Posted on 11/10/2016 12:49:33 PM PST by SeekAndFind
As we waited for the 2016 election to finally be over, I recently went back to look at some of the things I’ve written in years past when arguments arose between the GOP establishment, the Tea Party, the Freedom Caucus, the moderates and the rest of the factions which make up the often fractured Republican coalition. I realize I’ve been accused of being too favorable to the party structure on more than one occasion. I was in no hurry to see John Boehner chased out the door and have been more than willing to give Paul Ryan some room to run. For me it’s always boiled down to setting reasonable expectations.
After the nightmarish outcome of the 2008 election cycle there was already discontent among the conservative faithful, many of whom felt that the GOP just wasn’t fighting back hard enough. My take on it then was that we’d lost not only the White House, but control of both chambers of Congress. What did we expect the Republicans to do? When shutting down the government is your only option there’s only so much progress that can be made. Taking back the House and eventually the Senate gave us considerably more leverage, but even then we couldn’t break a filibuster in the Senate and there was a Democrat in the Oval Office waiting to veto any agreed upon proposals. Options were still limited and when the Speaker and the Senate Majority leader cried poverty in terms of power, I still tended to offer a sympathetic ear, at least to a degree.
Beginning in January the excuses have run out. All three sets of keys have been placed in the hands of the Republicans. It’s true that there is still the question of the sixty vote barrier in the Senate, but as both Allahpundit and I have written already, that can be overcome through a couple of procedural maneuvers if the GOP is willing to accept the risk. Yes, there are questions remaining about the incoming occupant of the Oval Office and how truly committed he may be to the conservative reform promises he made on the campaign trail. I get it. But keep in mind that it’s the legislative branch which writes the bills. Would Trump dare to veto moves from his own party which he promised on the stump for two years? I’m cautiously optimistic that he would not.
I’m not getting my hopes up yet, though. Let’s keep our history in mind and recall what happened the last time the GOP had this much power during the early days of George W. Bush’s tenure. Granted, he only had nine months in office before everything… changed. But there were still disappointments on the domestic front. He went to work with Ted Kennedy on an education package and expanded Medicare extensively in 2003. The deficits were too large with the debt continuing to climb and you can’t blame all of that on funding the war effort. (Actually not even a significant portion of it.) Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past or have we learned something?
The real question seems to be whether a conservative agenda can be put into place, but done in such a way that it won’t result in an immediate backlash to a degree which brings a Democratic wave in response in two or four years.
Conservatives have a harder product to sell than Democrats. Reducing spending generally entails at least some reductions in services and the tightening of belts. People don’t tend to like that, no matter how important it is to the long term health of the nation. Trickle down economics is pretty much an obscene phrase in the minds of many, so just tax cuts and nothing but tax cuts isn’t going to work. These ideas have to be articulated properly and put into motion in a way which produces tangible results people can appreciate. It’s a difficult tightrope to walk. The question is, are Republican leaders up to that task? We’ve been fighting from the cheap seats for so long, do we even remember how to manage the action when we’re back in the director’s chair?
Communicate with your representatives and make it clear what’s expected from Trump from the moment he’s sworn in. There’s a tremendous opportunity awaiting us next year, but there’s also a chasm below our feet which the GOP could easily plunge into if we bungle the hand off.
Repeal 0bamacare and march with the gavel to the Capitol
Repeal 0bama’s executive orders
Fire political appointees everywhere
Reduce corporate tax to 15%
Investigate corruption of Clinton via independent counsel
Don’t worry, this time Trump is in charge of these pansies.
“WE’VE” given you everything.
Nice. Hot Air goofed on Trump every chance they got.
I never go there anymore.
Uh, HotAir was about as helpful to the Trump Tsunami as a fatal case of jock itch. So you pussies at that GOPe site can take your effin advice and shove it in a dark crevice.
The GOPe excuse now will be that yes they control all three branches of Government but they don’t have 60 Senators and can’t get anything done !! They will let the Demorats control the agenda. Pansy a$$ McConnell will never pull the nuclear option like Dingy Harry.
