Republicans have no choice but to face their mission head on. The moment has arrived. This time it should have some significance.
They have to keep their word. Conservatives cannot afford to be complacent once election fever cools down. This time, you don't just have to believe, you have to verify. This time should be different.
No new laws are needed to deal with illegal immigration. It's already illegal.
Democrats have bombarded Trump with everything, including more than 90 indictments, censorship efforts, and unprecedented campaign spending. Still, Trump won every competitive state, gained strength in blue states, secured at least 53 seats in the Senate, and retained control of the House. Despite Mr. Trump's unpopularity with unpopular voters, the people voted for a change in policy rather than his personality. That's why these policies must change. No more excuses.
Conservatives need to develop a vision that spans many issues, but must not go beyond certain immediate goals to prevent the cycle of electoral success followed by policy failure that has plagued the party for decades. A line must be drawn.
HR is policy: The first focus of policy must be human resources. all These are opinions from close aides and top government officials. In the coming days, names of candidates will be proposed for various posts. Some are promising, others are concerning. Mr. Trump has welcomed many wealthy, nontraditional conservatives into his circle. While there is value in building coalitions, some of these individuals may not share core conservative values on important issues.
For example, many of them have socially liberal views and support expanded immigration. If President Trump decides to appoint some of these people to roles that conflict with his promises to his base, conservatives will need to speak out early and often. Some people may be better suited for other roles. For example, someone who supports U.S. involvement in Ukraine should be kept away from diplomatic posts, but could be firm on immigration.
By ensuring appointments are in line with conservative principles, Trump and his party can maintain integrity and deliver on his campaign promises.
President Trump should also immediately announce his intention to demand the resignation of all career officials. on the first day. He has the most political capital at the start of his term and will need to act quickly to remove anyone who might interfere with his policies. Delays will only make the job more difficult in the future.
No lame duck session: Historically, Republicans have weakened their post-election momentum with unproductive lame-duck sessions in December. President Trump should urge Congress to pass a clean continuing budget resolution through the spring that would allow him to immediately cut spending and defund bad programs without waiting until next fiscal year. No other reform legislation should be considered during this period.
Cancel and seize unused funds. Republicans are currently driving inflation, and the only way to change that trajectory is to cut spending. The simplest solution is to target the hundreds of billions in unspent funds from the Infrastructure Inflation Control Act. President Trump can seize this money without Congressional approval. He must make it clear to the American people that spending cuts are important. the only way Breaking out of stagflation, starting with unused Biden-era program funds.
Repeal the Green New Deal: As Republican lobbyists prepare to repeat the betrayal seen during the repeal of Obamacare and push to maintain subsidies for inefficient energy programs, President Trump announced the Green New Deal and related legislation in the spring budget reconciliation bill. must commit to complete abolition. He must use all of his political capital, influence and bullish pulpit to rally Republicans around the most aggressive budget reform proposal. It's a once-a-year opportunity to avoid the filibuster.
Take advantage of must-pass legislation: Because President Trump likely lacks the votes to pass sweeping reforms in a single bill, he is using his vetoes on “must-pass” bills, such as budget bills and program reauthorization bills, as leverage for reform. Must be utilized. The Farm Bill, welfare reauthorization, agency (including the FBI) reauthorization, and defense reauthorization bills should not pass through a Republican-controlled chamber without significant reforms. To the extent possible, welfare, agriculture, and education programs should be devolved to the states, even if done in a budget-neutral manner.
Reinventing healthcare (the right way this time): Many of the reforms advocated by RFK Jr.'s “Make America Healthy Again” movement can be achieved through executive action. President Trump could direct Health and Human Services agencies to pivot from mass vaccination programs, release accurate data on foods, vaccines, and toxins, and work on regulatory enforcement within those agencies. . But to truly address budget and chronic disease issues, we need to overhaul our healthcare payment models.
A realistic goal would be to use all of the exemptions under Obamacare to allow states to offer insurance plans independent of the costly regulatory structure that drives up devastating premiums. This would give individuals access to direct primary care with emergency coverage, encourage parallel health care systems rooted in independent-minded physicians, and drive up costs and make the population worse off than in other developed countries. This will eliminate expensive middlemen.
On a related note, wouldn't Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo make a good Secretary of Health?
Fulfill immigration obligations. Opinion polls consistently show that the public is dissatisfied with the influx of illegal immigrants. Trump became the first Republican in modern history to win over all Hispanic male voters. The good news is that no new laws are needed to deal with illegal immigration. it's already illegal. President Trump can immediately cut off incentives for illegal immigration by using his authority under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to suspend immigration in the national interest. He should also give states the power to enforce immigration laws.
When it comes to legal immigration, the last thing we want is an increase. The problem is that some billionaires close to President Trump are advocating for an increase in legal immigration, but conservatives must advocate for a moratorium. The United States cannot continue to flood the labor market with foreign workers in all industries. After Biden's invasion of 10 million people, this country needs a cooling off period. Some adjustments may require legislation, but President Trump should avoid forcing any adjustments. increase Legal immigration as a trade-off for border security. He already has the necessary authority to force these changes.
Call for improved leadership in the Senate: Sen. John Thune (D) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) do not align with our values, mindset, and strategic vision for leading the Senate. Trump should push for a break with the past, lest the majority leader become just a younger version of Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
We need to hold fast to these basic expectations to avoid repeating the cycle of failure. But our goals and strategies must also be realistic. Even with significant political capital, the Republican Party will remain divided, and our ability to enact the changes we desire will often be limited by small majorities. In a divided country, Republicans often bow to special interests and cower out of fear of losing power.
This is why even when formulating federal policy, we must maximize our efforts in red states, where Democrats have little chance of taking control. Much of the federal government's agenda will need to focus on empowering states with more flexibility, as many reforms will need to occur at the state level.
God doesn't give us opportunities like this often, so we can't afford to waste them. This time should be different.
