Friday, December 16, 2016

Where President Trump May Face Congressional Resistance

House speaker Paul Ryan (Reuters photo: Yuri Gripas
Congressional factions have the power to throw up plenty of roadblocks to President Trump’s preferred policies.
When President Donald Trump is sworn in next month, Republicans will hold the presidency and both houses of Congress for the first time since 2006. For everyone who has been complaining about gridlock for the past decade, there is now the possibility of action. But before everyone joins hands and sings “Kumbaya,” it’s worth noting that President Trump and Republicans in Congress don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on a host of issues.
Of course, Republicans will have every incentive to deliver some quick victories. Even those who didn’t support or don’t like President Trump have a vested interest in his success. And, certainly, they will be chastened by the grassroots anger so evident in November. Still, there are serious fault lines that will not easily be bridged.
Republicans will have only a two-vote margin in the Senate (where Vice President Pence will break a 50-50 tie), and an even smaller margin on key committees. For example, Republicans have just a 9-to-8 majority on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, meaning a single GOP defection could doom Trump’s nominations or other foreign-policy initiatives. Even in the House, where Republicans have a much larger — though reduced — majority, House speaker Paul Ryan has seen how even a small, rambunctious minority of Republicans can make his life miserable. With Democrats likely united, every Republican faction will see itself as a potential kingmaker.
President Trump may find “getting things done” harder than he thought. Among the potential flashpoints:
Tind out the 7 flashpoints and read the rest from Michael Tanner HERE.

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