ENID — OKLAHOMA CITY — Before Congressman Paul Ryan spoke Wed-nesday evening at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Sen. Tom Coburn described him as a partner in his fight against big government.

“I can’t think of anyone better to be in that fight with than (Ryan),” Coburn, R-Okla., said, before hundreds of people gathered at the museum.

Ryan was keynote speaker for Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs’ 2010 citizenship dinner.

Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, focused on the recent passage of the government health care bill during the majority of his keynote address.

He called passage of the bill a “travesty,” and said one political party was trying to decide the future of America.

In order to thwart the bill and the challenges Americans now are facing, Ryan said it was up to the people to start a new American Revolution, this time a peaceful one, with ballots.

“(We need) men and women who go to Congress and are running to stand up and fight for what this country is all about,” Ryan said.

To Ryan, the health care legislation is another example of Washington’s attempt to control the rights of individuals in the United States.

“What kind of society will we hand down to children in future generations?” Ryan said. “We will choose one of two paths, and once we make that choice, there really is no going back.”

The first choice, Ryan said, is a future where people are dependent on the government for everyday living.

But Ryan didn’t specifically blame one party over the other.

“The U.S. (has) been slowly moving down that path for a long time, and Democrats and Republicans share in this blame,” he said.

That sparked the first thunderous round of applause from the audience in the half-hour Ryan spoke.

Ryan went on further to say if the United States keeps going down the road it is on, everyone will be living in soft despotism, where everyone is dependent on government to keep them happy.

“Soft despotism is kind and sympathetic, it’s not cruel or mean,” Ryan said.

He continued to characterize it as the government’s attempt to keep everyone “in a happy state of childhood,” where the government becomes the sole supplier of everyone’s happiness.

But if Ryan has his way, Republicans will regain control of the U.S. House and Senate in November, clearing the way for a policy shift.

That includes a possible repeal of the health care bill, a free market for health care and lowering the national debt.

Ryan added although things are looking grim, he believes without a doubt the country can turn the corner after this next election and predicted a new wave of change to come.

“A political realignment is on the way,” he said.