Sorry, I couldn’t resist using that word and while it does not fully convey the gargantuan size of the federal bureaucracy that now exists.  Our founding fathers would be livid were they able to appear on the scene today and view what we have allowed to transpire in our federal government.  We have become something quite other than what they envisioned and exactly what they warned us against.  We slept while the bureaucrats stole our republic and now we have the exhausting and grueling task of fighting to take it back and cut off the far-reaching tentacles of the federal bureaucracy.  Can we accomplish it?  I doubt it, at least not in our lifetime but if we do not begin now attempting to do so, we will have doomed the generations of our grandchildren and beyond to the tyranny of bureaucratic regulations that virtually suspend our constitution.  WE SURELY DO NOT WANT THAT!

Barack Obama has been on a rampage in issuing new regulations that will cost BILLIONS if not TRILLIONS over their lifetime and further cripple our economy and endanger our republic.  Congress could have acted long before now to reign in this type of rogue sunset destruction but they opted to neglect their duty and we have what we have.  Mr. Obama is hell-bent on making life difficult if not impossible for the incoming president Donald J. Trump and the Republicans in Congress.  There are things they could, should and must do if we have any hope of turning this runaway train around and begin the slow and deliberate process of returning to fiscal and political in America.  Will they?  WE WILL SEE!

The House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-NC released a list of more than 200 rules, regulations, and executive orders they hope the incoming president will target and repeal.  Unfortunately, with a list that massive, it would be too easy to get lost in the enormity of the problem and only superficially deal with the issue.  There must be prioritization and those items at the top of the list MUST be seriously addressed immediately.  The first 100 days are incredibly important and the first 6 months are critical if the Trump administration has any hope of achieving many of its stated objectives found in his campaign promises.  I will work diligently to ensure that my Representative with his C-Liberty Score and the two Senators who have an A (Cruz) and F (Cornyn) Liberty Score move with dispatch to address the prioritized issues.

Some bills that were introduced and should be reintroduced include, H.R.712 – “Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act”.  This addresses the issue of outside groups ‘suing and settling’ with the federal government behind closed doors and the settlement results in ‘new regulations’.  The House passed this 244-173 in 2015 but McConnell never allowed it to come to a vote in the Senate.  Thanks, Mitch!  There is H.R. 427 – “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.”  I love the acronym because with Mr. Obama’s current barrage of regulations at a cost of BILLIONS Congress needs to be required to approve those with the hefty price tags many of the have.  This too was passed by the House in 2015 but never voted on by the Senate.  There is H.R. 4768 – “Separation of Powers Act”.  This would reverse the doctrine created by the Supreme Court in 1984 called the Chevron Doctrine.  What that doctrine allows is for the courts to defer to federal regulatory agencies’ interpretation of perceived ambiguities in the federal law.  THAT IS RIDICULOUS!  This act would require that both the Supreme Court and lower courts rule on regulations based on merit, not deference.  This was passed by the House in 2016 but the Senate seemed to be oblivious to its existence.  Then there is H.R. 5982 – “Midnight Rules Relief Act”.  This would allow Congress to disapprove multiple regulations finalized by federal regulatory agencies within the 60 days allowed by Congressional Review Act.  This passed the House but no vote in the Senate.  Do you see a pattern?  The House passes something but the Senate ignores it.  One of the number one issues that the Trump administration SHOULD deal with is the Repeal and Replacement of Obamacare.  The government is out of control and now is the time to act!

If Congress does its job and the Trump administration fulfills its promises, we will move toward restoration of Article I of the Constitution and once again see true ‘Separation of Powers’ and genuine ‘Checks and Balances’ in Washington.  That is good for WE THE PEOPLE and good for the Republic.  I also, pray that Congress will pass a Balanced Budget Act and stick to it.  I would like to see us move from a ‘baseline budget’ to a ‘zero-based budget’.  That would allow us to stop having automatic 5-10% increases and calling anything less a ‘budget cut’.  With ‘zero-based budgeting’ we would require every agency to begin at ZERO and justify the funds it needs and not simply perpetuate itself but operate with fiscal reality.  The same with our subsidies and foreign aid funds.  Begin at ZERO and those countries MUST have demonstrated their loyalty to us as an ally otherwise they get ZERO and many of them should get ZERO regardless.  Those are among my 2017 Wishes for the New Administration and the 115^th Congress.  TIME TO ACT NOW!

God, bless you and God bless America!