As elections loom for 2020, Democrats are going to have to answer for their accomplishments since taking over the House majority. Fixated on Trump demonizing, they have failed to actually do much of anything of importance. While Congress typically averages the passage of 758 bills per session, a total of eighteen bills have been passed this year, including:
1) Seven extensions of previous bills
2) Two bills to further budget appropriations
3) One bill to recognize a ‘reference’ as a bill
4) A bill to clarify the pay of VA podiatrists
5) A bill to authorize the honorary appointment of Robert Dole to colonel
6) A bill to change the address of a postal facility designated in honor of Captain Humayun Khan
7) A bill that directs the Secretary of Education to recognize school employees award program
8) A bill requiring the Secretary of Interior to process agreements regarding Colorado River drought
9) A bill to expand public target ranges in some states
10) A bill to compensate federal employees affected by lapses in appropriations
11) A bill to amend the charter of Future Farmers of America
That’s it folks!
In essence what this highlights is the fact that the bigger the government, the less that is accomplished. Immigration, infrastructure, Medicare, Healthcare, those issues that are most pressing according to The People, are blocked by the House through Pelosi and Schumer. The only way Trump can bypass the moronic is through Executive Order.
During Clinton’s term he issued 364 Executive Orders. George Bush issued 165 Executive Orders. And Obama issued 215 Executive Orders, but altered history by utilizing Executive Memorandums as a means to circumvent public outcry. As such, Obama asserted a historic 644 Executive Memorandums and 1186 Presidential Proclamations through January 19, 2017. A vast number of Obama’s orders included the establishment of new agencies within the government including; Office of Urban Affairs, National Economic Council, Economic Recovery Advisory Board, Council on Women and Girls, Office of Health reform, Commission for the Study of Bioethical issues, Council of Governors, etc…, etc…
Despite the fact that even the most liberal within government agree that Obama crossed the threshold of legality in many of his Executive Orders and Memorandums, these transgressions have gone without consequence.
Trump has signed 109 Executive Orders and 42 Executive Memorandums.
Of course, one of the more controversial executive Orders issued by Obama was the Iran Nuclear Deal and the billions in payments to Iran including a massive interest rate for funds held due to sanctions. The deal was administered and signed by then Secretary of State, John Kerry. The same John Kerry who maintains a majority of his wealth in offshore tax havens, and the same John Kerry who has been found to be secretly meeting with Iran government officials promising to reinstate the Iran Nuclear Deal, despite this being potentially in violation of the Logan Act.
Enacted in 1799, The Logan Act criminalizes anyone negotiating with a foreign government having a dispute with the United States. In addition, Kerry avoided a $500,000 tax bill on his 76 foot yacht by docking it in Rhode Island instead of his home state of Massachusetts. A move that was seen as rather hypocritical given his continual cry for imposing ‘higher taxes’.
With 23 Democrat contenders for President in 2020, citing their accomplishments for The People as opposed to their personal gains will likely become a dominant debate.
Despite the more obvious issues abounding, Democrats continue to state as their top priorities:
Kamala Harris: justice for immigrants, blacks and LGBT
Joe Biden: A mini New Green Deal, anti-Trump and Make America Great Again
Cory Booker: Anti-lynching, carbon tax for climate change, and rental control
Bernie: free everything for everybody including all illegals present and future
Buttigeig: Medicare for all who want it, Green New Deal, LGBT rights
Of course Medicare for all who want it is essentially the package of socialist medicine for the middle class, while the elite will continue to embrace their own private health insurance. LGBT rights are already essentially in effect. The New Green Deal is scary given the Roosevelt New Deal was administered via Executive Order… And justice for immigrants is a bizarre concept that bears a load of question marks.
Unfortunately, none of the candidates espouse anything that would make them unique with attainable goals. But they are united on one common goal – demonize all things Trump and all Trump supporters.