Trump’s path to Re-election?

[Kotin]

As long as the economy continues to improve he will win. I'll be one of those "stupid" people julewin refers to.

at the end of the day, that is the top of the list in many people's minds.. and I understand that for sure.

 

[juleswin]

trump is definitely a enigma... Why would he surround himself with so many people who would throw him under the bus in an instant.. his appointments make no sense to me.. you'd think all those people would make him super paranoid about being sabotaged from within which is probably accurate.. People like Bolton and others want him to fail and want anyone even hinting at lessening our presence over seas to burn. Not that his foreign policy is amazing but he has had leanings towards non-interventionism which isnt something we can say about any other in recent memory..

America First was always a platform that I thought us as liberty-minded folks could find some common ground in especially in foreign policy and stopping the world-wide welfare programs the dems hold so dear.. but the way it has all panned out doesnt seem like the picture he painted either.. he is a very perplexing figure.. just when he gives you hope, he also shoots that down in many aspects.. he also continually shoots himself in the foot.. maybe presidents can never have the autonomy they claim in public spheres.. the power structure runs very deep and old in Washington..

but the steps he is taking to be reelected are not easy to delineate.. he doesnt seem to worry about it but he really should.. he wont have hillary this time to make it easy

He was definitely an enigma who defied all conventional wisdom for a candidate in many ways, he was an adulterer, a failed business man, non religious, a former democrats, criticized a POW etc etc and got away with it. Add to that, he had the temperment, verbal skills and vocabulary of a 6th grader and everybody knew he wasn't faking it for the cameras. The fact that he surrounded himself with people who publicly went against him is one way he can use to excuse the fact that he did not accomplish most of the heavy campaign promises. And the shine on him was also real, a pompous buffon, successful reality show host, he has a hot wife. Men wanna be his wife, women want his money and you have the dream team to beat Hilderbeast.

Yea he doesn't have a Hillary this time around but he may get a Bernie who will get bugged down talking about ways to prevent sexual assault during the campaign or intersectional feminism or some other nonsense topic. The linchpin for him I think would be the economy, if it continues on this tragectory, he has a very good chance of winning re-election. Campaign promises be damned.

 

[Anti Globalist]

I see him winning with no problem whatsoever. I used to think the only reason he might lose is if he doesn't get the wall built but even then people will look at Trump and whoever the Democratic nominee is and say "Yeah I still prefer Trump".

 

[angelatc]

it just feels like he abandoned a lot of those campaign promises blatantly.. it seems like it is also quite late to do that stuff, if he couldnt by now, will he be able to before the election?

Honestly though, he can't get Congress to go along with anything. Which is certainly indicative of leadership skill, but I don't think that his base will hold it against him. He fought hard for the wall, and he fought hard to repeal Obamacare. Ending the wars is our thing, but not necessarily that of the GOP.

He's got the Democrats showing their nutzo side, he's got them fighting to repeal the tax cuts that actually raised taxes on the wealthy. It's a circus.

 

[Kotin]

Honestly though, he can't get Congress to go along with anything. Which is certainly indicative of leadership skill, but I don't think that his base will hold it against him. He fought hard for the wall, and he fought hard to repeal Obamacare. Ending the wars is our thing, but not necessarily that of the GOP.

He's got the Democrats showing their nutzo side, he's got them fighting to repeal the tax cuts that actually raised taxes on the wealthy. It's a circus.

good points.. and its true, I will be the first to admit that my standards are unreasonably high for the current political landscape.. I really try to remember that and give him the credit he deserves where I should..

 

[oyarde]

This will determine how quickly the demise of the remains of america are tossed . The left will likely be running Mao against Trump so we shall see if the commie threshold has exceeded fifty percent .

 

[AngryCanadian]

If he pulls an regime change in Venezuela his chances of reelection will drop.

 

[donnay]

it just feels like he abandoned a lot of those campaign promises blatantly.. it seems like it is also quite late to do that stuff, if he couldnt by now, will he be able to before the election?

