Since the end of World War II, voters have chosen divided government more often than not. However, especially over the past 7 years, policymakers in Washington have moved beyond divided, becoming consistently divisive. Polarization on both sides of the aisle has forced personal ambitions and identity politics to the forefront, at the expense of our country and wellbeing.
Just last week, with little fanfare, Republicans and Democrats reached an agreement to fund the government through September 2016. Funding the government is one of the most basic tasks allocated to congress, yet contrasted against the dysfunction of recent years, it’s a positive step in the right direction.
{mosads}Republicans didn’t get everything they wanted, and neither did Democrats, but the bill was a good compromise at a moment when it was sorely needed.
Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) new position may place him in the GOP establishment by default; in reality, he’s an independent thinker who’s bridging the gap within the Republican Party and putting the party back on offense. Ryan’s vision for smaller government and decentralized power doesn’t merely focus on our oversized federal bureaucracy – it’s an approach he’s implementing to govern in the House.
Ryan is a different type of speaker than we’ve had in the past, and his rise signals the hunger for a new era in the GOP. Yes, he brings a generational change – he famously listens to music through earbuds as he walks through the Capitol, sends text messages, and takes his own #speakerselfies. But more importantly, what really makes him different is his style of leadership.
In a very traditional sense, Ryan will return the House to the “People’s House.” Regular order will be the rule and not the exception. Committee chairmen, subcommittee chairmen, and rank-and-file members will contribute substantively. Bills will be envisioned and drafted by those who study and know the issues best: the committees.
Even Ryan will have to step out of his own comfort zone to make this work. Instead of burying himself in arcane tax and economic policy, he will focus on crafting big ideas and working with members to translate them into effective policy solutions.
Ryan is a different type of Speaker because his priorities are different. His insistence on family time wasn’t simply a condition for taking the job; it’s a core part of who he is. When the Speaker not only shares, but practices, the same core values and priorities as everyday Americans, that’s truly special.
Fixing our broken Congress is akin to turning around a battleship, and fixing our broken government is akin to turning around a whole fleet. In charting a new course for Republicans in the House, there may be some choppy waters. Ryan at the helm represents our best chance at making it through the storm – and based on the groundwork he’s laying, the best chance for change in 2016.
Belcher is a managing director at Steptoe & Johnson LLP