Former House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke at UVU to a crowd of students and faculty regarding fiscal issues and how the country can address the issues facing the nation.
Speaking at the Keller Building on Oct. 5 as a part of an event hosted by the Herbert Institute, Paul Ryan spoke about how the lack of entitlement reform and deficit spending has led to a growing national debt which threatens the security of the nation.
“Your generation is getting sent a massive amount of debt,” Ryan warned. “If this is not solved, it is a mathematical certainty that it is giving our country a less prosperous and more diminished future.”
Throughout his presentation, Ryan pointed to what he called were the “two greatest threats” facing America, which he identified first was the national debt, the second was the growing influence of China. Fiscal policy was the primary focus of his book “American Renewal,” which outlines his and his co-authors conservative approach to solving America’s financial struggles.
“America is facing a fiscal crisis entirely of its own making,” Ryan’s introduction reads. “The good news is that these problems are solvable. And we are not helpless or powerless before them … it’s a matter of summoning the will.”
Ryan had strong thoughts regarding the recent ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying, “what happened in congress the other day was a disgrace.” He had stronger words for Matt Gaetz, calling him an “unprincipled demagogue.”
“Don’t send us more Matt Gaetz’s, send us more people like John Curtis. Send us legislators who are there to solve problems and not to get hits and clicks to become famous,” Ryan stated. “The problem we have is there are entertainers in Congress.”
The motion to vacate was something that the former speaker identified with needing to be fixed. Saying that speaker can’t do their job with “a gun to their head.”
“The speaker has to negotiate and compromise with the Senate and the White house to get things done,” Ryan stressed. “It was a total tragedy that this handful of rebels brought Congress to a screeching halt… this was a big break to the institution.”
After Ryan finished up his speech and a lunch with VIP’s in the Keller Building, Ryan told The Review some advice he had for students wishing to follow in his footsteps.
“Have a good attitude, no task is beneath you,” Ryan expressed. “The key difference between a person who is intelligent and thinks they know everything is how good is your attitude, are you a hard worker. That is the key difference maker.”
“Something that my mom always told me, ‘You got two ears, one mouth, use it in that proportion.’”
Really enjoyed the article with Paul Ryan. Although in principle I agree with many things he said, I also believe many in Washington, our elected representatives are just as guilty as the 8 he mentioned, holding the country hostage to political play, grandstanding.
One positive thing I thought was interesting regarding McCarthys removal was that he actually was removed, like an annual job review.
It might be an interesting idea, that a politician, who represents constituents actually has an annual job review by his/her constituents.
This national debt, my goodness, can we even fathom a trillion, let alone 33 heading for 36.. 33 thousand Billion.
One cannot run their personal business on debt.. how can our country.