Hard to say, but I think he has come through with a lot of the promises he made on the campaign. Let me say, I do not agree with everything he has done, but for the most part, he has done (or undone), a lot of things in the last two years--despite the Fake News and rabid Liberal's claims. I also think much of what he has done is putting us on a path in the right direction. There has been an awful lot of corruption over the years and no one person can undo that quickly, IMHO.

The list:

Economic Growth
4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

Jobs
4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
Unemployment claims at 50 year low
African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
Asian-American unemployment at record low of 2 percent.
Women’s unemployment recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

American Income
Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

American Optimism
Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35 year-old record in August.
SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

American Business
Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

Deregulation
Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

Tax Cuts
Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
9 in 10 American workers are expected see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
More than 6 million of American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

Worker Development
Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

Domestic Infrastructure
Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

Health Care
Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

Combating Opioids
Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
$6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
Led two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
$485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

Law and Order
More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
$137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

Border Security and Immigration
Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

Trade
Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsides.
Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
Negotiated an historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
Opened up Argentina to American pork experts for the first time in a quarter-century
American beef exports have returned to china for the first time in more than a decade
OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

Energy
Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
Proposed an expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the above energy strategy
Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

Foreign Policy
Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

Defense
Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
$700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
Administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
Released an America first National Security Strategy.
Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
Encouraged North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agree-upon levels.
In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
Every member state has increased defense spending.
Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

Veterans affairs
Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in addition funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades old priority.
Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...-in-just-20-months-relentless-promise-keeping

 

[Kotin]

Hard to say, but I think he has come through with a lot of the promises he made on the campaign. Let me say, I do not agree with everything he has done, but for the most part, he has done (or undone), a lot of things in the last two years--despite the Fake News and rabid Liberal's claims. I also think much of what he has done is putting us on a path in the right direction. There has been an awful lot of corruption over the years and no one person can undo that quickly, IMHO.


https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...-in-just-20-months-relentless-promise-keeping

thanks for posting that donnay! will read through it, its nice to have it all in one place.

 

[angelatc]

This will determine how quickly the demise of the remains of america are tossed . The left will likely be running Mao against Trump so we shall see if the commie threshold has exceeded fifty percent .

Scott Adams has his money on Kamala.

 

[oyarde]

Scott Adams has his money on Kamala.

I cannot see her being in the top three in Iowa or New Hampshire , going into that third state money is going to dry up for the others I suspect . Of course he may know something I do not . One thing Dems are serious about is graft . So they expect something in return for the money . They do not donate out of patriotism .

 

[Occam's Banana]

The outcome of Trump vs. the Democrats? Who the hell knows?

In order to produce sane output, a predictive method requires sane inputs ...

 

[Kotin]

The outcome of Trump vs. the Democrats? Who the hell knows?

In order to produce sane output, a predictive method requires sane inputs ...

lol, fair point !

 

[Brian4Liberty]

...Nobody in the running is as universally despised as Hillary Clinton and they will have a huge advantage...

That was a big factor, along with positions like America First, jobs, tough trade negotiations, and to a certain extent, common sense anti-establishment positions like getting out of the endless wars and drain the swamp.

Now a Democrat could take on most of those positions, but they won’t. They are too caught up in the SJW mentality which means they must agree with open borders and importing as many people as possible. They will never get back the real, working, blue dog Democrat voters with that.

Instead of jobs, they will offer free stuff, and most adults won’t fall for it.

And like Hillary, a Democrat who pushes the victimhood intersectional matrix and essentially the “hate men” or “hate white people” position will never win the general. That applies to quite a few in the Democrat field so far. They are almost as despised as Hillary.

The Democrats will depend upon the popular vote in big cities, but it probably won’t be enough (until they can increase the population in the cities in red and purple states).

Advantage Trump.

 

[TER]

Trump wins by a bigger landslide in the electoral college than the first go around.

 

[angelatc]

I cannot see her being in the top three in Iowa or New Hampshire , going into that third state money is going to dry up for the others I suspect . Of course he may know something I do not . One thing Dems are serious about is graft . So they expect something in return for the money . They do not donate out of patriotism .

