I agree, of course. From Trump on down.
But I would add that, specifically, the opportunity our pathetic party is pissing away is not simply a chance to down size. It is the once in a national lifetime to de-centralize.
We don't just control the central government. We essentially control all the branches and... more importantly... the LEVELS of government right now. Most of the guv's, most of the state houses, the people's House, the Senate, the White House, soon the SC...
The most effective way to address the swamp and deep state threats is to de-fang them - devolve power back to the states (and lower) where it belongs Constitutionally. Corruption thrives on centralization and centralization grows via corruption.
Unfortunately, while we finally have a president will balls, he is nowhere near a Freedom or Constitution guy. He is a populist/nationalist who is great on some issues but absolutely a failure on others.
Generally Trump is great on things external and international: borders, trade, America first, etc. Which are appropriate for the executive branch.
But terrible on things internal: health care, fed entitlements, the 2A, etc. These naturally are things more oriented to the legislative branch. But it would be extremely helpful if Trump would at least be on the right side of these issues instead of encouraging the wrong things all the time.
For God's sake, the man can scare Kim into potentially de-nuking. Why the hell doesn't he scare Paul Ryan and the boys into de-centralizing?
Because, great as he is on certain things, Trump is not on our side on this most important front of the war against the deep state. I certainly don't believe Trump actually wants this myself, but... the swamp will benefit in the long run if the end result of Trump's reign is that America is great again in an international power sense while Americans are weaker in a Freedom sense.
I wish Trump's real goal and motto was "Make Americans Free Again!"
And, yes, I voted for Trump. But this site is called the Free Republic. NOT the Great Nation State!
Because the US can bomb/drop Rods from God on Nork. In dealing with US governance, Trump has to follow the laws, the rules, etcetc. He can't threaten with violence, use bribery, blackmail or otherwise use Dem tactics, or impeachment is inevitable.
Plus all this talk about how Republicans control the gov - don't make me laugh. How much of federal government is controlled by - run by - civil service hires whom Trump CANNOT FIRE??? The Dems still have power - the RINOS are still eunuchs with no principles - the traitors like McInsane are still evil. There are SOME good Rs but not enough to make a clean sweep of the swamp.
That is why arrests AND convictions must happen, or the republic is toast.
Agree.