Elated congressional Republicans pledged swift action Wednesday on President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda as they heralded an extraordinary new era of unified GOP control in Washington.
“He just earned a mandate,” House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin declared of Trump. “We are going to hit the ground running.”
Said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky: “We would like to see the country go in a different direction and intend to work with him to change the course for America.”
Republicans saw their majorities in the House and Senate reduced, but not by much, as Democrats’ hopes of retaking Senate control vanished. And though Ryan and McConnell both had well-publicized reservations about Trump, both were quick to declare that the newly elected president deserved the credit.
“Donald Trump pulled off an amazing political feat. He deserves tremendous credit for that,” said Ryan, who initially refused to endorse Trump and only last month declared he’d no longer defend him. “It helped us keep our majorities, but it also showed the country that people don’t like the direction we were going.”
First up would be repealing President Barack Obama’s health care law, something Republicans have already shown they can get through Congress with just a narrow Senate majority. What they haven’t done is unite around a plan for ensuring that the 20 million who achieved health care coverage under the landmark law don’t lose it.
Republicans also celebrated the opportunity to fill the existing Supreme Court vacancy, and potentially more to come, with “constitutional conservatives.” McConnell was being widely praised for his strategy, once seen as risky, of refusing to act on Obama’s nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last February.
And Republicans pledged to try to unwind any number of executive moves by Obama, including tougher clean air rules on power plants, looser restrictions on travel to Cuba, and tougher rules on sleep for long-haul truckers, among others — “Every single one that’s sucking the very life out of our economy,” GOP Sen. David Perdue of Georgia said in an interview.
That threatened to wipe away key areas of progress highlighted by Democrats under the Obama administration.
Some of Trump’s goals could be harder to achieve. A wall on the southern border is estimated to cost $10 billion to $20 billion, money that Congress may be unlikely to provide given that cooperation from Democrats would be necessary.
Indeed the Senate Democratic minority stood as the only legislative barrier to Trump’s goals, since 60 votes are required for most consequential moves in the Senate.
Republicans were poised to end up with 52 Senate seats after Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., conceded to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan in their close race. That assumes the GOP wins a December runoff in Louisiana, as expected. Democrats managed to pick up only one other GOP-held Senate seat, in Illinois, a devastating outcome for a party that went into Election Day with high hopes of holding the White House and winning back Senate control.
In the House, Republicans were on track to lose a maximum of nine seats, an unexpectedly modest reduction to a wide GOP majority that now stands at 247-188, including three vacant seats.
“We kicked their tails last night,” said GOP Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon, head of the Republicans’ House campaign committee.
Trump’s extraordinary win appeared to be going far to heal divisions within the GOP, as even Republicans who’d long harbored doubts about him offered warm pledges of support.
Here and there, notes of caution were sounded, as a few Republicans made clear that Congress would be asserting its constitutional prerogatives as a check and balance on the executive, following what Republicans viewed as overly expansive use of executive power by Obama.
“It’s just our constitutional duty to keep the executive branch in check,” GOP Rep. Todd Young, the newly elected Republican senator in Indiana, told reporters in Indianapolis.
Yet McConnell appeared to invite executive action by Trump, suggesting he should be exploring what kinds of “unilateral action” he could take — to undo unilateral actions by Obama.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Ryan needs to go ASAP!!!!!! The only thing I ever agreed with Obama on was opening up Cuba for travel. I don’t give a damn who agrees or not. I can get on a plane and go anywhere else in the world but not Cuba why not? We are only punishing the Cuban people for the mistakes of our politician’s of our past. Everybody rails on Castro for not getting along with us, didn’t our politicians try to assassinate him like 8 different times because he wouldn’t be their lap dog. Open up Cuba and knock off the crap the Cuban people like the U.S. How about we try to be their friends instead of their enemy.
Ryan and McConnell are quick to jump on the Trump gravy train….They both abandoned him, as well as the Republican party, as a whole. They gave into Obamas wishes as the majority party in Congress, Actions speak louder than words…As for me , I want to see some action in Congress to support a President they did all they could to keep from being elected..
don’t worry Trump already said that Ryan would not be the Speaker of the house but haven’t seen anything about who he is to pick I say Trey Gowdy for he has already picked the DOJ since he was in Criminal Justic he would be so good at that
Seems to me — Congress and the Senate should have their own agenda not wait for Trump. He is going to be very busy getting all the Obama “sleepers” out of the Executive Branch, and vetting Supreme Court Candidates.
