newly aligned values and position more accurately align me with the Democratic party. I am officially switching parties effective immediately. I cannot continue to be a member in good conscience of the political party that castigates large numbers of American citizens.”
Until either one of those two things happen, I don’t believe a word out of Paul Ryan’s mouth. I won’t give him a second chance at my trust.
You can’t say things like that and still have the big R next to your name. Your party’s been wrong on everything for decades.