There are always a lot of policy initiatives, suggestions, and complaints offered to a new administration. Inevitably, conservatives will be disappointed with some of the Cabinet choices and some of the policies of any administration. But conservatives have an obligation to hold the Trump administration to two iron-clad campaign promises: stopping harmful immigration from the Middle East and repealing Obamacare.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel expresses some concerns about the potential direction of this Administration, particularly on fiscal issues. In the long run, many of those issues will have to be solved through an Article V Convention of the States because Republicans – both in Congress and the Administration – will never deal with them properly. But in the short run, the issues of refugee resettlement and Obamacare must be dealt with on a federal level. Daniel explains how they can be addressed immediately, why they must be the first priorities for conservatives, and how Trump must make no excuses to shirk the mandate he has been given to act upon those issues.
There are some particular problems as it relates to repealing Obamacare. Many Republican leaders are signaling their intention to keep the coverage mandates and just repeal the funding mechanisms of the law (individual mandate, subsidies, taxes). This is a big mistake and will ensure that Obamacare is never repealed and premiums remain sky high.
There will be a number of other important issues bubbling to the surface with a new administration, but Obamacare and refugees are the issues for which conservatives must lay it all on the line.
Key Quote:
On Obamacare: “The coverage mandates of Obamacare are not the stuffing or cranberry sauce. The coverage mandates are reflective of the Turkey itself.”
On Immigration: “Under § 212(f) of Immigration and Nationality Act, “whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” This power is universal, enforceable at the will of the president, and applies any time for any circumstance.”
Show links
Why Transportation should be left to the states
Will Trump and Republicans finally shut down suicidal Somali immigration?
Republicans must commit to complete and immediate repeal of Obamacare. Here’s how
What is the true meaning and origin of Thanksgiving? It’s the same true meaning and origin of our founding, Declaration and Constitution. As Ronald Reagan wrote in his 1986 Thanksgiving Day proclamation, “no custom reveals our character as a Nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day,” as it is “Rooted deeply in our Judeo-Christian heritage” and “underscores our unshakeable belief in God as the foundation of our Nation.”
Thanksgiving, perhaps more than any other day or custom, when one truly understands the meaning and origin of the day, reveals just how divorced this country has become from its foundation. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel goes through the history of Thanksgiving as a day of fasting, prayer, repentance, and beseeching God for his blessings and how it is inextricably tied to our founding as a nation.
Yet, when reflecting upon the true meaning of Thanksgiving one can’t help but feel sorrow over the dramatic change in the character of our nation. Our most sacred heritage has been ruled unconstitutional by the unelected courts. Even conservatives misunderstand the role of the courts and are ignorant of the true imminent threat they pose to our society – from district level to Supreme Court. Daniel explains his opposition to one of the most highly touted conservative replacements for Justice Scalia because that individual clearly doesn’t understand the role of the federal judiciary or our heritage embodied through Thanksgiving.
"Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good." [Psalms, 107:1]
Key Quotes:
“Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them or by a power without them; either by the Word of God or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet.” ~ Robert Winthrop, former Speaker of the House, 1849
“Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” ~ George Washington, Farewell Address
“[a] day of joyful thanksgiving to God for the bounties of His providence, for the peace in which we are permitted to enjoy them, and for the preservation of those institutions of civil and religious liberty which He gave our fathers the wisdom to devise and establish and us the courage to preserve. Among the appropriate observances of the day are rest from toil, worship in the public congregation, the renewal of family ties about our American firesides, and thoughtful helpfulness toward those who suffer lack of the body or of the spirit.” ~President Benjamin Harrison, 1891 Thanksgiving Proclamation
“I advise that on this day religious exercises shall be conducted in the churches or meeting places of all denominations, in order that in the social features of the day its real significance may not be lost sight of, but prayers may be offered to the Most High for a continuance of the divine guidance without which man’s efforts are vain, and for divine consolation to those whose kindred and friends have sacrificed their lives for country.” ~President William McKinley, 1899 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Show Links
What the latest, absurd, religious freedom case could mean for Thanksgiving
10th Circuit Sodom and Gomorrah Court’s Ruling (see page 9 for wickedly hilarious rules of standing)
List of Thanksgiving Proclamations from Continental Congress to the present
As excitement is building among conservatives over some of Trumps solid cabinet picks, especially as it relates to immigration and national security, the concerns over the size of the federal government and the abuse of our Constitution and inalienable rights is more potent than ever. We must focus on making state governments relevant again and one of the most systemic ways of achieving that goal is to promote the Convention of the States Project.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel is joined by Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Convention of the States Project, to discuss Article V conventions, an idea long championed by CR’s Editor-in-Chief, Mark Levin. Have you been wondering how the process works, why it is so important, and the long term benefits we can secure from pursuing Article V? Mark Meckler breaks down the facts and swats down some of the misinformation concerning the process. He also updates us on the state of play in the states and how they can come pretty close to meeting the threshold for a Convention in the coming year.