He was one of the only people (Doug Wead was another) to predict a Trump win. He bases his predictions on messaging .

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Scott Adams has his money on Kamala.

For the primary or general?

 

[Peace Piper]

That was a big factor, along with positions like America First, jobs, tough trade negotiations, and to a certain extent, common sense anti-establishment positions like getting out of the endless wars and drain the swamp.

Now a Democrat could take on most of those positions, but they won’t. They are too caught up in the SJW mentality which means they must agree with open borders and importing as many people as possible. They will never get back the real, working, blue dog Democrat voters with that.

You know that isn't true. So why would you say it?

Maybe if most of America ignores Tulsi it will be as if she never said anything. But most is not all and the record will be clear for historians after the US collapses, which is happening right now. And it couldn't come soon enough.

She even had the guts to tell the dumbed down Americans that the US is DIRECTLY funding ISIS and Al-queda, where's Rand?



She introduced a bill to make funding terrorists illegal. Guess how far that has gone, and if that doesn't tell you that DC is infested with criminals nothing will.



Donald Trump is an ignorant buffoon that just might start 2 more wars. The only "advantage Trump" was that he ran against Hillary "We Came, We Saw, He Died" Clinton, one of the most despised candidates to ever be nominated.

 

[Swordsmyth]

You know that isn't true. So why would you say it?

Maybe if most of America ignores Tulsi it will be as if she never said anything. But most is not all and the record will be clear for historians after the US collapses, which is happening right now. And it couldn't come soon enough.

She even had the guts to tell the dumbed down Americans that the US is DIRECTLY funding ISIS and Al-queda, where's Rand?



She introduced a bill to make funding terrorists illegal. Guess how far that has gone, and if that doesn't tell you that DC is infested with criminals nothing will.



Donald Trump is an ignorant buffoon that just might start 2 more wars. The only "advantage Trump" was that he ran against Hillary "We Came, We Saw, He Died" Clinton, one of the most despised candidates to ever be nominated.

https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1098280827048194048

https://www.thenewamerican.com/freedom-index

Dist.2: Tulsi Gabbard - 31%



[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H RES 397: NATO[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: June 27, 2017[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: AYE[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]This legislation (H. Res. 397) “solemnly reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s principle of collective defense as enumerated in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.” Under Article 5, the member nations of the NATO military alliance “agree that an armed attack against one or more of them ... shall be considered an attack against them all.”

The House passed H. Res. 397 on June 27, 2017 by a lopsided vote of 423 to 4 (Roll Call 328). We have assigned pluses to the nays not only because the United States should stay clear of entangling alliances such as NATO, but also because the NATO provision that obligates the United States to go to war if any member of NATO is attacked undermines the provision in the U.S. Constitution that assigns to Congress the power to declare war. Moreover, the number of nations that the United States has pledged to defend under NATO has grown from 11 to 28 over the years, as the alliance itself has grown from 12 member nations (including the United States) when NATO was created in 1949 to 29 today. Although NATO was ostensibly formed to counter the threat from the Soviet bloc of nations, some of the nations the United States is now pledged to defend under NATO were once part of that bloc, including Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic (as part of Czechoslovakia), Hungary, Poland, and Romania.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]






[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H R 5293: Authorization for Use of Military Force[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: June 16, 2016[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: NAY[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]During consideration of the Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 5293), Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill for the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force Act. Enacted in the wake of 9/11, the AUMF authorized the president to “use all necessary and appropriate force” against the terrorists involved, as well as those who aided or harbored them. It was used as the authorization for U.S. military entry into Afghanistan in 2001, and over the years has also been invoked on other occasions by the executive branch to justify U.S. military intervention abroad.

