The U.S. is a democratic nation. Our president is elected by the people and is accountable to them. Donald Trump fails to understand that the U.S. is not a monarchy, and the citizens of this country do not want a king or anyone who acts like one.

For some reason Trump decided to campaign to become president. Previously he was the authoritative leader of the Trump Organization. For years Trump was omnipotent with the ultimate power to operate his business anyway he chose. Since Trump’s company is privately held, he was not accountable to a board of directors to any meaningful extent.

Trump enjoyed ultimate power to make decisions in his company and demand absolute loyalty from his employees. At any moment he could dismiss an underling without cause just the way he did on “The Apprentice.”

Why did Trump give up his charmed life, a life of unbridled power and wealth, a life in which he controlled every thing and every one around him? Certainly the presidency is the most powerful job in the world and would be a wonderful addition to the man’s resume. But it comes with stings attached.

No longer would he have unlimited power. Trump would be accountable to a different group of stakeholders- voters. He would have to work in conjunction with a group of elected officials to enact laws- Congress. He could be inhibited by a judicial system that could declare his actions unconstitutional- local courts and the Supreme Court.

The president is not a despot who can hire and fire people without severe repercussions. In fact the Senate must confirm his most important advisors. The president cannot spend money without appropriation by Congress. Several committees in Congress oversee his actions and could be a significant impediment to achieving his vision of America.

Equally important is the media that is totally focused on every comment and action by the president. Making it more difficult for Trump is the reality that the press is very liberal. In this age of instantaneous reporting, the press can make the president’s life miserable especially when it decides to overtly destroy him as some journalists have sworn to do.

There are many important situations that although monitored carefully by Congress are handled almost exclusively by the president. Most important are those that involve national security (existential threats from terrorism and nuclear proliferation) and diplomacy with other nations around the world.

Regarding the latter, personal relationships or the lack thereof can greatly impact our nation militarily and economically. Moreover the persistent differences the U.S. has with other countries relating to civil liberties, human rights and religious freedom can create enormous challenges. The president sets the stage for all these issues.

Many Americans are truly upset that for the second time they elected a neophyte as their president. Barack Obama’s ineffective and unsuccessful tenure was caused to a great extent by his inexperience. He also had many personal characteristics that led to his poor performance that are well documented.

One would think that working experience would have been an important consideration for voters in 2016 given the events of the previous eight years. Yet, the people wanted an outsider, and they got one. Unfortunately the man they elected is unable negotiate effectively when his adversary has power. He has always had the edge in his corporate life, acting as a bully or refusing to live by terms he agreed to previously. These tactics are not becoming for a U.S. president.

Although many people think Donald Trump is an unmitigated disaster, he may rally at some point and surprise his detractors. But his childish tantrums, inability to predict the actions of members of his own party and other world leaders and his propensity to drive America mad with idiotic tweets will likely lead to his downfall.

It’s great fun to project what will come of Donald Trump prospectively. What will happen in the 2018 midterm elections? Will Democrats regain either house of Congress? Many people think Democrats are devoid of any new ideas and their leaders are pathetic. Will Democrats defeat Trump in 2020 if he runs again? Probably not if the best they have to offer are Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Will Trump just say, “I’m outta here,” after four years of obstruction?

The latter seems like the most likely scenario. Trump can then go back to being king of the Trump Organization and wield absolute power once again.

 

 

A lot of things have changed governmentally since the turn of the century. America has had three presidents, and not one of them has made the country happier, safer or more prosperous.

George W. Bush is a good man, who truly cared about the well being of the country during very turbulent times. The Middle East and Iraq specifically were his focus. Saddam Hussein had completely destabilized the region, and Bush deposed him based on faulty intelligence. The result was many years of war and suffering as the U.S. attempted to rebuild the country that our military destroyed.

Barack Obama promised real change in America. He rammed a new multi trillion dollar health care entitlement down the throats of the taxpayers. It was his first and only significant legislative victory, and it has been tearing the country apart since it was implemented seven plus years ago. Obamacare is the largest and most expensive entitlement in the history of the country. In the process of implementing this law, Obama alienated his political opposition and created the toxic environment in Washington.

Americans went to the polls in 2016 seeking a new face unblemished by the political animosity that overwhelms the government. They got what they asked for, a populist with no political savvy and little regard for anyone outside his circle of family and advisors.

Trump has no understanding of the ways of Washington, which severely impacts his ability to inspire new legislation dealing with the repeal of Obamacare, taxes and a plethora of other issues. In fact the president has resorted to executive mandates to govern, a constitutionally questionable way to meet his responsibilities (Congress is supposed to enact laws not the president.).

