Playing Hardball
Years ago, Thomas Friedman over at The New York Times fantasized about President Obama having Xi-like powers, even if for only one day. How many laws could he push through, how much of his policy could he enact if only he could simply ride over the Congress, courts, and public opinion and do pretty much whatever he wanted? People pointed out that Democrats often showed a dictatorial tendency and that democratic systems are intentionally plodding. By having multiple branches of coequal government, things would be slow but right in the United States.
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But what happens when nothing works in Washington? As I write, the U.S. may be exiting the 40th day of a government shutdown. There are people who are not receiving their salaries for doing honest work. There are people who are not receiving legitimate payments and/or services because the relevant offices or programs have been kaput for longer than ever before. President Trump has a strong mandate from We the People, but thin majorities in both houses make the passage of almost any legislation all but impossible. The president has asked for the end of the filibuster. People have noted that when, and if, the Democrats take over the Senate, that will be a huge gift to them. They should instead note that the Democrats will do away with it anyway, and the only Republican regret will be that they did not do it sooner. President Trump wants to enshrine in law his executive orders that include, on the elections side:
The president has also mentioned other important legislative goals, like no guys in women’s sports and an end to cashless bail. While these are all important goals supported by a majority of Americans, let’s focus on the electoral issues. We were told and berated that voting machines never lie. Those who claimed otherwise were sued and silenced. Yet, Tulsi Gabbard has brought the receipts that such devices, like all electronic devices, are subject to hacking and misuse. Even in last week’s election, a person said that a voting machine showed only one candidate to choose; the Republican’s name was nowhere to be seen. There have been claims that in the 2020 election, numerous votes were either deleted or changed from Trump to Biden. Joe Biden getting more than 10 million more votes than Barack Obama still screams out for explanation, five years after the event.
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In-person voting by American citizens with a valid ID seems like a real no-brainer. Here in Israel, that’s exactly the way elections are run. Only people out of the country for the business of the state can vote beyond the country’s borders. Soldiers on duty can vote where they are. The rest have to go to a polling station with a valid picture ID, which is held while you vote. If someone thinks that this is New York or California, where you just show up and say your name, then he is sorely mistaken. The Democrats pretend that the problem with voter ID is that not all people know how to get to a DMV and get a driver’s license or state ID. The reality is that the Democrats want to keep the option of cheating open. Even today, nobody seems to know how an extra 500,000 ballots were cast in New Jersey last week as compared to 2020. The voter rolls did not change significantly. Like all election fraud issues, it will be conveniently swept under the rug and eventually forgotten. The mail-in ballots supposedly spurred by COVID were an invitation for pure election theft. Can someone explain the 2020 Wisconsin email about delivering exactly the number of ballots needed at 3 a.m. after the election?
The above tells the difference between Democrats and Republicans. Republicans run to govern, while Democrats run to wield power. They don’t care about the small print or little details. They used the auto-pen under Biden to do whatever they wanted. Nancy Pelosi threw Republicans off the J6 committee, something that was unheard of. They forgave student loans after the Supreme Court told them it was illegal to do so. They said with a straight face that the border was closed as drone footage showed thousands crossing into the U.S. The Democrats live for power and control. If it means slamming some rules or people into the boards, then so be it. The Republicans, especially the “that’s not who we are” branch, are always into procedures, even as the ship of state is sinking. Donald Trump wants to pass the program that got him elected, and he wants Senate Republicans to open the gates so that he can do it. I don’t think that they have the political kishkes (internal fortitude) to do it. There are several half-hearted members of the Republican caucus, and the biggest fear for a Republican lawmaker is actually doing something. They are always introducing laws, but do you ever hear about those laws passing? Getting rid of the filibuster might make America a better place. Don’t expect the Republicans to do the right thing, as they are not used to doing so.
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There was a very famous and popular rabbi in Jerusalem during the time of the British Mandate. He was well-known for visiting Jewish prisoners that the Brits held. He was a very sensitive and caring person who often met with couples at 4 in the morning so that others would not know that they were having problems at home. He was beloved and learned. There is actually a book in English about him. Recently, I learned that behind where he lectured, he had a “slick,” a space where the early paramilitary groups would hide their weapons from the British. Apparently, the authorities never thought to check around the rabbi for the presence of weapons, so the hiding place was perfect. The rabbi acted out of character because the times demanded it. The fate of the Jewish people in Europe and in the Holy Land was in the balance. So while he might wish to spend his days in prayer and learning, he concluded that he, too, could contribute to the safety and future of the Jewish people in the land of Israel.
There comes a time when a person might have to act out of character because the times demand it. One might argue that getting rid of the filibuster is a step toward autocracy, as it will be pure majority rule, good or bad. But if one looks at the laws that President Trump wants codified before the 2026 elections, he is working to save America from the return of election fraud in the form of no ID, hackable voting machines, and untraceable mail-in ballots. I remember one journalist in Las Vegas saying that he signed nine mail-in ballots for himself and his friends in 2020. All but one were accepted because in Clark County, there was little effort to corroborate signatures on ballots. President Trump is trying to fast-track safeguards to fair and honest elections. Most Republican senators are too distracted by fund-raising or keeping some distance from Donald Trump to care about what’s at stake.
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When the Republic is on the line, don’t underestimate the ability of the Republican Party to blow it. The Democrats ran a decrepit, old candidate, because it allowed them to advance their radical agenda (10 million illegals in four years!) under the veneer of an old codger. The Republicans had better learn to play to win. The alternative is to watch the Democrats take apart the country when they regain power.
Editor’s Note: After more than 40 days of screwing Americans, a few Dems have finally caved. The Schumer Shutdown was never about principle—just inflicting pain for political points.
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