Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., arrives at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Paul Ryan says Republicans need to stay united and pick their fights during President Barack Obama's second term. The party's vice presidential nominee from 2012 tells conservatives that Republicans need to reject the president's proposals in some cases and make them better in others. The Wisconsin lawmaker said in a speech Saturday to the National Review Institute in Washington that Obama will try to divide Republicans. But Ryan says GOP lawmakers "can't get rattled" and shouldn't "play the villain in his morality plays." Ryan defends his vote on the "fiscal cliff" deal. He says that if the measure hadn't passed, every single taxpayer would have paid higher taxes.