And this is coming from the two high up pricks that were totally unwilling to support Trump. They had better get on board, or they won’t be there next election cycle….the people have spoken and I think that most of America has heard them….except the Nazi Clinton news medias who are still crying in their beer.
Border Bazaar wall idea:
This is merely a suggestion to which I would welcome input from others on a way to fund and develop President-elect Trump’s idea of building a wall and having Mexico help pay for it.
If China can market their centuries-old Great Wall as a tourist attraction, which was truly a remarkable feat of construction for its time, even if it did not really do much to protect against invaders, then why not create and develop a vision for the future, for the ages, for long after Trump has served as President? Looking forward, it would become an American asset and tourist attraction as well.
It would be the promotion of a modern barrier that would pay for itself in terms of business profits that could be taxed, while initially or permanently giving tax breaks to businesses and industries that moved there?
The goal would be to erect a double wall, with a one-quarter to one-half mile between the two walls, open to industries in some areas, and businesses in other areas, along the southern border of the USA, to establish a virtual international Border Bazaar and Industrial Complex continuous across California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, to the Gulf of Mexico.
Within that double wide walled area the U.S. Border Patrol could also occupy and station its southern headquarters.
We would encourage Industries that could dig to depths of 30 to 40 ft, or more to implement their below-ground physical infrastructures, helping to erect a preventive barrier to the unwanted tunneling that presently serves to deliver illegal drugs, and pathways for illegal immigrant smuggling into the USA.
A subway system could be built to facilitate travel along the border route. This would also act as a deterrent to illegal tunneling activities.
In time, the system could become a model for border bazaars world-wide, in other countries, to serve as both barriers and international trade development complexes that would build both greater economies and perhaps ease the tensions among countries which presently do not get along with each other in a friendly way.
This is my vision. It could become an American vision, with further discussion and the welcoming of additional commentary on how such a vision could be brought to a reality.
I think Donald Trump would welcome such an idea, with his desire to stamp his name on business ventures he undertakes, and could leave a lasting legacy to the greatness he wants to bring back to America.
Growth, in new technologies, in emerging business ideas, and in international marketing, are keys to returning manufacturing and jobs to this country. Such a use of the border of this country could go a very long way toward increasing both USA and international gross national production and give a new purpose for borders, instead of being merely imaginary lines on a map.
A few extra details to the above suggestion:
Gates to entry and exit such a double-walled area would be manned as present gates are at existing border crossings.
The walls could have businesses on either side, such that no entry to the walled area would need to be undertaken by those who prefer to stay within their own country to do business and without the need to wait in pedestrian or traffic lines to re-enter their own country. This serves the two countries, so each would benefit from helping build the walls. The area between the walls would be for international trade, for businesses, for protection for the industries located in industrial areas, and for the border patrol to more easily protect.
An idea for funding the Trump wall, as an add-on to my above suggestions:
The government would need to acquire all of the property involved in the construction of the suggested two walls by use of existing eminent domain laws. One way of assisting in the necessary funding to do that would be to lease naming rights for every one-tenth of a mile along the two walls. This would include signage added to the wall, which could cover any number of creative / artistic ideas limited only by the creative capacity of each company who leased the space. Neon displays could be included, as one example, for which needed wiring would be paid for by the company itself. We see adopt-a highway signs along our interstate freeways presently, showing the actual possibility for this idea, only this would on a much larger scale, with government gaining more or less permanent income to fund maintenance and continued building of the wall, from signage and leasing of the spaces occupied within the two walls, in addition to the income taxes on profits earned by the companies.
The concept would be an always ongoing expansion and continued construction until it reached from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. Such an immense undertaking could become, in one sense, a modern wonder of the world to compare with the legendary wonders of the ancient past, and NOT constructed using slave labor, as all Wonders of the World past most probably were. It could become a permanent ongoing source of income for the government of the USA as well as for the profitable use by businesses and industries willing to become involved in it. This could also become true for the Mexican government and business entities who would be sharing in the gains from such a large-scale enterprise.
