Sarah Park, '21House Speaker Paul Ryan warned against the use of identity politics which he claims has been widely used with 21st century technology. He stated that liberals crafted identity politics which was later adopted by the Republicans.Ryan stated that he believes in politics that brings people together. However, he noted that both the Republicans and Democrats have been engaging in identity politics that “exploit divisions between people”. He argued that the use of identity politics divides the American people, leading to polarization.Last week Ryan announced that he would not run for the next election as House Speaker after having spent two decades in the position. He will step down from his position after his term expires in January. He supported Kevin McCarthy as his successor.When asked if President Trump talked him out of resigning, he suggested that Trump did not. After explaining his reasons for seeking to step down, Ryan stated that Trump did not attempt to convince him otherwise.Ryan stated that the primary decision to leave was to spend more time with his children. However, some critics argue that he is avoiding responsibility by leaving the government at a time of rising deficits. Ryan countered by stating that he had accomplished his goal of overhauling the tax code. However, he wishes that he had had the opportunity to spend more time to further his goal of cutting entitlement spending.When asked whether Ryan had the same vision as President Trump, he expressed hesitation. It is clear that the two have different views on free trade and entitlement spending.Ryan had expressed similar concerns about identity politics October of 2017. He stated that identity politics is dangerous because It “exploits fear” “exploits ignorance” and “[disunifies] the country”.However, critics question whether Ryan has been able to stay completely free of “identity politics” during his time as Speaker of the House, in particular, regarding his stance on the Affordable Care Act. While Obamacare has significantly increased healthcare coverage, it has disproportionately benefited minorities who were previously unable to afford healthcare. However, Ryan’s unequivocal support for repealing Obamacare raises questions about whether the politician himself has steered clear from entangling identity with politics. Sourceshttps://www.wsj.com/articles/house-speaker-ryan-warns-against-identity-politics-1523797201https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paul-ryan-identity-politics-has-gotten-out-of-control-in-our-country/https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/paul-ryan-identity-politics-w519071