House Speaker Paul Ryan is scheduled to meet with Donald Trump on Thursday, and the hope is that they can emerge from the meeting with a productive eye towards cooperation. But with Ryan having told the media last week that he’s not ready to endorse Trump and with Trump having said he has the will of the people behind him, the two may find it difficult to come together.
Ryan’s issues with Trump are numerous. He has made no secret of his disdain for Trump’s comments on women and Muslims, and he went out of his way to denounce Trump during the whole David Duke debacle. But the crux of his concern, at least publicly, lies in policy. Ryan said on TV this week that the burden was on Trump to unify the party by embracing a Republican platform of conservatism. Trump, in turn, said he didn’t care for Ryan’s agenda and would not feel obligated to sign on.
Well, we’ll see what happens. There is room for both of them to compromise without angering their respective camps. But the fact is, Trump has all the power and Ryan would do well to remember that. At no point has Trump given any indication that he will renounce statements and policies if he feels it is politically expedient to do so. When he’s wildly out on a limb, like he was on abortion, then he’s willing to walk it back. But when it comes to the meat of his vision, he’s not going to throw it all away just to have a better shot at winning. And besides, there’s nothing he can do to diminish those chances more effectively than to become a Republican puppet.
Ryan should also remember that much of Trump’s message is that both parties are corrupt beyond measure. He’s not heading to Washington to further the conservative movement; he’s going there to break up the establishment cartel that has put the interests of the few ahead of the interests of the American people. Democrats, Republicans – no matter who is in charge, the debt keeps rising, the spending keeps rising, and the jobs keep vanishing.
Would it be nice if Trump came around on some of his more regrettable stances? Sure. And maybe he will, if Ryan and others extend the olive branch. But even if he doesn’t, his election would be a tremendous victory for conservatives. Trump is, after all, a damn sight closer to being a conservative than Hillary. Ryan – and those who agree with him – should stop issuing ultimatums and start embracing this momentous opportunity.
