The Election Results Are In … Now Govern

August recess or not, it’s time for the Republican majority in Washington to enact a real agenda.

Robin Smith · Aug. 28, 2017

Remember the head explosions of the media, Hillary Clinton and even Republican gasps of indignation when Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, honestly answered in an October 2016 debate that he could not commit to accept the election outcome unconditionally? Hillary screeched how “horrifying” it was for him to denigrate “democracy” in America. Yet Trump’s answer was based on reports of irregularities in polling places, which even included illegal immigrants casting votes.

The grasp of reality of the election results still seems elusive to the Left. Even for many within the GOP, whose objective is seemingly re-election rather than principled policy rooted in conservative governance, it’s abundantly clear that ignoring American voters is their plan.

While Hillary resurfaces, again, with a new book, “What Happened,” the tome itself as well as her promotions point to an embittered blame-shifter whose coronation was ground to a halt by a political novice promising to drain the swamp of Washington and eliminate the status quo. White House Special Advisor Kellyanne Conway referenced in several news interviews last week her knowledge that Democrats “just want Hillary to disappear [and] go away.” In June, The Hill published a piece with the open statement, “Democrats say they’d like Hillary Clinton to take a cue from former President Obama and step out of the spotlight.”

Meanwhile, Democrats, operating in the minority in the House and Senate, maneuver to muck up any legislative progress. But the facts are pretty simple: If the GOP members of Congress would stick together, the role of Democrats would be almost negligible.

Oh, but don’t be shocked that Republicans are snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by embarrassingly flailing in disunity and dysfunction.

The refrain coming from Republican voters is loud, unanimous and growing in frustration that for seven years, day after day, fundraising emails, letters, campaign mail for candidates, social media posts, everything declared that once the GOP had the majority and the White House, ObamaCare would be repealed and replaced with a solution that took government’s federal grip off the doctor-patient relationship, returned choice and control to patients and addressed the soaring costs of health services.

We all know what actually happened. The House strained to pass a bill despite having 240 Republican members to 194 Democrats. Then the Senate, using the reconciliation budget rules to leverage a simple majority, failed by one vote, despite having 52 Republicans, with the 53rd being Vice President Mike Pence.

Not only did seven years pass with member after member voicing their pledges in campaign material to repeal ObamaCare, but America watched as a GOP House and Senate did nothing, zippo, to stop Barack Obama’s open border policies. Now, after the unquestionable support of the American public for a physical wall to be built in certain areas along our southern border, the GOP congressional leadership is withholding support by excluding it from the continuing resolution needed to raise the federal debt ceiling.

Then we see that tax reform was deemed a “priority” by the Republicans who, like House Speaker Paul Ryan, viewed this as a lynchpin to the success of an economic turn-around to not just halt the excessive taxation but to stimulate growth, encourage hiring and improve wages. Yet nothing’s been done on that front either.

But let’s quickly look back at a January 11, 2017 article from The Hill, “What Congress Could Do in Trump’s first 100 days.” Please notice, appropriately, Congress is connoted as the body with the jurisdiction to formulate legislation. Congress was indeed touting its planned agenda and accomplishments to mirror that of the Trump agenda, even within the first 100 days of the new Republican administration.

In the piece prospecting the new agenda, Cristina Marcos catalogues first ObamaCare, then tax reform, followed by infrastructure spending, reversing Obama-era regulations and, finally, immigration, which included the construction of a border wall.

The first sentences of the analysis read, “Congress is readying for a full-on sprint once President-elect Donald Trump takes office next week. Republicans are hoping to capitalize on Trump’s momentum during his first 100 days to enact a host of legislation. Repealing ObamaCare is first on the docket, while funding an expansion of the ‘big, beautiful wall’ along the Mexican border famously promised by Trump could be the critical period’s grand finale.”

Donald Trump’s agenda has not changed. The invertebrate members of the House and Senate who have developed collective amnesia to go with their inability to stand erect are clear obstacles. As long as they were only reading talking points and casting votes on bills that would never be signed into law, many Republicans were on board.

Well, the election results are in. America spoke loudly and expects a certain set of policies implemented. No, America didn’t vote for Donald Trump hoping he’d change his demeanor and become like the more polished and refined Beltway Elite of the swamp. Americans want promises kept and a Republican House, Senate and White House to govern using conservative, principled policies.

This article is republished with permission from our friends at The Patriot Post.