OPINION:
Unhappy Republicans, anti-Trump Democrats and as always, the Democrats’ faithful friends in the media are all crowing over midterm results, saying the end of MAGA has come; the president’s powers have now been stripped; the next two years will bring nothing but lame-duck conservativism, and so forth and so on and so forth.
But really, President Donald Trump ought to take a page from the Barack Obama playbook and govern by pen and phone. Why not?
What’s good for the Dems who see nothing wrong with tearing apart and shredding the Constitution when their own party is in charge of the major political offices, should certainly be good for the Republicans.
People were interested in these podcasts
“Obama: I will use my pen and phone to take on Congress,” CBS wrote in a January 14, 2014, headline, at a time when it seemed to political watchers that the then-executive branch would not be able to pass particular agenda items through the Republican-controlled House.
“Obama’s pen-and-phone strategy,” Politico wrote, also on January 14, 2014.
The coverage came after remarks Obama made during his first Cabinet meeting of that year.
Among his statements: “One of the things that I will be emphasizing in this meeting is the fact that we are not just going to be waiting for legislation in order to make sure that we are providing Americans the kind of help that they need,” Obama said to his Cabinet members, Politico wrote.
Who needs Congress when you have a pen and phone, right?
“Wielding A Pen And A Phone, Obama Goes It Alone,” NPR wrote on January 20, 2014.
Notice the tone.
“President Obama has a new phrase he’s been using a lot lately: ‘I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone.’ He’s talking about the tools a president can use if Congress isn’t giving him what he wants: executive actions and calling people together. It’s another avenue the president is using to pursue his economic agenda,” NPR went on.
Yay, Obama.
Great guy, that Obama.
He’s doing what it takes to get the job done for the American people, and he’s so exuberant to give, give, give the best, best, best to the people that he simply has no patience to wait on those doddering fools in Congress — constitutional and legislative process be danged.
Yay, yay, yay for Obama.
Enter Trump — and imagine if Trump said the same thing, now that Congress will fall to Democrat control.
Trump, 2027: I have a pen and phone — I don’t need to wait on Congress.
Media: The Constitution!!!
Democrats: Tyrant!!!
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: Impeach!!!
Weak Republicans who sit and wait for the next opportunity to take down Trump: (Speaking anonymously) — impeach!!!
Here’s what Obama said when asked on NPR about his pen and phone approach: “I am going to be working with Congress where I can to accomplish [my economic policies], but I am also going to act on my own if Congress is deadlocked.”
There you have it.
The Obama White House called this executive style of rule the “Year of Action.”
What’s good for Obama should surely be good for Trump. And all the members of the media and Democrats who applauded the executive bypass of Congress by Obama must do the same for Trump. After all, Trump simply wants what’s best for the American people and if Democrats in Congress won’t get on board with his agenda, then by the Democrat Party’s own logic, he’s quite within his rights to take matters into his own executive hands.
Follow the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.