The Best It Could Be.

Everything does not have to be in constant turmoil and strife. Why can't events, on occasion, converge to create a sense of accomplishment and tranquility?  The poisonous, bitter, partisan environment that has evolved for much of this nation can moderate to a point of tolerate and civil exchanges of policies and ideals.  As has been said many times… “The darkest hour is just before the dawn”.  Things have been pretty dark for some time now; what if a few things went the right way for a change and it turned out “the best it could be”?

I am on record about how I feel President Trump should deal with Special Counsel Mueller (fire him!); but let us assume that does not happen.  The best thing for all involved would be for Mueller to expeditiously complete his investigation, keep its scope limited to the original intent and subject, and officially file a report that will put to rest any pretense towards collusion between the Trump for President Campaign and the Russian Government.  Given Mueller’s clear bona fides as a good, upstanding Democrat; a report of this nature should go a long ways towards removing this albatross from the neck of our President and get it out of the face of anyone who pays any attention whatsoever to the media and news.  And if Mr. Mueller were to reach such a final verdict, maybe then the mainstream media will somehow decide that an opportunity is presenting itself to reset the relations between the Trump Administration and themselves.  Victor Davis Hanson does as fine a job as I have seen in framing the dereliction of duty by the mainstream media regarding its treatment of Trump versus…say…Obama.  Read it here @ http://www.hoover.org/research/americas-media-meltdown .

How much different would out country be if we had at least a semblance of a healthy, respectfully adversarial, and honest relationship between the Fourth Estate and the Trump Administration? 

And how about if this coming week, we actually see the U.S. Senate do its job and pass some health care legislation?  How good would that be?  Now you may not agree with any of the proposed legislation; but anyone who deals with it in the real world must confess that our health care system is messed up.  Changes have to be made.  The Democrats passed on a party-line vote and Obama signed into law the ACA (Affordable Care Act).  The House has passed the AHCA (American Health Care Act).  The Senate might soon consider passing the BCRA (Better Care Reconciliation Act).  It is regrettable that the Republicans are using similar types of extraordinary legislative procedures to pass their health care legislation on a party-line vote; just like the Democrats did with the ACA.  However, there are changes that must be made to create a sustainable health care system in this country.  There are many bi-partisan ideas that might get passed outside of the reconciliation process (i.e. selling insurance across state lines) if we can just get past this repeal and replace nonsense.  And equally important is the fact that health care legislation is a gigantic road block that is preventing other necessary legislation efforts such as tax reform and infrastructure spending.  The best thing that could happen is that we get over this acronym madness, get ACA repealed, and then get on to creating a new plan…WITH bi-partisan input and process.

Imagine how great it would be if Putin were to decide that Assad is simply not worth his investment in Syria?  What if he could simply get past the idea that Assad is his man, throw him overboard in order to obtain some peace and stillness in Syria, and work within an international framework to establish some type of order in Syria and give the Syrian people a chance at some type of future with dignity and safety?  Why must there perpetually be these “petri dish human tragedies” scattered across our planet, contrived by the great world leaders and ruthless barbarians who care not for human dignity but lust eternally for power and glory?  These little subplots to the mighty world order that provide an eternal source of damage to the human body and spirit?  If Putin would simply give up on Assad, I have to believe that the U.S. and its allies, along with China, would leap at the chance to pursue a chance at a Syrian peace that actually has some prospect of success.  Come on, Vlad…get you ish together.

And how about if our fearless President somehow misplaces his phone and cannot find it?  And how about whoever does find it takes a ball peen hammer to it and it NEVER…TWEETS…AGAIN.    It would so good that when a good report or two comes out from this Administration; there would no longer be an idiotic tweet out there to set everything backwards a step or two.  Would it not be a good idea for the folks with have joined up with the President to serve this nation, at a high dose of personal expense, to go through their daily work lives without wondering if this is their day to be thrown, if not under, at least in the proximity of the proverbial bus (looking at you…Jeff)?   Mr. Trump: you are now the President!  The campaign is over!  This is not the Trump Corporation; this is the U.S. government!  Focus on the agenda and results and please leave the shallow, ego-massaging, grandstanding to someone else. 

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And if things are going to be the best they can be, then after the health care issue is well on its way towards meaningful resolution; the Congress will take up some serious tax reform.  Tax reform that will simplify a process that is more complex than the freaking cosmos.  Tax reform that will not only be easier to understand, but will lessen the individual burden on most while broadening the base to insure that everyone has some skin in the game.   Tax reform that will spur business and job creation in this nation, once again get our GDP above that magic number of 3 percent, and give people opportunities for jobs that pay well and offer a chance for better lives.  I fear that if the health care legislative effort fails, it will be a harbinger of a coming failure on tax reform.  Our nation’s economy can ill afford that calamity.  We need a jolt to our economy and that jolt must be in the form or meaningful tax reform.  Best case scenario: Make it happen!

Somebody…somewhere needs to come up with a solution to shut down these little Napoleonic potentates (otherwise known as federal judges) and make them understand that their role in our nation’s structure is not to write the law, but to enforce it as it is written.  I do not care if the law was passed by Democrats or Republicans; the law is the law.  These charlatans posing in their black robes with their noses held high in the air must be given to understand that their political appointments do not make them larger and more powerful than the President…or Congress…or even a higher authority.   There must be some type of system or method put into place that will allow for the SCOTUS to more quickly yank the chain on these rogue judges and put them in their place.  The lag times between some of their idiotic judicial rulings and their overturning by SCOTUS is far too excessive and serious damage is being done to the integrity of our legal foundation.  Here’s hoping that some semblance of legal sanity can be re-established in our federal court system.

And finally, what if a bolt of lightning were to flash from the heavens, strike our noble elected officials in the U.S. Capitol, and place in them the notion that perhaps they should not be career politicians?  Perhaps they should serve a limited number of years and then, accepting the reality that continuously living and working in the political environment of WDC, they eventually fall out of touch with the people they serve and should turn the job over to someone new?  Perhaps a good starting point for the discussion is one six year term for President (no longer running for the second term after just two years in office), three six year terms for Senators (long enough to insure some experience, but short enough to insure against pretense of royalty), and five two year terms for Representatives (returning the House to the concept of “citizen politician”)?  Term limits is that marvelous idea that can never come to pass because it must be imposed by those who will be adversely affected by its imposition.  But hey…if we’re going for the best it can be…why not?