President Trump meets this week with minority leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, and majority leaders Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell, to talk about funding the federal government and passing some kind of income tax reform. I believe President Trump gets along equally well with all four leaders. Nevertheless, I’d be surprised if they could come up with a deal a majority of senators could support on either issue.
Democrats continue to walk in lockstep against anything Trump supports, though that’s about the only thing Democrats agree on these days. Republicans in the House have enough votes to pass whatever they write, though not unanimously. Republicans in the Senate are divided into the establishment camp, conservative Tea Party camp, libertarian camp, and maverick camp. The Senate is the bottleneck for passing any legislation.
The slim Republican majority in the Senate is shining a spotlight on the race for senator in Alabama between a conservative Republican, Roy Moore, and a liberal Democrat, Doug Jones. This week, traditionally red-state Alabama is a bit more orange and purple for more reasons than one. Who would have thought Alabama would be so divided in playing a leading role in national politics and a national championship? Let the voters, players and coaches decide.
President Trump continues to play Twitter with national media elites, making them jump at whatever he toys with, like a kid making cats jump with a laser pointer. Some people enjoy reading, cooking, exercising, inside sports or outdoor sports. Trump enjoys tweeting and watching elites dance this direction and then that direction.
Then, there are all the sexual harassment scandals from coast to coast and aisle to aisle. This is awkward! Are these scandals political or moral outrages? Yes.
Back in the day when another politician was naughty in Washington, I vividly remember conversations with liberal women who fully 100 percent supported Bill Clinton and trashed all who accused him of sexual assault, something we now call sexual harassment. Nowadays, all parties, and I do mean all of them, are hoping the Clintons will finally leave the national scene.
As we transition from the Thanksgiving season to the Christmas season, formerly referred to as the Holiday season, President Trump is vowing to make Christmas great again! This year the White House is saying, “Merry Christmas!” I’ve missed that.
Around one of our Thanksgiving tables last week, we enjoyed a brief round of political talk and solving the world’s problems. One guest, a student earning a Ph.D. in mathematics, raised topics as he introduced himself as a black man from the Mississippi Delta. We discussed how views of race differ across Mississippi, and our guest noted how he had changed his views since coming to Mississippi State University. It turns out that not all white people are sneaky, at least not in Starkville!
Of course, talk of race brought up issues with President Trump and his unpresidential demeanor, actions, and tweets. I tried to point out differences between Trump’s deplorables in the middle of the country and elites on the left and right coasts, and that all of us rude and crude people who voted against Hillary really are pleased Trump is trying to drain the swamp.
I will be very surprised if Congress delivers anything to President Trump’s desk before Christmas, at least in writing.