Trump has bombed out to this point with no relief in sight. He is mired in a number of scandals that includes alleged collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice. Every meeting he attends, and comments he makes on Twitter, are being parsed by a hostile liberal press. This is causing diversions away from truly important issues facing the country. The odds of Trump performing satisfactorily during the balance of his tenure are doubtful at best.

What has to happen to enable Americans to find inspirational leadership? For one thing the electoral experiment of 2016 was a dismal failure and should be abandoned in the future. Staffing the White House with inexperienced outsiders was not a wise strategy. The extent of Trump’s failures cannot be compared to Bush and Obama because it is too early in his tenure. Nevertheless it has become increasingly clear that it makes more sense to vote for seasoned politicians that have governed and have international experience.

A second thing is that the current leaders in Congress must go. It’s almost unanimous that Congress is dysfunctional if we are to believe recent polling on the group. If nearly every American hates the members of Congress, why do they reelect them over and over again? The surest way to bring in new blood is with term limits. The argument that wisdom is gained over many years on the job is not working for our Congress any longer. The pols who have been around the longest are the most inept. And they are incapable of finding compromise, a characteristic that is destroying our legislative process and legacy

Third, many Americans strongly believe that our judicial system has been far too intrusive in recent years. It’s difficult enough to enact needed, new legislation without having activist judges chiming in on non-constitutional issues. One of the most dangerous animals is an attorney, or a judge, attempting to play the role of businessperson, psychologist or lawmaker. Many have attributed problems in this area to liberal judges who are less reserved about opining about things other than the rule of law.

And finally, the Senate filibuster must go. Losers in elections should not have any special rights to stop the wheels of legislative progress. Senators that win elections should be able to enact laws with a simple majority. Antiquated parliamentary filibusters have facilitated obstruction of government far too often in recent years.

America is at a crossroads. Voters must demand more of elected officials. The wisest legislator is useless unless he or she is able to muster support for their proposals. Rhetoric and denigration of the opposition is unproductive. Only at the polls can we make America better.

Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are attempting to rev up their minions in Congress for a great resurgence in 2018. After doing nothing constructive for an extended period of time the dynamic duo has gone public with an old and tired agenda to make America “better.” For some reason they believe total obstruction of government and a purposeful plan to destroy Trump will be a winning formula in the upcoming elections.

The proposals include the same claptrap that resulted in humiliating defeat in 2016. Government envelopment of health care, a $15 per hour minimum wage, more class warfare and a variety of attacks directed at corporations and successful Americans are all they have.

Frankly these trite offerings will very likely result in further damage to the Democratic Party. This will occur despite growing disappointment with the Trump administration.

Democrats do not have a winning formula. Their pronouncements are devoid of creativity. The most important item on their agenda is to take down a sitting president.

The ultra-left wing segment of the party dominates the caucus. This will not sit well with Americans across the country. The heroes of this motely, bellicose and do-nothing group include Bernie Sanders (socialist), Elizabeth Warren (the hater-in-chief of businesses and wealthy Americans) and Hillary Clinton. It’s hard to believe crooked Hillary is still in the mix. It’s time for her to retire for good.

Does anyone recall one feasible and sensible proposal by Democrats during the past two years? The only things liberals are passionate about these days are the preservation of a health care entitlement that is imploding and bankrupting our economy and excessive taxation of the most successful among us.

Democrats should read the tea leaves and find a populist among them, who has some real substance and likeability along with new ideas to really improve America, (not just make it a little bit better). A person who will encourage bipartisan legislation, a man or woman that understands the advantages of compromise, someone who is successful away from the swamp known as Washington D.C. is the type of person they need. Voters are not going to vote for old fashioned pols that were deeply involved in the mire we know are currently drowning in.

You may not agree with Republicans but at least you know what they stand for. Conservatives want fewer taxes, more choices, more jobs, a strong economy, greater educational opportunities and a strong defense.

Democrats, start worrying about 2018 now. You are on the verge of more losses and virtual extinction even as the Trump administration blunders along. Do yourselves a favor and stop depending on Schumer and Pelosi. It’s only a matter of time before you will be clamoring for them to step aside.

Vladimir Putin has done many things in recent years to incur the wrath of the American politicians. Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. Russia attempted to influence the recent U.S. presidential election. Russia is supporting the murderous regime of Bashar al Assad of Syria in alliance with Iran, to name a few.

