When Trump was elected in 2016, I was very apprehensive as to what he would do. Politics is often the art of what realistically could be done. Politics is not for idealism. Politics is for the pragmatist, deal-makers, and negotiators.
Mitt Romney in 2012 was the model Presidential candidate Republicans, as well as Democrats, wanted. He was ideal. He was conservative and kind, — and he lost.
There are turning points in history such Barry Goldwater and the rise of the Libertarian Party. There was the David Horowitz and the Reagan Revolution. There was Newt Gingrich who returned the House into the hands of Republicans. There was Ross Perot who many blame for making Bill Clinton, President, but by today’s progressive standard, Clinton is a conservative. Each of these events are worthy of historical study.
But in 2012, most conservatives were angered with another term of President Obama. The Tea Party movement had successfully elected Senators and Congressmen but they wanted the Presidency, and all the Republican experts pushing Romney, failed them. Some may claim this was the rise of “right-wing populism” but in reality, it was the realization the world had changed and the supposed experts did not understand the change.
New strategies emerged as did new forms of activism. Matt Drudge, Andrew Breitbart and others had already paved the way. The digital economy was increaing. Knowing the history, Trump was absorbing the strategies and became President in 2016.
“Boring, Andrew! We already know this! Get on with it!”, say many reading this. So, to the point. In his second term, Trump is well aware his second term could make him a lame-duck President, particularly after the mid-term election of Congess in 2026, leaving legislation to whatever Congress wants. But Trump, in the use of tactics and strategy, has put his major enemies in a box, they simply cannot escape. Hating Trump is not a public policy statement.
The Democrat strategy is blatantly obvious: run-out the clock on legislation by slowing everything down to crawl, until Trump is out of office. And did anyone think Trump was going to let them do that? Thus enters the One Big Beautiful Bill (1BBB): put in as many conservative agenda items as possible into what would usually be called a “Christmas bill” but pass it by July 4th, the Day of Independence. It is a stroke of genius.
By now, you heard the complaints from Elon Musk, Senator Rand Paul and Congressman Tom Massie. However, the supposed negatives of the 1BBB are designed to both de-fang Democrats as well as entrap them. However, we still need such men to remind us of the perils ahead.
For example, the debt ceiling has become a political ping-pong ball whose only realistic purpose is to slow legislation down and prevent reforms. The 1BBB raises the ceiling considerably, which allows for other reforms in the bill to move forward and avoid further political chaos such as government shutdowns. There are many other features which are traps for Democrats. Yet more needs to be done on the runaway spending.
Yes, embracing hard head conservatives can be difficult. One of my favorite Nebraska conservatives is former US Senator Ben Sasse. Yes, I know! He took much issue with Trump and said stuff in the media provoking conservative anger. Yet Sasse knew his skill sets and what problems in the Federal government he was matched to solve. He switched from being on the Agricultural Committee to the Judiciary Committee and helped Trump nominate the best judges possible to the US Supreme Court. He took a lot of flak from Nebraskan for doing so. He also took a lot of flak from Trump for the criticisms Sasse made of Trump!
With the nomination of new judges supported and advocated by Sasse, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. While we can argue about the results of the change, the fact Roe v Wade was gone was monumental event in returning the matter to the states and to allow local people decide their own laws.
Brilliant analysis!