So a congratulations to those who supported Donald Trump for president, as well as an undivided Congress. The Republicans finally have a chance to govern as they see fit, and I'm anxious to see what they come up with.
Of course, this means that after January 20, everything that happens to this country, good or bad, they will own 100%. Let's hope that they remember that a large part of the country did NOT vote for them, but they are still responsible to govern for each and every constituency in the country, every minority, every religion, every region.
Here's a short list of some of what I believe President-elect Donald Trump promised. I fully expect him to accomplish these promises.
* Force American companies to repatriate their offshore earnings
* Reduce the 'hidden unemployment' numbers
* Rebuild roads, bridges, airports, infrastructure without raising taxes.
* Across the board tax cuts without increasing the deficit.
* Deport millions of undocumented aliens in a legal, humane fashion
* Build a border security wall across our southern border and force Mexico to pay for it.
* Announce his plan for defeating ISIS, and implementing it.
* Return manufacturing jobs to the US
* Renegotiate any and all trade deals which are not advantageous to the US.
* Provide support to Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia in the development of their own nuclear weapons.
* Insure that every veteran is taken care of appropriately, and in a timely manner. This includes providing housing for homeless veterans, as well as immediate medical care.
* No longer provide 'protection' to foreign countries that do not pay us for the costs of providing protection.
* Eliminate all foreign aid to other countries.
* Repeal and replace Obamacare with a better plan. I could certainly use cheaper, better healthcare while allowing my teenage son to remain on my plan.
Now, the question is, just how much of any of his agenda will he be able to implement? I may be wrong, but my gut feeling is that by Republicans now having to actually govern instead of just obstruct, their party will continue to fracture and split. Already the Christian-right is calling for a Christian Nation, the Tea Party will have its own agenda, and the Establishment Republicans will be unable to pass anything that would benefit the country.
We already know that the wall and deportation of millions of undocumenteds is a pipe dream, unless they completely abandon the 4th Amendment. The outrage over repealing Obamacare, and the dropping of millions of citizens from healthcare coverage, especially white Trump supporters who don’t understand they are on it, will scream across the country.
The fact of the matter, if Trump and Congress cannot pass much of his agenda, his own voters will tear him apart, and there will be no where to place the blame except on themselves.
Will the next four years be unpleasant, and uncomfortable? Is it possible that the Republicans could enact a large part of this agenda? Yes, but I don’t think the odds favor it.. Could it end in a disaster? Nuclear War? Something else disastrous? Yes, given Trump’s record. But we don’t have much of a choice, and there is a light at the of the tunnel if we can just get through the next 4 years.
