Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Paul D. Ryan spoke at CPAC on the topic of winning the war on poverty, and expanding opportunity for everyone with Political Analyst, Carrie Sheffield. Ryan has long been an outspoken advocate for conservatism that breeds opportunity to increase the quality of living for all, and he is continuing this work in his new position as Speaker of the House.

Ryan asserted that poverty is “right under our noses” and that we often overlook it. “50 years, trillions spent, and we have stalemate on our hands,” asserted Ryan, speaking on the government’s waged war on poverty.

Success in the war on poverty must be measured in how many people are taken out of poverty argues Ryan, rather than how much money is spent and how many new programs are created. Government programs often act as a trap, rather than a stepping stone to decreasing poverty.

Ryan points out that civic society decreases poverty, not government. Local communities are better suited to handle issues of poverty, rather than one size fits all solutions created by those inside the beltway.

One area Ryan believes government has been utterly ineffective in winning the war on poverty, is regulatory reform. The federal bureaucracy, called the “fourth branch” of the federal government by Ryan, has made it more difficult for individuals to get out of poverty. Ryan cites environmental regulations as one way in which the government increases energy costs for our most vulnerable citizens. To ensure that the federal bureaucracy doesn’t continue to grow, Ryan proposes that regulations be passed by congress rather than unelected bureaucrats.

Ryan’s comments push back directly against the left’s idea that conservatives do not care about the poor. Overcoming this stereotype is often tough, but Ryan’s usage of numerical figures, anecdotes, and comprehensive solutions convey his and the Republican Party’s commitment to helping the least among us.