U.S. presidents have always attempted to have cordial relations with the Soviet Union and Russia with little success. During World War II it was often difficult to ascertain Stalin’s endgame. He fought the Nazis with the allies, and but then forcefully engulfed Eastern Europe. Russia and the U.S. then fought a long and costly Cold War that ultimately resulted in the demise of the Soviet Union.

Putin is an old school communist who dreams of reestablishing Russian dominance in the world. He is deceitful, secretive and unwilling to live in peaceful coexistence with the U.S. He is jealous of American exceptionalism and totally corrupt domestically. Why then is Trump so anxious to deal with this man? Is Trump too naïve to understand the realities of reasoning with a person hell-bent on world domination?

Given that Russia has as many and maybe more nukes than the U.S. along with a standing army in the millions, it makes sense to at least try to have friendly relations.

However Putin has not grown to understand that imperialism is an antiquated policy in the 21^st Century. In this day and age militarily strong countries should not invade neighbors. Imperialism among other issues was what drew America into WWII and could have a similar impact today.

Also disturbing is that Russia always takes the opposite side of the U.S. in virtually every diplomatic showdown. It’s logical to expect that two of the world’s leaders would find areas of mutual agreement. Even the fight against ISIS and terrorism has not been enough to bring the antagonists closer as Russia thinks Assad is good for the Middle East.

In a bipartisan way (believe it or not,) Congress has decided to intervene in foreign policy as it pertains to Russia in defiance of the president. This is a good thing because Putin would never accept an olive branch from America. No matter what accommodations are made by the U.S., Russia will continue to act like our mortal enemy.

Of all the inane objectives of Donald Trump, his vision of peace with Russia is the most farfetched. It’s not possible with Putin as Russia’s leader. Trump’s appeasement of Putin is almost laughable. It is probably one of the greatest miss directions of the administration. The U.S. should not be appeasing Russia, it should be punishing the country every time it misbehaves. Economic sanctions are the way to force Russia to act more civilly.

Frankly neither the U.S. nor Russia is going to escalate direct military action. The threat level is rising and currently is most obvious in Syria where the U.S. and Russia have military assets. The U.S. and Russia will continue to flex their muscles, and it will be disconcerting. But large-scale military action is not a viable option for either country even in the face of more aggression by Russia similar to Crimea.

The better strategy is to effectively bankrupt Russia once again as Reagan did 40 years ago. Economically Russia is being pinched by low oil prices and huge outlays for military purposes. Domestic conditions are deteriorating, and the U.S. should do everything possible to expedite the process.

Russian leadership has been overly bellicose for over a century. It’s in their DNA to act this way. The U.S., with effective sanctions, could gently nudge Russia in a more productive direction.

Congress is spot on about increasing sanctions even in direct confrontation with the president. It’s good to see that Republicans and Democrats can work together in stressful times.

 

Americans are becoming more disgusted with their leaders and lawmakers every day. Citizens loyal to both parties are sick and tired of the non-stop partisan rhetoric and the scandal-a-day mindset of the media. The way politicians and average Americans speak about the president is becoming more disrespectful with each passing day, even though a large amount of criticism is well deserved.

Very few times in our history has the government been more unproductive legislatively. Our elected officials hate their opposition and are taking action against each other that ensures no chance of compromise in the halls of Congress.

Our nation desperately needs reform and/or strengthening in so many areas. These crises are being waylaid and deferred by politicians incapable of passing a bill. Among the most important are health care, infrastructure, national security, immigration, military readiness and taxes. Also many in the country have serious problems with privacy issues, the rights of minority groups, climate change and the stability of our economy.

Normally concerns are identified by politicians and debated. Then solutions are voted on and become law. Political parties fiercely express their vision along the way. In more productive times compromise and bipartisanship win the day and the nation benefits.

Today there is almost no comity or desire to enact bipartisan and needed legislation. Republicans have a majority and control the presidency. And yet, even with complete domination of the government, the G.O.P. has been unable to muster a majority vote on very important legislative matters since the 2016 Elections.

Imagine that. The opposition is neutered, and the majority’s inability to control its caucus results in legislative paralysis. Contributing to this condition are Republicans who have deserted their president and their party for esoteric and philosophical reasons.

Democrats are no better and have become the no-idea party. Their mission is to obstruct and destroy the presidency. Using filibusters and parliamentary game play, Democrats have halted the legislative wheels of progress for political gain.

The president has resorted to executive mandates undoing the damage done by his predecessor with his mandates. What’s a president to do when the opposition obstructs and his own party is not supportive?