There will be many changes. One I’d like is for Trump to ban rap music so we can go back to Doo Wop and Bebop.
Repeal NFA and 922(o).
...would like to see the Trump Administration tie their decisions back smaller, Constitutionally restricted gov’t whenever possible.
Always reference the Constitution!!!
Reduce corporate tax to 15% and repeal Dodd/Frank and you will see the economy grow rapidly.
I really am sick of this meme. The Republicans have, in theory, been given everything. But the reality is that as long as the dems can filibuster in the Senate the Republicans have nothing unless they are willing to TAKE it. Nobody here should expect anything but MAXIMUM obstruction from the democrats, especially with a compliant MSM running cover for them.
What is different is that unlike when Mr. “Appear Presidential” George W. Bush was in office (advised by Karl the Eunuch Rove), Mr. Trump will openly and loudly call the democrats out on their obstruction.
First battle that we freepers need to start fighting NOW (calls to our Senators asap) pertains to judicial nominees. Harry Reid used the nuclear option to help Obama pack the courts. Little surrender monkey John McCain will immediately want to restore the filibuster in “the interests of preserving the traditions of the Senate.” Never mind that it will result in Trump never being able to fill an appellate court vacancy. Oh no, Stockholm syndrome Jonny McCain doesn’t care, he just wants the be loved by the enemy.
We must, at the very least, not restore the filibuster until we have filled an equal number of judicial vacancies as were filled by Reid when he had the nuclear option.
How is Trump going to pass a constitutional amendment for congressional term limits?. Is this just wishful thinking or can it actually be done?.
I really am sick of this meme. The Republicans have, in theory, been given everything. But the reality is that as long as the dems can filibuster in the Senate the Republicans have nothing unless they are willing to TAKE it. Nobody here should expect anything but MAXIMUM obstruction from the democrats, especially with a compliant MSM running cover for them.
What is different is that unlike when Mr. “Appear Presidential” George W. Bush was in office (advised by Karl the Eunuch Rove), Mr. Trump will openly and loudly call the democrats out on their obstruction.
First battle that we freepers need to start fighting NOW (calls to our Senators asap) pertains to judicial nominees. Harry Reid used the nuclear option to help Obama pack the courts. Little surrender monkey John McCain will immediately want to restore the filibuster in “the interests of preserving the traditions of the Senate.” Never mind that it will result in Trump never being able to fill an appellate court vacancy. Oh no, Stockholm syndrome Jonny McCain doesn’t care, he just wants the be loved by the enemy.
We must, at the very least, not restore the filibuster until we have filled an equal number of judicial vacancies as were filled by Reid when he had the nuclear option.
Indeed. This is not the Bush's GOP. There is a new captain of the ship.
With the tax cuts, regulatory reform and pursuing energy like a fat kid on a cupcake the economy will be humming along at a good clip, jobs a plenty, people back to work and a morning in America. When the morons see Trump is not Adolph Hitler and Right wing Death squads are not out shooting Mexicans,Blacks and Gays it will be the YEAR 1984(Not the book) all over again. Trump could be in the high 60s as far as approval.
Trump won this by being himself. He is not about to change for anybody in the RNC.
You forgot:
Repeal the Senate filibuster rule (per Dingy Harry), and then get on with business.
Don’t worry, this time Trump is in charge of these pansies.
************
The downside of being president is having to deal with all those weasels and jackals in government who couldn’t make it in the business world. So they become bureaucrats and elected officials. These people are backstabbers who have no ethics whatsoever. Trust me, DC really is a swamp full of loathsome creatures. Trump probably doesn’t yet realize how bad it truly is.
We need permanent Constitutional tax/fee/fine/government revenue caps.
We also need a Constitutional amendment to restrain the judiciary.
We probably need to trade a broad immigration amnesty effective upon full ratification of those amendments.
The PPACA needs to be replaced by the current major Republican health insurance proposal.
Trump needs to find a good replacement for Justice Scalia, who was a top-notch judge.
Jazz Shaw is concern trolling. What a joke. I never go to Hot Air anymore. Ed Morrissey ruined it.
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