Hope Springs Eternal

By Henri Loridans
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hope springs

 

Donald Trump is a true believer that all is fair in love and war, and that political campaigning is war. In his first venture into politics he defeated the cream of the crop of Republican stalwarts. His antics, statements and promises amazed not only Americans, but the entire world. His battles continued into the General Election where his bizarre behavior caused the odds makers to predict victory for his opponent, a lady with sterling credentials. In each and every occasion he ended the victor.

All during his campaigning he vowed to overturn every bit of legislation that Democrats hold sacred. He promised to revoke every single Presidential decree that President Obama had issued. Regulations governing industry and mining would be terminated. International treaties would be renegotiated or terminated. He repeatedly stated that Hillary is a crook and Obama has been the worst president in history.

We will see if, in his first two years as President, he follows up on all his campaign promises and is successful in lowering taxes on the super rich, cancelling regulations that safeguard the environment, and persecutes those who opposed his election.  We will know if religious institutions can contribute funds to politicians without paying taxes on the money they receive, or on the property they own. Will the working man be secure in his job with a fair wage? Will our President be considered a wildman on both the domestic and international scene? Will International Relations be in shambles?

In the words of Alexander Pope, HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL IN THE HUMAN BREAST. If in two years we are not better off than we are now, and the future shows no real promise, the Democrats will have a shot at majorities in the House and the Senate.

Mitch McConnell established a precedent of refusing to bring to a vote on a nominee to the Supreme Court. Relying on Article XXII of the Senate Rules, the Democrats can follow suit. Rule XXII provides that a filibuster can only be stopped by a two third’s vote of all 100 senators that means that 60 senators must vote to end debate. This is called Cloture. This means that a confirmation of a Justice Scalia-lookalike could be blocked. A filibuster could also block a Senate vote on odious bills without a 60 member vote on cloture.

As of this writing, we have learned from the Donald that Hillary is now a strong and brilliant woman. We also now know that Obama is so wise that Trump will frequently be consulting with him. Obama Care will not be obliterated, it will only be amended. The ¨Wall¨ may include stretches of a fence. Who knows, if these shifts from lunacy to rationality will continue. After all, Trump owes little to Wall Street or to the Republican hierarchy, and he once was a Democrat himself. If at the end of his first two years unemployment is down, wages are higher, women are closer to equal pay, and the world is more peaceful, we must give the Devil his due. We must remind ourselves that the Democratic Party is not an end in itself. The ends are the goals sought by the Party and if some of these ends can be reached by supporting a Republican President, so be it, and we should give credit where credit is due.

Trump is erratic; he was unbelievably uncouth and violated standard rules of decency and still won, against all odds the nomination and presidency of the United States of America. If this conduct continues into the White House, history will not be kind to him. But consider this, Donald Trump’s ego has an insatiable appetite, and he will not want to be in the sub-basement of the Pantheon of Presidents.

 

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