Frankly mandates used in place of traditional lawmaking is borderline unconstitutional. Congress has the responsibility to enact laws, not the president, or judicial activists for that matter. Is this tactic damaging our government? Damn right it is.

The new president has convinced the world he is unmoved by history, tradition and old-fashioned diplomacy. He thinks that tweeting is the most effective way to govern. He is not interested in trying to work with the opposition. In fact many doubt the president or any of his advisors are even capable of eliciting support from Capitol Hill.

Trump’s grating personality and has proven to be ineffective domestically and internationally. He doesn’t understand that Putin, Kim Jung-un, Assad and other problematic world leaders know political enemies at home are handcuffing the president’s administration. They want to take advantage of the fact that Trump is a weak.

What is the endgame? Is America going to limp into the 2018 and 2020 elections and make massive changes? Will our emasculated Congress do anything positive? Is it too late for Trump to change his ways?

Something is terribly wrong with America and our system of government. The nation is being torn apart by the radical left and legislative extremists on both sides of the aisle.

Many issues affecting the U.S. have become sacrosanct, and political correctness has replaced common sense and fairness. Every group other than white males has a chip on their shoulder. Their advocates lurk in the weeds waiting for anyone to make a false move or an unacceptable comment.

Congress best exemplifies the schism separating Americans. This should not come as a surprise as our lawmakers are supposed to represent the majority of voters in their voting districts. And so most big states are populated with large minority groups that are predominately liberal minded while small states and rural areas are more conservative.

There is nothing wrong with political diversity if both sides have the freedom to express their preferences without animosity from the opposition. For centuries our country prospered because perspectives were welcomed at every level of government. Our leaders then debated and decided what proposals would become law.

Unfortunately the system has broken down completely. Lawmakers at the federal level are unable to do their jobs because compromise is no longer an option. Some people say that a do-nothing Congress is a good thing because no legislation is better than bad legislation. But there are other aspects of government that need immediate attention.

Infrastructure must be modernized. The military must remain strong to combat threats that seem to grow every day from terrorists and megalomaniacal leaders. Affordable and effective health care must be available enabling our citizens to live long and productive lives. All these things and so much more are funded by annual budgets, which can no longer be approved by Congress because of partisan politics.

Unlike any other time in recent history the president of the U.S. is hamstrung by the opposition, and more recently by members of his own party. It is nearly impossible to enact new laws because the opposition’s mission is to bring down a duly elected president. It makes no difference if proposals benefit the country. The response of the opposition is always no.

The opposition party has completely abandoned good government in which both sides present their vision of America. No new ideas come from the other side. This group exclusively conspires to obstruct and embarrass the president.

For seven long years the former president did many things to infuriate his opponents. He ignored them even after they assumed the power to restrict his actions. (Note: Obama unconstitutionally circumvented Congress by issuing mandates.) A wiser man or woman would have enabled our lawmakers to do their job. But no, the president treated his foils with scorn because their vision of America was different than his. This resulted in one of the least productive presidential administrations in recent history.

The most important co-conspirator with the political opposition in America is the national press. Over the years the press’ image of itself has grown. It believes that current events and governmental decisions are not understandable to the average American. They think the latter is stupid and uninformed. Newspapers have transformed themselves from a source of facts to ideological purveyors of the news in the form of personal perspectives by smug, pseudo-intellectual journalists. Entire newspapers have become a gigantic opinion pieces.

The tradition in most of the media is to be more liberal. This suits the high and mighty self-image of journalists. Fact is, most of these people have overstepped their bounds and hide behind the skirt of the Constitution every time they are challenged or criticized.

The media is not infallible (consider the 2016 Election), and they are not our mentors. Everyone would be better serve if journalists kept their opinions to themselves and allowed Americans to make up their own minds. The onslaught perpetrated by the press since the recent election is nothing less than shameful.

What can be done to change the status quo? Frankly it is difficult to see any light at the end of this tunnel. The world is so demanding and dangerous that a president does not have the time to stroke the massive egos of members of Congress. He must deal with domestic and international events that endanger our very existence every day. And he must do it while liberals are calling for his impeachment and making it impossible to implement his agenda.

The only thing we can hope for is the electoral defeat of the most partisan leaders and lawmakers in Washington. The current residents of the Senate and House, the ones with the lowest approval ratings in history, must be replaced very soon for the benefit our republic.

