House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has become the latest swamp thing to bail. Ryan announced today that he will not seek re-election this fall.

Ryan's announcement comes as no huge surprise. He is just the latest in a long line of hacks that have or will get the message that the public is sick and tired of hacks.

This is not a Republican versus Democrat thing, as swamp creatures come in both red and blue. When candidate Trump vowed to "drain the swamp," he meant it. Few believed it could happen, but the proof is in the pudding.

How many members of Congress have decided it's time to hang the "gone fishing" sign before the voters do it for them? A lot. More will follow.

Most of the soon-to-be-retired Congressfolk are Republicans. They never thought that Trump could get elected and when he did, they didn't think he'd last. They opposed him and challenged him every step of the way, and he outfoxed them. Ryan, like many of the others, is tied to the swamp and fought to protect the swamp's interests, rather than those of the voting public.

Ryan never did understand who elected Donald Trump and why.

In announcing his departure, Ryan says he wants to spend more time with his family. That is noble and I believe him to be sincere. He also said that jobs like his don't last forever. Unfortunately, they do for too many members of Congress.

The political winds have changed. People who have been disenfranchised for too long are now engaged. A broken system is being repaired. Let's pray we have the courage and the attention span to see through.

Thank you, Speaker Ryan, for your service. It's time to turn the page.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

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