House Speaker Paul Ryan attempted Tuesday to quell the growing rancor in the Republican Party over presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump by unveiling the first plank of the GOP platform -- and urging uneasy Republicans to back the party, even if they're having difficulty backing its candidate.  "People know what Republicans are against," Ryan said in a video posted on Twitter before announcing a plan to overhaul the nation's poverty programs. "Now, we're going to give you a plan that shows what we are for."  Ryan unveiled the first of several policy proposals at an alcohol and drug treatment program in the nation's capital. Called “A Better Way,” Ryan’s proposals would make changes to welfare, food and housing aid, would increase work requirements, make aid more efficient and give states more decisions on how benefits are rolled out.  The rollout comes as Republicans seek to distance themselves from the latest firestorm surrounding comments Trump made about U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel, claiming the judge can't be impartial in lawsuits against Trump University because his parents were born in Mexico and Trump wants to build a wall along the border.  Trump’s comments were immediately denounced by a number of high-profile Republicans, some of whom had previously supported him. Ryan himself disavowed Trump’s remarks Tuesday, calling them “unacceptable” and “the textbook definition of a racist comment.”  Yet Ryan said the comments didn’t alter his support for Trump over presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.  “We have a greater likelihood of getting our policies enacted than with Hillary Clinton as president,” he said at a press conference announcing the proposals.  Ryan also is appealing to frustrated Republican voters backing Trump, but who are upset with the party itself.  "We can get angry and we can stay angry or we could channel that anger into action," Ryan said in a video posted to his website Friday.  Ryan’s attempt to change the conversation was echoed by other Republican leaders who have expressed frustration at Trump’s dominance of the political conversation.  "I'm not going to be sucked into talking about Trump 24-7," said No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas on Monday evening as he was asked for his response to Trump’s remarks. "We're going to talk about our work and what we're doing here."  Ryan has made clear that his support is predominantly because he believes a Republican in the White House would be more likely to help enact his policy goals. On Thursday, Ryan will also release a national security plan, followed by plans on other issues, including the Constitution and health care in coming weeks.  Ryan’s proposal looks to consolidate food and housing programs, while also creating incentives for states to improve programs, and to help get recipients back to work.  Some of the proposals, such as scaling back the Obama administration's stricter nutrition rules for school meals, are already in motion.  Ryan's plan was criticized by Democrats, even before they were formally announced.  "While Speaker Ryan rolls out a swanky new policy agenda in an attempt to offer an alternative vision to that of Donald Trump, Americans across the country are struggling," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., ahead of the release. "The only `better way' that Speaker Ryan's recommendations will offer is a better way to fall into poverty."  The Associated Press contributed to this report.
House Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled a detailed agenda Tuesday to overhaul the nation’s poverty programs, as part of a wider effort to define the Republican platform, and to assert some control over presumptive nominee Donald Trump with some firm policy planks.