Ryan on Poverty in America: 'We Deserve Better'

Ryan on Poverty in America: 'We Deserve Better' Cleveland “In this war on poverty, poverty is winning,” said Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan on Wednesday afternoon. “We Deserve Better!" Speaking to an audience of supporters at Cleveland State University, Ryan, who's known for his wonky disquisitions on the federal budget, offered a comprehensive case for a vibrant civil society that cares for its poor on a local and personal level. “Americans are a compassionate people, and there’s a consensus in this country about our fundamental obligations to society’s most vulnerable,” Ryan said in prepared remarks. “Those obligations are not what we’re debating in politics. Most times, the real debate is about whether they are best met by private groups, or by the government; by voluntary action, or by more taxes and coercive mandates from Washington.”