What should we expect for the next four years, now that Donald Trump has been elected President?
Violent protests in the streets and relentless obstruction in Congress (perhaps by some Republicans as well as Democrats) are the likely answers.
Nationwide protests against Trump have too often turned violent. High school students protesting in the Maryland suburbs of Washington beat a pro-Trump student so badly that he was taken to the hospital. A suspected Trump voter in Chicago was beaten and his car stolen. In Portland the demonstrators used baseball bats to destroy electrical boxes, smash windows, and damage cars and other property. Oakland protestors set fires in the street (including the burning of one police car) and broke the windows at City Hall. One police officer was reported injured. Two more police were injured in Indianapolis after being attacked by protestors following chants of “kill the police.” American flags have been burned at some demonstrations.
Some protestors have acknowledged that their purpose is to prevent Trump from being sworn in as president, with massive demonstrations expected on Inauguration Day. One protestor in Philadelphia predicted that the protests would continue, saying that “this is just a taste of things to come.” We should take him at his word.
How ironic that for months the news media couldn’t stop talking about how Trump supporters were likely to break into violence at any moment. Actual violence by leftist demonstrators was already taking place, but was played down.
Now there can be no doubt who it is that cannot accept defeat, and will even resort to violence in the hope of overturning the election.
But opposition will not be found only in the streets. It will also be in the halls of Congress.
Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), the highest ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has already made clear that she will lead her party in opposing any Supreme Court nominee that is not certifiably liberal. She warned that the only acceptable nominee will be one that protects what she described as “the tremendous successes achieved over the past eight years.” There can be no doubt that all of the potential nominees revealed by Trump during the campaign will fall short of her standards, and Senate Democrats have the votes needed to maintain a filibuster.
The top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, Maxine Waters (D-CA), has been highly critical of Trump’s promises to revoke job-killing Federal regulations. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), no doubt with her eyes on a presidential run in 2020, is also promising a fight over any attempt to overturn Obama’s regulations. Both Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) have been described by Peter Schroeder of The Hill as “preparing for war” against Trump.
Democrats have even challenged Trump’s right to select his own advisors, with House Democrats almost unanimously signing a letter demanding that he reverse his decision to bring Stephen Bannon into the White House.
Democrats are not the only ones threatening trouble, especially for any attempts to end Washington’s business-as-usual practices. Many Republicans are eager to restore spending earmarks to corrupt the budget process, and term limits for Congress is getting a chilly reception despite strong support from the President-elect.
The election may be over, but the battle to make America great again is just beginning. It will require the support of all patriotic Americans to make Congress fall into line. Only constant pressure from the grass roots can overcome the power of the Washington establishment.
