What do you think is behind Paul Ryan's announcement that he is retiring?

Exactly that^. He is only 48, why else would he retire this young?

He’s sick and tired of the bullshit. He knows things are going to hell this fall and he doesn’t want to be apart of it.

He won’t run in 2020 – that’s too close to now, and he doesn’t have the money in place. Maybe 2024, possibly 2028.

Little confidence in his chances of being reelected. Better to “retire” now and save face rather than losing in November and risk damaging his cache for possible future candidacies.

Maybe I’m naive but I believe what’s been said in the news. He’s tired of being a weekend dad. His father died when he was 16. His oldest child is now 16. He doesn’t want his kids to have a weekend father.

@Aethelwine I just see him as a man with great ambition. I feel there’s more to it than that.

He fulfilled his main ambition in the House, which was passing a massive tax cut for the rich. If re-elected, he was looking at maybe being Minority Leader in January.

He may be mulling a Presidential run, but that would be off the table if he lost the House. And if he loses the House, he has to defend Trump in any impeachment proceeding.

Being with his family is a smokescreen.

He wasn’t keen on taking on the Speaker’s job in the first place, on top of that I don’t think he is comfortable working with Trump as president. And now the uncertainties of the mid term elections are coming up it seems a good time to get out.

I think that is enough to explain his retirement though perhaps you are right and he has some hopes of a post Trump comeback.

The excuse is like bizarro parenting. Wait until the kids are teenagers and horrible people and then hang out with them. Which he won’t since he will be off lobbying instead of teaching little-eddie how to drive a stick-shift.

If he gave a fuck about the kids he would have been around before puberty where he stood a chance of teaching them to read and do math (maybe teaching math should be left to people that actually know it).

He has basically lost all credibility and is hoping people forget. Fun fact.. He was Romney’s VP choice. Probably forgot that.

Something diabolical…

No. More likely just a rat leaving the sinking ship. Trump’s Whitehouse is getting ugly fast. If he fires Mueller, the GOP will have to make some tough choices.

@janbb You are probably right. He’s young enough to take a couple years to distance himself from Trump and spend time with his family, then move on to something else.

He’s on the short list for something.

Ryan’s father, grandfather and great grandfather all died comparatively young when in their 50’s. This may be a factor in his thinking.

Trump voters want someone who better represents today’s mainstream Republican values.

His name is Paul Nehlen. He’s now the front-running Republican for the House seat.

In 2016 when Nehlen ran against Ryan in the primaries, conservative stars like Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon were behind his efforts.

Nehlen campaigned with Trump in support of conservative favorite Roy Moore in his unsuccessful bid for the Alabama Senate seat.

Like Trump, Nehlen was a vocal supporter of the conservatives marching and chanting in Charlottesville last year.

He’s really a terrific candidate for your typical Trump voter.

Ryan recognizes that his image is being tainted by Trump.
Ryan always supported economic conservatism, and balanced budgets. He knows he is now linked with the passage of the worst budget ever, thanks to Trump. His brand is soiled, which will damage any future White House bid. Best to distance himself from this, plus he doesn’t want to be the minority leader when Trump gets impeached next year.

” He knows things are going to hell this fall and he doesn’t want to be apart of it.” @elbanditoroso not only a part of it but instrumental in bringing it about.

But here is hoping that he goes out with a bang. After all the abuse he has taken from Trump and his sycophantic minions I would pray that he do his best to make Trumps life a living hell with the time he (Ryan) has left.

Best to distance himself from this

And he has.

Ryan’s stated goal has long been taking away Medicare and Social Security from the elderly and Medicaid from the poor.

The recent budget is a big step in accomplishing that. By leaving a ballooning deficit, he forces future Congresses to do the dirty work.

@Call_Me_Jay I guess I had figured he would stay around to enjoy the “fruits” of his labor! ~ So he’s a coward as well!