To the editor:

Does anyone remember what propelled young Congressman Paul Ryan into the national spotlight, chairmanship of the House Budget Committee, and candidacy for vice president? Apparently Paul Ryan has forgotten. He was the ultimate deficit hawk and proposed a plan to fix it — at the expense of social services, of course.

Upon announcing his impending retirement, Ryan stated that his greatest accomplishment was passing the 2017 tax bill and thanked the president for making that possible. This is the bill that will enrich the rich while producing trillions of dollars in deficits. The Congressional Budget Office projects the national debt to approach GDP within 10 years — or sooner, if defense spending cuts in 2020 and tax increases in 2026 are averted, a goal dear to the heart of at least one political party. NPR’s Susan Davis concluded commentary on Ryan’s retirement announcement with, “In the end, Paul Ryan has his principles, and Donald Trump has his Republican Party.” One has to ask, what principles?