The political zeitgeist has always alleged that a new President and his (or, soon, her) Administration is entitled to – or at least enjoys – a “honeymoon period.” A time immediately following the Inauguration when the person We the People elected based on policies – gets to begin to implement those policies relatively free from massive opposition and onslaught.
There are legitimate republican reasons for this. The opposing Party – and any other persons and factions who don’t like for what the new President stands – should at least initially defer to the new President, out of deference to the will of We the People who just elected him. The opposition made an argument, presented their case – and lost. To the victor goes at least some policy spoils.
But the zeitgeist has for nigh ever been controlled by the Left. The media, the entertainment media, the colleges and universities – just about anyone and anything that helps decide the zeitgeist – is nigh radical Left. So to paraphrase George Orwell: “All honeymoons are equal – but some honeymoons are more equal than others.”
For instance, now-President Donald Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama – is still enjoying his post-election honeymoon, nearly a month after ending his two-term-eight-years. His failure-and-scandal-ridden tenure – existed in a zeitgeist alternate universe where everything was great and everyone was happy.
Obamacare has been imploding since its inception – but we were incessantly told it is a miraculous success. 94+ million Americans are out of the workforce – but we were incessantly told that the Obama economy is roaring.
Heck, post-presidency Obama is openly flouting another tradition – Presidents riding off into the sunset, never again to be heard from about their successors – and the zeitgeist LOVE the deviation. Obama’s Organizing for Action is money-ing up, staffing up and revving up – to actively oppose Trump. And, it should be noted, to actively oppose We the People – who elected Trump to undo just about all of what Obama did.
There was, of course, literally zero honeymoon for Trump. At the exact same moment he was being sworn into office – rioters were destroying parts of Washington, D.C. Over 200 people were indicted.
When the burnings aren’t literal – they’re figurative. Congressional Democrats have set alight the Trump Transition process. No President since George Washington (for government school victims – he was the very first) has had so few Cabinet members confirmed. Democrats are slowest-walking each nominee’s process – and then when they’ve run out of time to burn are in toto skipping the confirmation votes.
The zeitgeist, meanwhile, are railing as one against Team Trump as an Administration in “chaos.” Which is yet more alternate reality stuff. In Thursday’s epic press conference, amongst many other salient points, Trump rightly pointed out that it would be anti-chaos helpful if he had his Cabinet picks in place.
But even without a Cabinet or a honeymoon – and even with Obama holdovers and perma-bureaucrats illegally leaking like sieves – Team Trump is accomplishing quite a lot. And it is right in line with the things on which he ran.
While Congress carefully crafts legislative repairs and reforms – Team Trump is with Executive Action undoing as much Obama as he alone possibly can. On Inauguration Day, he “signed an executive order aimed at ‘minimizing the economic burden’ of Obamacare ‘pending repeal.’” Five days later, he signed an immigration order – no, not that one, another one – calling on federal immigration enforcement agents to again, you know, actually enforce our immigration laws. Five days after that, he signed another order mandating that for every one new regulation – two must be undone.
It is the Democrats’ dread of deregulation that is a chief reason for their Cabinet blockade. Trump needs his people in place to implement the 2-for-1 order – so the Donkeys won’t allow his people into place.
Thankfully, not all regulatory reform requires Congressional consent. To wit: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). A fully-staffed FCC contains five Senate-confirmed Commissioners – three of the President’s Party, one of whom also serves as Chairman. But like the Supreme Court, the Commission can operate at a less-than-full-contingent.
There are currently three Commissioners on board – two Republicans and one Democrat. Trump on January 22 named Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai acting Chairman. And Pai went right to work reforming the FCC – and setting the table for undoing Obama’s tech power grabs.
After all, Trump ran on reform and deregulation – and won. It stands to reason that Trump’s FCC would do precisely what Pai is doing.
Pai has already greatly reduced the massive fraud in the FCC’s “Obamaphone” Lifeline plan. He has stopped the long-abused Democrat practice of dramatically rewriting regulations AFTER the public has commented and the Commission has voted on them. And he has mandated that the text of the regulations…be available to be read by the public BEFORE the Commission votes on them (which also makes the public commenting on them a little easier).
So far – so great. But the Tech Holy Grail for Democrats – is the Commission’s 2015 unilateral power grab that shoved the Internet under 1887 monopoly railroad law, so as to then impose Network Neutrality. This is socialism for the Internet – it guarantees everyone equal amounts of nothing. It is, in fact, Obamacare for the Internet. And it will do to the Tech sector – what Obamacare has done to the health sector.
So of course Democrats LOVE it. And in true honeymoon-free fashion, Donkeys are attacking Pai on Net Neutrality – before Pai has even said what he’ll do on Net Neutrality. Sure, he dissented in 2015. And has clearly stated that he thinks 1887 monopoly railroad law is…a little inappropriate for the 21st Century dynamic, free-speech-free-market Xanadu Internet.
But Pai has repeatedly said “I favor an open Internet” – the original intent of Net Neutrality, upon which nigh everyone on the planet agrees. And you can get there – with a whole lot less government than 2015’s top-down, all-encompassing power grab.
So, how about before anyone freaks out – we wait to see…you know, what Pai actually intends to do? But…of course not. The zeitgeist has mandated no honeymoon – and the Left snaps to.
A gaggle of Senators held a press conference demanding the deregulatory-mandate of the 2016 election – be completely ignored by the Trump-Pai FCC. And the Left-Media Complex – has gone absolutely, totally-dishonestly apoplectic.
Ajit Pai, Donald Trump’s FCC Pick, Hates Net Neutrality
Yet again – no he does not. He thinks the ridiculous 2015 power grab is ridiculous – because it is ridiculous.
Ajit Pai is a Threat to Net Neutrality
Yet again – no he is not. He is a threat to 1887 railroad monopoly law’s application to the Internet – protest that, if you wish.
And the lies and hysteria roll on, and on, and….
Trump Taps Net-Neutrality Foe Ajit Pai to Lead FCC
Ajit Pai, ‘Net Neutrality’ Foe, Picked to Head FCC
FCC’s New Chairman No Fan of Net Neutrality
The Man Who Will Dismantle Net Neutrality ‘With A Smile’
And on, and on, and….
The Left Zeitgeist mandates no honeymoon. For Trump – or the likes of Trump’s FCC Chairman. So no one on Team Trump gets a honeymoon.
The protests roll on. No matter what Team Trump says – no matter that they haven’t yet even acted.
Because the Left Zeitgeist is, as always, “open-minded” and “tolerant.”
This first appeared in Red State.