It’s time for Republicans in Congress to begin carrying out the mandate given them by the voters in 2016. That means helping to enact the Trump agenda, rather than delaying and killing it.
President Trump has been doing his part. Using his “pen and phone”, he has rolled back much of the regulatory burden that Obama had thrown on the economy. His executive order to protect us from terrorists is finally going into effect. He has placed on the Supreme Court a new justice, Neil Gorsuch, who appears to be a worthy replacement for the late Antonin Scalia. His scolding has prodded other members of NATO to pledge that they will increase their financial commitment. The members of our armed forces now know that they are appreciated and their advice respected.
But where is Congress? When will they get into the game?
ObamaCare is at the top of their list right now and it highlights the problem. Ever since 2010 Republicans have promised that their goal was to repeal ObamaCare. The voters believed them and now have given them that chance. However, “moderate” Republican senators are blocking the way, hoping to keep ObamaCare in place or at least to preserve most of its features. Concessions made to these “moderates” have caused the bill to lose support among conservatives who take seriously the pledge to repeal ObamaCare. We saw this same contest play out in the House, where the bill in its “moderate” form could not pass but won a majority once the leadership accepted conservative amendments.
Republicans senators need to hear a clear message. Pass a bill that keeps your promises – one that removes ObamaCare from the statute books. Voters must especially put pressure on Senators who oppose the bill on the grounds that it already repeals too much of ObamaCare, and who prefer to leave most of ObamaCare untouched. As of today, those senators are Susan Collins (ME), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Dean Heller (NV), Jerry Moran (KS), and Rob Portman (OH). They can be reached by calling the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Next up should be tax reform. Americans want taxes that are simpler, lower, and fairer than today’s tax code. That means taking on the Washington Establishment, especially the lobbyists who earn huge salaries by winning and protecting special favors in the tax code. Congress must pass a tax reform bill that brings benefits to the average voter and pumps new life into the sluggish economy inherited from Obama.
Congress must also provide funding for the border wall. President Trump, through the Department of Homeland Security, has already done what he can to get the ball rolling. DHS is about to begin building different types of walls on short segments of the border to see which best serves the purpose of protecting us from swarms of illegal aliens. However, the work cannot proceed in earnest until Congress appropriates the money.
Trump must also depend on Congress when it comes to deporting illegal aliens. Current funding allows only about 400,000 deportations each year. This number must be increased. A very high priority must be to increase the number of judges hearing deportation cases so that the backlog can be erased. Congress must also impose sanctions on sanctuary cities, forcing them to either cooperate with Federal deportation efforts or lose Federal funds.
Term limits for Congress are another item on the Trump agenda that have been ignored by the Congressional leaders. Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Ron DeSantis have introduced constitutional amendments to implement the President’s goal. These amendments should be moved through committee and brought to the floor for a vote. If they lack the two-thirds necessary for passage, let the American people see who is responsible for defeating them.
Finally, the Senate must allow President Trump to take control of the Federal bureaucracy by speeding up approval of his nominees. The delays which Senate Democrats have been permitted to impose cannot be allowed to continue. According to The Washington Post, for “the previous four administrations, the median wait time between official nomination [of cabinet members] and full Senate vote (or presidential withdrawal) was just one day. Trump’s median was 25 days.” Similar delays are now keeping other nominees from stepping into their new jobs. Instead, Obama holdovers or career bureaucrats are filling those positions.
President Trump cannot do the job alone. He must have Congress acting as a full partner. If Congress refuses to help, much of the Obama legacy will remain in place. That is not what Americans voted for in 2016.
Make sure that your Representative and Senators know that you want them to get busy helping President Trump – immediately.
Congressional Republicans Must Give Full Support to Trump Agenda
June 29, 2017FedUp PAC Staff