|
John:
Hello from Capitol Hill.
Welcome back from another eventful weekend. While the House is out of session this week, the Senate is in for a few days before the Juneteenth break. Next week, both chambers will return to session, with the Senate likely voting on its version of the Big Beautiful Bill. But first, a bit on the ten-year anniversary of June 16, 2015.
A decade ago, businessman, socialite, and reality TV star Donald J. Trump rode down the golden escalator of his Manhattan skyscraper to address a crowd of people packed into the lobby, many bearing signs or shirts with a (seemingly) novel motto: “Make America Great Again.” In the ensuing speech, the billionaire political neophyte addressed a variety of issues in a way unheard of in contemporary discourse – sophomoric to the elitist class of people from which Trump emerged. Though it seems hard to believe now, politicians just ten years ago did not criticize American immigration policy in a way that resonated with Americans. No one took a southern border wall seriously. They did not propose real solutions to restoring manufacturing to the American heartland. No one had the audacity to blaspheme against limitless free trade. Few, if any, self-funded their primary runs to avoid special interests. No one spoke extemporaneously, without a teleprompter, so frankly about the issues of our time. No one was unashamed of their swagger, stature, or wealth. No one truly wanted to own the ostensibly jingoistic “America First” ethos. No one wanted to be called a “nationalist.” In short, no one was like Trump.
Though few in the media could sense it, our political regime was grossly out of step with the American body politic at that time. Swing voters who elected Barack Obama in 2008, grassroots men and women of the Tea Party, the disaffected masses of Occupy Wall Street, opponents to the Iraq War – people from such disparate frequencies of the American kaleidoscope broke from the stale post-9/11 establishment for a candidate that was scorned, laughed at, disowned, and vindictively attacked. One that sustained slings and arrows far in excess of what had broken many before him. It is easy to forget that ten years ago, Trump was not the juggernaut that he is now. He did not have the allies, resources, or the breadth of societal support that he does now. Despite that and much more, November 8th came, and the rest is history. To anyone with eyes or ears, it is wholly apparent that Trump’s MAGA crusade has fundamentally reshaped the country as it has ridden the tiger of the 21st century’s rapid cultural evolution.
Whether you like it or not, our 47th president has achieved what he set out to do a decade (and interregnum) ago. Yet today, Donald Trump has eclipsed those goals, that presidency, to become something more: an archetype of this century’s socio-political melee, and not just in the United States. He is adored, he is hated, and he cannot be ignored. In truth, this is not just the anniversary of Trump’s candidacy: it is the tenth anniversary Donald Trump’s single-handed reconstitution of American socio-politics – a work that will outlive us all.
Back in present day, Congress is navigating the construction of President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. This week, the Senate Finance Committee introduced its portion of the bill – this is notable because the Finance committee is responsible for the lion’s share of important provisions and the final title to be released. With the keystone in place, it is apparent that the Senate’s text diverges from what the House passed last month. Significant differences between Medicaid Provider Tax adjustments, the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction cap number, and more are being reported. Just the SALT changes are enough to sink the Big Beautiful Bill in the House – members of the SALT Caucus, like Mike Lawler, are saying that they will vote “no” on any bill that does not comport with the increased $40k cap that they fought for in the House text. For what it is worth, more Senators are feeling good about the bill passing the Senate by Independence Day.
Abroad, the State of Israel has been weathering an onslaught of drones, munitions, and missiles from Iran since late last week, a response to the Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear and energy infrastructure. This comes amidst American negotiations with the Islamic Republic over that country’s endeavor to acquire a nuclear weapon. Many supporters of President Trump, like Tucker Carlson, have long campaigned against entering into war with Iran – thus far, the President, while generally supportive of Israeli operations, has refused to officially join the nascent war. He officially declined a request to join Israel in the war and vetoed a plot to assassinate the Ayatollah of Iran. While the citizens of both countries endure the war, Americans enjoy clear skies… for the time being.
Latest From Around the Conservative Movement
One More Thing
Sincerely,
Jake Chebowski
Government Relations
|