The House rejected Lee’s amendment on June 16, 2016 by a vote of 146 to 274 (Roll Call 330). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because presidents have been able to claim broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF, despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make this decision, and under the Constitution only Congress may “declare war.”[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]







[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H R 4909: Use of Military Force[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: May 18, 2016[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: NAY[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]During consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4909), Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced an amendment to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was enacted in 2001 for the purpose of authorizing U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. Since then, however, the AUMF has been invoked numerous times by the executive branch for U.S. military intervention not only in Afghanistan but elsewhere.

The House rejected Lee’s amendment on May 18, 2016 by a vote of 138 to 285 (Roll Call 210). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because presidents have been able to claim broad authority to go to war whenever or wherever they choose under the AUMF, despite the fact that the Founding Fathers never intended for one man to make this decision, and under the Constitution only Congress may “declare war.”


[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H RES 162: Calling on the President to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: March 23, 2015[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: AYE[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]Ukraine Military Aid.
House Resolution 162, which calls on the president "to provide Ukraine with military assistance to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," allows President Obama to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons to defend against aggression from Russia.

The House adopted H. Res. 162 on March 23, 2015 by a vote of 348 to 48 (Roll Call 131). We have assigned pluses to the nays not only because foreign aid is unconstitutional but also because this bill would further interject the United States into a foreign conflict. Allowing the U.S. president to provide lethal arms to Ukraine in order to fight Russia is tantamount to waging a proxy war on Russia without the constitutionally required congressional declaration of war. The House, by giving such power to the president, is relinquishing one of its constitutional responsibilities.


[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H R 4870: On Agreeing to the Amendment 51 to H R 4870[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: June 19, 2014[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: NAY[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]Weapons to Syrian Rebels.
During consideration of the Defense Appropriations bill, Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) introduced an amendment that would have prohibited any funding in the bill from being used to provide weapons to Syrian rebels. Fortenberry noted on the House floor that "the rebel movement is a battleground of shifting alliances and bloody conflicts between groups that now include multinational terrorist organizations," that "sending our weapons into this chaotic war zone could inadvertently help these extremists," and that "it has already happened." He added: "The naive notion that we can deliver weapons to vetted, moderate opposition groups at war with other rebel militias gives no guarantee that our weaponry won't be seized or diverted."

The House rejected Fortenberry's amendment on June 19, 2014 by a vote of 167 to 244 (Roll Call 328). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because arming "moderate" rebels in a foreign country is tantamount to going to war, which would require a declaration of war by Congress. Also, the United States should follow the Founders' advice not to become involved in foreign quarrels[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]







[TABLE="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]H R 4152: To provide for the costs of loan guarantees for Ukraine[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote Date: April 1, 2014[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]Vote: AYE[/TD]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t"]

[/TD]
[TD]Bad Vote.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_cms_table_ cms_table_paddinglef cms_table_cms_table_t, colspan: 4"]Ukraine Aid.

This bill (H.R. 4152), as amended by the Senate (see Senate vote below), would provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It would also provide for loan guarantees (meaning that U.S. taxpayers would be stuck holding the bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose sanctions on Russian and ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the crisis in the Ukraine.

[ The Senate version of this legislation - offered in the form of a substitute amendment to the House version, H.R. 4152 - would provide $150 million for direct aid to Ukraine. It would also provide for loan guarantees (meaning that the U.S. taxpayers would be stuck holding the bag if the loans are not paid). And it would impose sanctions on Russian and ex-Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the crisis in the Ukraine. ]

The House voted for this legislation on April 1, 2014 by a vote of 378 to 34 (Roll Call 149). We have assigned pluses to the nays because foreign aid is unconstitutional. The rationale for providing U.S. aid to Ukraine is that the country needs our assistance to resist Russian hegemony and build "democracy." Yet the oligarchs wielding power in Ukraine are hardly "democrats," and (because money is fungible) U.S. assistance could effectively be funneled to Russia in the form of Ukrainian energy and debt payments.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Anti Globalist]

I still can't believe he won the first time.

It boggles my mind as well. When I first heard he was running, I thought the only reason he was running in the first place was so he can get the nomination and then throw it to Hillary. The guy lives in an apartment building where the inside is made of solid gold. Who would sacrifice that to become president?