This concept is still open to more comments and suggestions concerning a double-wall idea, and how it could be established.
TY for those of you who have already left comments, and to any others who leave them in the future. From the Ms. Vickie T suggestion, posted below, I submitted this to the website, for the transition team of President Donald Trump to review. In doing so, I first edited the comments to clean up spellings, and to make it them more readable, without altering any of the well-intended meaning of those who posted them. Your ideas, comments, and suggestions will be included, as I intend to continue to do that as more comments are added, and as I or others doing the posting come up with additional ideas to aid in the embracing, in part or in modification to meet realistic goals, of this large and forward moving idea as submitted to our soon to be President and his advisory team.
I like your idea! I think you’re right on many fronts. Trump is not just a businessman in the sense of the word (which could include advertising or making things like clothing, shoes or machinery). He is definitely someone who likes to build things! So this type of border would be right up his alley. You also mentioned the financial benefit to both Mexico and the US that the border would provide, but there is another benefit as well. Many Americans dont like the idea of a real security border, because to them it only means ‘ keep people out’, but your idea gives a softer yet effective and mutually beneficial approach which I think would ultimately garner more support.
Make your suggestions to their new website greatagain.org. The site was stated as both .org and .gov of Fox News Friends this morning. I know that Mr. Trump has loads of people who make suggestions and I’m sure that citizens’ ideas/suggestions would be welcome, too.
TY for this suggestion. A note: the greatagain.org website is for sale, and not associated with the greatagain.gov website. Just wanting to correct an apparent mistake by Fox News Friends, if they listed both websites. Big Media has always had difficulty publishing any story accurately, including the results of pre-election political polls, as evidenced by the huge mistakes made by virtually all big media [internet media excepted in some instances] in thinking Donald Trump was not electable, before he triumphed over all of the elitist ignorant cock-a-doodle-doing, to that supposed ‘fact.’
This is a novel idea that may just well deserve to considered.
Now is time for the Republican majorities in Congress to do their job. That’s why we elected them. I can understand how a liberal president could veto many of their initiatives but that should not be a problem with President Trump. If the Republicans can’t get the job done over the next two years they may find that the voters have some surprises waiting for them on election day 2018.
In my estimation, Donald Trump will be the Prototype for all future American presidents to shoot for! He will far outstrip all other presidents of the past with his forward thinking. He is a totally modern upscale master builder that wants to show the world his unique Talent! The Double Wall Idea sounds like something Trump could leave as His legacy. A Trumpian building extravaganza to leave to future of generations,( sort of to point people to excellence in their own lives rather than wanting to live off of somebody elses nickel. Great Idea!!
1. Dump RINOS: Ryan, McConnell, McCain etc.
2 Hire New Blood.
3. Move Fast.
4. ID Dems blocking agenda.
5. name names.
6. CUT DC bureaucracy alone.
7.ID those holding up movement fwd.
Pursuant to Article I, Section 8, paragraph 4 of the Constitution; the first thing that Congress must do is review all of the current rules, regulations, and laws pertaining to immigration and naturalization to determine if there is any valid justification for making any modifications or changes to any of those. Their findings along with any legislation they may choose to pass in connection with immigration and naturalization should be ready for President Trump and on his desk the day after inauguration.
The first thing President Trump must do is to direct the boarder patrol and other authorities along our boarder that all current laws are to be enforced. Then he needs determine if the boarder patrol has sufficient resources for the job.
There is a rumor that there is a national park in southern Arizona that has been declared unsafe for visitors to enter because it is controlled be a Mexican drug cartel. If these rumors are true federal authorities must be sent in to clear it of these vipers and make it safe for
American citizens again. (Perhaps this rumor is not true.)
As to foreign nationals currently residing within the United States; The first thing to do would be to stop any welfare or other subsistence that they may be receiving from the federal government. Any foreign national found to be involved in a criminal activity must be turned over to immigration authorities to be repatriated to their native country of origin. Anyone attempting to prevent enforcement of the law should be charged with obstruction.
After these initial steps are taken we can better determine on how best to proceed with that wall.