Column By Mike Bibb
“Several House Republicans meeting behind closed doors said there was an audible gasp in the room when they heard Trump had picked (Matt) Gaetz. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins was among those who said they were shocked, appearing to refer to Trump’s demand that his nominees be done with recess appointment — without Senate confirmation.”
ABC News, “Gaetz as AG triggers audible gasps from some Republicans,” Nov. 14, 2024.
Before certain Republicans voice objections to specific Trump cabinet picks, maybe they should keep in mind he is the reason why Republicans are where they are today.
Traditionally, Republicans have experienced difficulty — even discontent — amongst themselves in deciding cabinet appointees and policies.
In a normal election year, with the usual run-of-the-mill candidates, this wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Actually, it would be atypical if they didn’t squabble.
But 2024 was not a normal election. Far from it.
First, Democrats ran two candidates. President Joe Biden announced he was going to be the Democrat’s expected entry and proceeded to go through the Primary Election process, campaigning and winning several state primaries.
Then, the July televised Presidential debate between Biden and Donald Trump altered the course of history.
Biden’s deteriorating cognitive situation, previously concealed by Democrats and the media, was exposed for the whole world to see.
It wasn’t pretty.
Soon after, Democrat Party bosses and Hollywood elites decided Biden’s Presidency should end on Jan. 20, 2025. He was pulled from the primary process and immediately became a one-term Lame Duck President.
In effect, Biden’s millions of primary votes were instantly nullified. Undoubtedly, not all Dems were in favor of such a sudden and bizarre stunt.
At the same time, Democrats promoted Vice President Kamala Harris to take Joe’s place without going through the usual primary election procedure. Apparently, the Democratic process of voting for the candidate of your choice is good — except when it isn’t.
She was officially approved during the Democratic National Convention in August. The fix was in.
Currently, we have a President with limited time, replaced by an unqualified and incompetent Vice President who will eventually lose in the General Election.
Democrats also suffered defeat in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, in addition to the Electoral College.
All because Democrat supervisors decided to change the way of doing business and proceeded to promote a candidate who was, obviously, way out of her league.
Her stint as Vice President was evidence of this.
As a result, voters saw her for what she was and said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Joe may have had a chance of being elected to a second term, but we’ll never know.
Consequently, a previously one-term President is returning to Washington to begin his second term on Jan. 20—only the second time in history this has happened; the 22nd and 24th President Grover Clevland accomplished the task, serving as president from 1885 to 1889 and again from 1893 to 1897.
Trump was #45 and will become #47, with Biden in between at #46.
Given the unusualness of the situation and the amazing resolve, tenacity, and energy of Donald Trump, Republicans have been given a golden opportunity to at least begin the process of dismantling a Washington, D.C., political apparatus that has become nearly unworkable, corrupt, and excessively expensive.
The Joe Biden Administration is, in my opinion, one of the worst bunch of misfits ever to occupy the nation’s Capital. With the possible exception of #15, President James Buchanan’s term, 1857-1861 — whose bungling of the nation’s slavery and secession woes prior to the Civil War has probably earned him the #1 position.
A tragedy, eventually dividing the country and costing hundreds of thousands of lives and decades to recover.
Trump, on the other hand, walks into an environment fraught with inflation, heavy debt, government over-regulation, open borders, an infestation of illegal drugs, boys in girls’ sports, ongoing wars, Justice Dept. abuses, political party intrigues, and the usual assortment of social headaches.
All this while tangling with FBI raids on his home, indictments, trials, convictions, assassination attempts, and continual Democratic harassment in one form or another. Including, but not limited to, being labeled the new Hitler, leading a gaggle of racist Nazis against the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
This begs the question: Why would Trump struggle against all these unpleasantries and continue seeking a second term in the Oval Office? What could possibly be the motivating factor?
He’s already been President, lives a comfortable life, and certainly doesn’t need the fame or money. Yet, for over eight years, he’s given the middle finger to those trying to toss him out of the White House or keep him from regaining it.
There are probably several answers, but I believe it boils down to a simple and unmistakable conclusion: Donald Trump is naturally wired differently than most folks. He believes in something so strongly that he’s willing to go the distance, suffer ridicule and abuse—even risk being jailed or shot — to accomplish a task few people could ever imagine or endure.
Certainly not the mainstream media, which continues to berate him virtually every hour of every day.
In return—after guiding his party to an amazing victory—all he is asking of his supporters and Republican Party members in Congress is to grant him the tools he thinks necessary to achieve his vision of restoring honesty, integrity, and leadership to a government that has been bloated in size, racked with authoritarian abuse, and indebtedness beyond comprehension.
Now, in his last two months in office, President Joe is showing signs of guiding us into a major confrontation with Russia.
Good golly, Miss Molly, Democrats removed Joe from running for President because they believed he’s incapable of remembering what day follows Wednesday, yet he’s still Commander-in-Chief of the military and is provoking President Putin by providing Ukraine with American-made missiles that can reach deep into Russia.
Are we rapidly approaching the edge of insanity? What happens if one, two, or more of those missiles miss the intended targets and strike a Russian military installation, hospital, school, or government office?
It’s almost inconceivable Joe is forbidden to run for reelection but can tote around the nuclear football.
As Jerry Reed’s 1977 country song “East Bound and Down” reminds us, “We have a long way to go and a short time to get there.” To thank them for helping many of them keep their jobs, Republican-controlled House and Senate brothers and sisters should lend Trump a helping hand.
Failure to do so could reverse 2024 Republican gains in the 2026 Mid-Term Elections.
Actually, Democrats are already working toward that goal.
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author.
Editor’s Note: House Speaker Mike Johnson has attempted to conceal the House’s investigation into Matt Gaetz’s reported history of illicit drug use, payment of prostitutes for sex using Venmo, and having sex with underage females. Senate Republicans have urged the release to better vet the person the new president wants to be the top law enforcement officer for the country.
