Perhaps the Founders were wiser than we are....

Yes, it's a nice idea designed to foster a sense of camaraderie and bipartisanship, but I believe it's time for the Senate's 60 vote rule to be jettisoned. Why should everything come to a grinding stop in the name of empowering the minority? The constitutional means for acquiring power is called an election, not Senate rules. I haven't taken time to look for it in the Federalist Papers, but could it be that the designers of our government understood that requiring anything more than a simple majority was a prescription for continual gridlock. Perhaps this is why they authorized the VP to vote in the event of a tie. So even though it could hinder the conservative agenda when the Republicans once again lose the majority (which is inevitable), I say, "Let the chips fall where they will." The current situation is a grotesque display of incompetence and irresponsibility on both sides. Not only that, it is an embarrassment to the good people of our nation.

Trump's first year

When Donald Trump took office, I determined that I would give him one year before I decided how I felt about him as president. To me, the way he would govern was a big unknown, since few men actually govern they way they campaign. Of course, I heard Hillary's concerns that he would be a dictator and others say that he is ego-maniacal, dimwitted, and/or mean-spirited. I never really saw Trump that way, but instead saw him more as a high-spirited, amazingly successful New York construction worker, the kind that whistles at pretty girls as they walk by. Truth be told, I voted for him because the alternative was unthinkable. I told many people I would rather roll the dice with Trump that get a sure thing with Hillary.

After a year, I have made my decision about President Donald J. Trump. Before I say what I think, however, let me first say that I consider all Tweeting and all talk of Russian collusion, obstruction, impeachment, 25th Amendment, and sexual harassment to be mere noise, like static on a radio. Static doesn't change the content of the broadcast, but it does distract from it and make it harder to hear. This is why I pay absolutely no attention to these matters. I only care about what the president actually accomplishes. As I see it, the only thing that will be able to stop Donald Trump from serving out his full term is either a heart attack or an assassin. It will not be a senatorial conviction for having committed "high crimes or misdemeanors."

So what is the actual content of the broadcast? In other words, what has he actually accomplished? A year ago I told several friends that I will be happy if Trump does four things: 1) shuts down the southern border, 2) decimates ISIS, 3) puts a strong anti-abortion conservative on the Supreme Court, and 4) eliminates Obamacare. On that basis, I am fairly happy, though clearly there is more to be done. For example, funds for the wall need to be allocated and the rest of Obamacare needs to be zapped. But these are on Congress, not Trump. He will sign the legislation if they pass it.

A few other accomplishments that have added to my happiness are lowering my taxes, pulling out of the Paris climate accord, approving the Keystone pipeline, eliminating funding for abortions in other countries, putting the kabash on TPP, making Jim Mattis Secretary of Defense, and making Mike Pompeo head of the CIA. I am also happy that he has shown himself to be a deal-maker and not a dictator. He has shown that he respects the role of Congress, even though I'm sure he has been quite frustrated at time with a few of his fellow Republicans.