 

Donald Trump has had more than his share of crises since becoming president. Terrorism, health care, Russia, Syria and North Korea are only part of the story. As important are the actions, or inaction, by Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

Let’s review Trump’s performance and status of the aforementioned challenges.

Terrorism. The threat of radical Islamic terror attacks is not abating. Although ISIS is being defeated in the Middle East, it has become a worldwide, decentralized terrorist organization. Young people are being recruited to conduct jihad against civilized and non-Sunni nations across the globe.

Related to this disturbing trend are the untiring efforts by Trump to prohibit most immigration to the U.S. from unstable countries in the Middle East in an effort to avert another terrorist attack. It appears that the Supreme Court will give the administration a green light to proceed with this sensible strategy.

Health care. The health of America is a huge responsibility. Most important are health care expenses, which are a large part of governmental and personal expenditures. Frankly Obamacare will likely create serious financial stress on our economy and the federal budget if the entitlement is not repealed and/or reformed in the near future.

Everybody agrees that Obamacare needs to be overhauled, at a minimum. Yet political bickering and treachery on both sides of the aisle are making progress nearly impossible.

Democrats want to obstruct every initiative by the Trump administration. Very few times in the history of our country has the opposition party taken such a stance against a sitting president. In the worst of times Congress has done its work and legislation beneficial to the country moved forward. Not for Schumer and Pelosi, They want to obstruct every proposal even before the details are available.

But more disconcerting is the position of ten or so Republicans in the Senate that has stymied Trump’s efforts to do anything about Obamacare. When has a majority in Congress fought among its own to waylay reform of a law as large as health care? As this column has suggested previously, the Republican outliers should lose their seats in the forthcoming elections for their disloyalty.

This is not to say that any of the proposed plans for replacing Obamacare have been perfect. But they are far better than the status quo. Republicans must unite to get health care fixed and leave the do-nothing Democratic Party in the cold.

Russia. Just because Russia always seems to be on the other side of every conflict opposing the U.S., it doesn’t mean that America should eschew all contact with Russia. Certainly Russian interference in our election is a monstrous slap in the face, and sanctions are in order. But Russia has a comparatively large number of nukes and a huge standing army. Russia is a force that we must engage with every time it crosses a line. Seeking peaceful resolution of our differences with diplomacy is critical.

Trump has attempted to walk a tightrope with Putin. It hasn’t been easy and the two leaders have found little agreement. America must be totally supportive of its president as he navigates through this treacherous diplomatic minefield.

Most important is that the nonsensical accusations of collusion between Trump and Russia to defeat Hillary Clinton must end. Clinton deserved to lose because she was a horrible candidate. There was no collaboration and most of the accusations about Trump are lies and exaggerations by Democrats.

The latest issue is a perfect example. Donald Trump Jr. spoke with a Russian attorney in mid 2016 that supposedly had incriminating evidence about Clinton. Let’s not be naïve, every political campaign seeks out dirty laundry about the opponent, so Trump Jr. took a meeting with this person. Trump Jr.’s desire to find a political advantage for his father from this source was clumsy and unwise. Incidentally the meeting Trump Jr. had with the Russian attorney did not provide any useful information. And Trump Sr. did not participate in any conversations, nor did he know his son met with this Russian until a short time ago.

Syria. Syria represents a real problem for the Trump administration. A megalomaniac and mass murderer leads the country. Yet he has actively fought against ISIS, which is everyone’s enemy throughout the world. The situation is complicated because the U.S. wants Bashar al Assad ousted, while Russia and Iran are supporting him. Trump has shown strength and courage by launching cruise missiles at Syria in response to bombing of innocents by Assad. This situation will become worse before it improves.

North Korea. Trump inherited this situation from several U.S. presidents that preceded him. Kim Jung-un’s grandfather initiated the problems when he allied with China after the Korean War. Since then China has used North Korea, and supported it, as a buffer. Unification of the Korean peninsula, which would likely be controlled by South Korea, would put a capitalistic, democratic and Western leaning country on China’s border. China is resisting this aggressively.

The strategic importance of this to China is understandable, but at what price? That price to this point has been the evolution of North Korea as a nuclear power governed by a series of crazy, unstable leaders. Somehow a dirt-poor country has managed to build missiles that may be able to transport nuclear bombs to South Korea, Japan, Alaska, Hawaii and the continental U.S.

Trump is seemingly becoming more aggressive towards North Korea and China. His discussions with Chinese leadership appeared to have been productive initially, but the Chinese have disappointed the Trump administration in recent days. The possibility of a military confrontation with North Korea is growing every day as the existential threat towards the U.S. increases. The ultimate outcome of this confrontation is up in the air. Things are very difficult now as North Korea continues to test and perfect its nuclear capabilities.

