2018 Elections

Democrats hate all Republican presidents, period. Donald Trump just happens to be one with a Democrat-like personal history so they despise him especially. To Democrats, Trump is akin to a traitor; they desperately want to hang him but can’t spare the impeachment noose.

If President Trump truly cares about retaining Congress, he has to stop thinking about his base and start thinking about those in the competitive districts. How can he make their lives easier? That's not about policy. At the very least, it's about generating fewer headlines. Trump's base is rock-solid, and it's not going anywhere. But he needs more than his base to win in 2018 and 2020. And barring a personality change, that means minimizing the transaction costs of defending him for those who must show up to the polls.

President Trump deserves much credit for weathering the media tempest that’s swirling around him at all times. The president generates much of the news himself, of course, but conservatives should admire a politician who so willingly endures the worst to make America great again.

The Democrats’ hopes for a “blue wave” this November might rest on how they maneuver through social issues that divide the parties. This issue is beyond the control of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats who want to keep the elections focused elsewhere. When asked specifically about the NFL’s new anthem policy, Pelosi punted as she responded: “I love the national anthem. I love the flag. And I love the First Amendment, and I’ll just leave it at that.” In the coming weeks, Republicans will hold the Democrats’ feet to the fire.

President Trump campaigned on policies that would boost the economy to 4 percent – or greater – growth. Now, just when America’s hard-pressed middle-income families are beginning to see the benefits of Trump’s policies, is not the time for the Fed to cool the economy.

Republicans should take comfort that the fate of their congressional majorities rests in their own hands this year if they’ll only cast off the advice of the “experts” and follow the lead of President Trump. GOP candidates must nationalize the election by hitting hard on the issues people care about most.

Democratic - Socialist congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is hardly the only radical Far-Left Democrat on the ballot this November, nor is she in many respects the most radical.

Liberals argue limited government conservatism doesn’t appeal to a mass audience. It isn’t true, but there’s no doubt socialism turns off huge swaths of Americans. Free people understand you can’t get something for nothing, a truism that’s proving very hard to swallow for Democrats.

Unique outlooks are what each representative and senator is supposed to bring to work in Congress – and can only be accomplished by showing up and fighting for the issues they campaigned on. If Republicans continue to drop the ball through apathy, voters won’t be pleased.

Critics claim the Trump administration plays like a “reality show” when in fact America hasn’t been run this efficiently and effectively in a long time. Trump haters see people like Omarosa and think the White House is in disarray; those who pay attention recognize the real truth.

Purveyors of the “prevailing wisdom” will never accept that Washington must change and new leaders are desperately needed to foster it. Installing Jim Jordan as Speaker would be a good place to start, but even then the battle over the DC capital’s culture would just be commencing.

The anniversary of last year’s Charlottesville incident came and went, but liberals shouldn’t fret – there’ll be another one next year. Leftists need every possible reminder of their sinister causes they can get – and they’ll use them too. It’s all part of the ongoing battle for control of American culture.

The biggest factor is likely to be whether Trump commits himself to a busy schedule of those rallies to which he can attract 30,000 or so voters at a clip. He's already scheduled a few. It may be too early to predict how this will turn out, but there's one thing that I will predict: This promises to be a real nail-biter, at least on the House side. The Senate is likely to stay Republican, but if the Democrats get that traditional 30-seat swing they will control the House. However, if they pick up 24 seats or fewer, the GOP retains control.

America does look different today and many of us are upset about it. The changes resulted from a devolution of culture where it’s no longer considered mandatory by the elites to express regular reverence for God, tradition and country. If we’re truly better off for it, can someone explain how?

Mark Twain was right – without a competent media you aren’t informed, but if you pay too much attention to the wrong sources, you’re mis-informed. We can’t necessarily control what we read but there is leeway to choose what to believe. Remember this the next time talk turns to politics.

The president’s reliance on his vast reserves of self-confidence encourages ignoring the evidence of “trouble, trouble, right here in River City.” The election of 2016 was stunning in its surprise, and it had been building for years, perhaps decades. Some people think the result was a divine gift, and perhaps it was. But the Scriptures tell us that “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.” No wave can stand against that.

The media may spin last week’s special elections results as a net-win for Democrats but it’s the Donald Trump-led Republican party that’s sending winners to Congress time after time. The party still has much work to do ahead of November but don’t be fooled – the GOP glass is at least half-full.

As vigorous and enthusiastic campaigner as Donald Trump is, he can only show up the weekend before the election to save a few congressional candidates whose campaigns are lagging. If you want to win, nationalize the election and start campaigning NOW on the Trump agenda.

Debate will continue as to libertarianism’s place within the larger body of conservatism. To remain viable the GOP must appeal to all believers in small or limited government, something Donald Trump needs to understand. Will the GOP congressional leadership go along as well?

Going forward, the GOP needs to more fully embrace Trumpism; it needs to unequivocally take up the issues of trade and immigration — and stand firm on them (except in extreme cases). The GOP also needs to unflinchingly wage the Culture War. A coalition of blue-collar workers and social conservatives is waiting to be embraced by the wider GOP. As Reagan said, the Republicans need to be “raising a banner of bold colors, no pale pastels.” So far, without Trump, the GOP is all pastel.