TO: Interested Parties
FR: Meredith Kelly, DCCC National Press Secretary
DT: June 6, 2016
RE: Speaker Ryan’s Agenda – Not Worth The White Paper It’s Printed On
Paul Ryan has “staked his success” on a number of objectives since becoming Speaker, promising a new era of policymaking and legislating. Unfortunately for him, his weakness in the face of the House Freedom Caucus and the megaphone of Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has proven Speaker Ryan a complete failure by his own definition.
As Paul Ryan begins his marathon “policy” white paper rollout, here are three major points to consider: 1) This is Donald Trump’s Republican Party, and it’s his policies and positions that will define this election; 2) These 2017-focused white papers signify Ryan’s resignation on policymaking in the Republican House this year; and 3) House Republicans are more vulnerable thanks to Paul Ryan’s failed record as Speaker.
Donald Trump’s Republican Party: As we have seen since the beginning of the cycle, this election is about Donald Trump. His provocative and offensive comments keep him front and center with voters, and the policies and positions behind his rhetoric will define this election, particularly with swing voters. Efforts to present an alternative agenda this month will be futile: House Republicans will be defined by Trump’s policies and positions too, just as down-ballot races are always defined by the top of the ticket.
When Speaker Ryan claimed the House of Representatives would serve as a guidepost for the principles of the Republican Party, the reality quickly set in that Trump reigns supreme and Ryan’s ”agenda” was lost in the wind. Now, with Ryan fully embracing Trump’s candidacy with an endorsement, voters see Donald Trump, the Republican Party and House Republicans as one in the same.
Case in point: Trump’s shockingly racist commentary about Judge Curiel last week. Rest assured that voters, Latino and otherwise, will remember those comments on Election Day—not Paul Ryan’s perfunctory “out of left field” response. Voters will hold the Republicans accountable for this un-American behavior.
Ryan Surrenders on 2016 Policymaking: These “policy” white papers, for implementation in 2017, make official that Paul Ryan’s legislative deliverables have run dry in 2016. He has totally failed at his own metrics for success: returning to regular order, rededication to floor procedure, passing a budget, opening up the amendment process for – and passing – appropriations bills.
Just before Ryan’s House took yet another recess break, his failure as Speaker was on full display when the Energy & Water Appropriations bill failed to pass due to basic anti-discrimination protections, which then caused real damage at home for several vulnerable Republicans. The embarrassment harkens back to last summer, when the same entrenched House Conservatives brought down the appropriations process over their support for the Confederate Battle Flag flying over federal grounds.
Ryan has also failed by a basic, common sense metric for legislative success: responding to the dire public health crises facing our country. House Republicans have been extremely slow, or have altogether refused, to meaningfully address the threats posed to Americans by the Zika virus, opioid epidemic, and Flint water crisis. The Speaker is releasing a vision for January 2017, further signaling that he clearly has none for dealing with the crises already at hand.
Vulnerable House Republicans Further Weakened: Speaker Paul Ryan’s ineffectiveness only worsens the precarious plight of House Republicans in November. It is always a difficult task in a presidential year – when turnout is higher – for House Republicans in swing districts to build a winning coalition of voters. This year, vulnerable House Republicans will have to deal with the clear challenge that a Donald Trump ticket presents in appealing to female, nonwhite, affluent, well-educated, independent, and suburban voters, and have nothing except a resume of failures to point to in the House of Representatives.
This toothless policy rollout isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on, and only serves to highlight that Speaker Ryan and House Republicans have failed to do their job. Paul Ryan’s endorsement of Trump – and determination that he is the right person to carry out this 2017 policy agenda – further demonstrates that House Republicans will not be able to distinguish themselves from their toxic frontrunner in swing districts.
Paul Ryan has truly proven to be an ineffective Speaker, further dividing and weakening House Republicans. Ryan has failed at key measures of success for policymaking and legislating, and no white paper agenda will erase that reality.