The world is becoming more dangerous every day. America must stand behind Trump. We must ignore his annoying and immature foibles and support his strategic initiatives relating to terror, health care, Russia, Syria and North Korea. Tying his hands will only enable our enemies to gain more strength.

 

 

The current plan being bandied about in Congress is to vote to repeal Obamacare now. It would become effective in one year. During the ensuing 12 months Congress will attempt to craft a replacement for the existing law. The big question is what will happen if a new law cannot be enacted during said time period?

The proposal is meant to encourage bipartisanship between battling elements of the Republican Party and between Republicans and Democrats. But what will be different during the next 12 months if no interested party is in the mood to compromise? Well, for one thing, the entire health care system might come crumbling down. But this sort of existential threat did little to encourage lawmakers to cooperate in in the past.

Something must change to make this new plan work. It has everything to do with Republican outliers who committed political treason by not supporting their president. It has everything to do with obstructionism by Democrats only interested in bringing down a despised sitting president. The same group is unwilling to offer any suggestions to deal with the health care dilemma. In fact their default solution is to leave Obamacare in place even though most experts are saying the law is going to destroy our health care system and maybe our economy.

At the current low point of congressional and presidential approval ratings it might be a good time for Americans to demand bipartisanship. The leaders of both parties must first consent that unless Congress finds compromise the country is going to be in deep trouble. Moreover this plan can only work if Congress overtly concurs to keep the positive aspects of Obamacare and excise the provisions that are making the entitlement a disaster.

For instance retention of the provision that enables Americans to buy insurance even if they have preexisting conditions, and the provision that allows children up to 26 years of age to stay on their parent’s policies should be included in the new deal. These items are generally acceptable to everyone. Also the sale of insurance across state lines should be permitted to ensure that Americans have access to competitive and diverse sources of coverage.

On the other hand Democrats must allow Republicans to strike down the mandate provision of the law. It is one of the most hated aspects of Obamacare, especially among young, healthy Americans. No one should be forced to buy insurance that is excessively expensive because it contains unwanted protection. And usurping resources from the healthy to subsidize the unhealthy in this manner is bad policy, if not unconstitutional.

The solution to this important issue is to give Americans the opportunity to tailor coverage that meets individual needs, rather than forcing more extensive and costly coverage on them. For instance a healthy 30 year old might only want catastrophic coverage for serious injuries and maladies. This person would buy hospital coverage and would pay for everyday problems out of pocket. The result would be a lower premium and a happy insuree.

Another issue is that Americans are not being told the whole truth about Obamacare. First, and related to the comments about the mandate, is the fact that a new program, as outlined by Republican senators, would effectively cause millions to loose their insurance. This is not quite correct.

Some people who now have insurance were forced to buy it or face a penalty. If this mandate were to be stricken from the law some Americans would voluntarily opt out of the system, a right they should have. This phenomenon could be mitigated, as delineated earlier by providing tailored and cheaper coverage. In any case using the loss of coverage as a scare tactic will not get us to a viable new law.

Also comments by liberals that Republicans want to take health coverage away from the poor people are total nonsense and unproductive. Republicans have not indicated this is an objective. Rather they want a program that is fair to the poor and to taxpayers. Just because Medicaid was jacked up during the Obamacare years does not mean the level of coverage is not excessive. This aspect of the law will require a great deal of effort, compromise and sensitivity. But Medicaid aids about 70 million Americans. It is a monstrous cost to taxpayers that must be dealt with carefully.

Here is a suggestion that will force our lawmakers to compromise and do their jobs. The political penalties to our lawmakers must be significant if they are unable to resolve the Obamacare dilemma.

Consider the following. The filibuster should be eliminated to expedite the enactment of a law to replace Obamacare. If may be a fact that the law will not fixable if a supermajority is required for passage of the entire plan or its parts. The ability of the minority to waylay negotiations must be eliminated.

In the same vein Republicans should be required to deliver a law approved by a majority in both houses or face a severe penalty (keep in mind the Republicans currently have a majority in both houses of Congress). In this regard all members of Congress would submit their resignations if they are unable to enact a new law. They then would compete in a special election enabling the American people to replace those in power that have been an obstacle to new health care legislation.

The aforementioned is radical, but the current health care situation is becoming a serious existential threat. It must be corrected in the near future with or without the current cast of lawmakers in Washington.