Speaker of the House [crscore]Paul Ryan[/crscore] calls for a “complete alternative to the left’s agenda” while laying out his plan for 2016 in his first major address at the Library of Congress Tuesday.
The Wisconsin Republican, who took the gavel just a month ago, says the Obama administration is causing the country to take a turn for the worse and Republicans need more than tactics to solve the nation’s issues.
The first things on his agenda are job creation and raising wages, which he plans to accomplish through simplifying the tax code.
Ryan says Congress needs to close loopholes and lower rates if America wants to keep up with its overseas competitors, adding successful small businesses face a top tax rate of 44.6 percent while Canada’s stands at just 15 percent.
“When people know they will keep more of their hard-earned money, they will work more, save more, invest more—and create more jobs for all of us,” he says. “And when there is more work to go around, more people will see their wages go up.”
Ryan also plans to take on welfare reform, saying the current system is “trapping people in poverty.” He believes the system should encourage all people capable of working to do so.
In addition to economic reforms, the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee also says America needs to strengthen its military.
“We need to build a 21st century military,” he says. “And I don’t mean just pour more money into the Pentagon. We have to reform the Pentagon, so it can adapt to new threats.”
The speech is not short on criticisms of the president’s ability to work with the other side of the aisle.
The speaker promises a plan within the next year to repeal and replace Obamacare, saying Congress should “force insurance companies to compete for your business,” not force people to buy it.
With the president still having a year to go before the end of his term, Ryan acknowledges Republicans may not be able to accomplish all of their goals with a Democrat in the White House, but they can still deliver their message to the country.
“We need a new president, it’s just that simple,” he says. “But even if we can’t move mountains, we can make moves in the right direction.”
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