Probably the right move. It's a lose-lose situation for him with Trump as Prez. Hated by some for siding with Trump so much, hated by others for not supporting Trump more. Might as well get out of politics and use his influence to get some private sector $$$. In fact (maybe it's the pro wrestling fan in me) but I think he could always come back and run for something. He can't be that old.
He'll get back into it I'm sure. He'll be looked at as a potential 2024 candidate, or if a Senate seat/governorship is up for grabsn
At one point in the past I thought Paul Ryan was an interesting candidate... a fiscal conservative that could have been a good alternative voice to the tea party. Unfortunately, things went south for him. maybe he will join those retiring congressmen (eg Flake) that re-found their voice and sense of right and wrong and start speaking out against trump and what has become of the republican party.
Ryan just doesn't have a backbone. Maybe he'll grow one during his temporary retirement. However, I feel like he'll just collapse again as soon as there is any kind of pressure on him. He hasn't earned any trust.
I want to hope that this is a precursor to something good, but the cynic in me tells me I'm an idiot to do so.
Time for Ryan to be paid. He has accomplished as much as he could do for his boys at the moment.. Just a month or two ago he was all smiles. Massive tax cuts for his funders the Kochs, the Mercers, the Walton and others. No inheritance tax to hassle the billionaires with. Paul's big regret is we still have Medicare and Social Security for the undeserving "poors" and ordinary folks. Of course Paul was starting to look a bit vulnerable in his district as the working class folks there were starting to wise up a bit. I predict Paul will either (1) be set prominently at a right wing "Think" Tank 2) get a show on Fox or 3) become a lobbyist for Wall Street in their attempt to privatize Social Security so they can take a cut of that retirement system. Of course, the board of Koch Industries probably beckons. Expect a heavily promoted and profitable book and some pontificating at some $500 k speeches on the circuit.
+1 He's "going out on top". 2018 and probably 2020 will be a total nightmare for Republicans and he would absolutely have gone down in flames if he stuck around for it.
He sold his soul a long time ago and has just been a walking corpse since. I’m not sure how he stands upright with no spine.