Remember, if you think this problem can be solved in Washington, you haven’t been reading enough of Conservative Review. Meckler lets conservative activists know how they can get involved in a long term project that will actually secure enduring victories for the Constitution.
Show Links
There has never been a better time or need for a Convention of the States
Did you think congressional Republicans would be emboldened by the election results to change their tepid ways of doing business? Think again. They actually elected the same failed leadership and focused on a ridiculously banal agenda for their first week back after the election.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel focuses on the opportunities that lie ahead for conservatives. What should conservatives focus on in the coming months and what should they leave for future administrations or to the states?
Daniel explains why tax reform is not something we should expend all of our capital on now because it is not a triage item and we usually wind up making things worse whenever we touch it with this crop of Republicans. It’s better to deal with that issue wholesale through a Convention of the States and repeal of the 17th Amendment.
Rather we should focus on 3 categories of issues: 1) immediate triage items that we have a mandate to change, such as Obamacare, religious liberty, refugees, and open borders (get your copy of Stolen Sovereignty for a blueprint) 2) systemic governmental reforms, such as judicial reform and term limits –issues that are easy to message and 3) devolving core functions, such as transportation, education, and welfare back to the states.
By empowering the states and focusing on systemic reforms, conservative can form a permanent firewall in state governments. We call them rainy day reforms, political victories that will last for us even when Democrats inevitably win back the federal government.
Meanwhile, there will be opportunities to work with the Trump administration on foreign policy, national security, and immigration while hopefully steering their focus away from some of their liberal domestic policy agenda.
Key Quotes:
“We must use this narrowing window of electoral viability to focus on rainy day reforms so that we are never one election away from losing our liberty.”
“Everyone talks about entitlements except for the one true entitlement – that we are all entitled to a republican form of government, irrespective of who wins an election. This is our Constitution and our inalienable rights. We shouldn’t have to be one Supreme Court justice or one court decision away from losing our Constitution. Time for wholesale judicial reform.”
Important Show Links
The election is over! House GOP celebrates by passing a new tax ... on concrete
The battle for the courts part 1: We still have a major problem that requires wholesale reform
At every turn, we must asses how we can best make lemonade with the lemons that God presents us with. In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel dissects the exit polls, returns, and down the ballot races to demonstrate why Republicans have a huge mandate on policy. At the same time, there is an imperative that they use it because there is also counter data to show that Democrats are still very much on their way to building their permanent demographic majority in presidential years, despite last night’s results.
Daniel delves into the false GOP narrative about the need to be liberal on immigration and how last night’s results vindicate our view both from a policy standpoint and from an electoral viability standpoint.
As always, Daniel continues to make the case for judicial reform and how we must use this win as an opportunity to create an enduring firewall in state government against future national wins for Democrats.
While everyone is focusing on the horse race and polling ahead of Tuesday’s election, Daniel takes the opportunity to discuss some foundational causes and righteous battles that must go on irrespective of who wins the election.
In this episode of the Conservative Conscience, Daniel demonstrates why some conservatives are absolutely wrong to assert that the Supreme Court is deadlocked 4-4, suggesting that all we have to do is block Hillary from appointing a bad justice (or have Trump, if he wins, fill Scalia’s seat with a good justice). The court is in fact at least 5-3 liberal on most important issues. Between the lower courts being lost forever, Kennedy being with the Left on the most consequential societal issues, and Roberts being unreliable and also reluctant to overturn lower courts, we have long lost the judiciary. We need to make fight for wholesale judicial reform otherwise the Left will get what they want anyway.
Daniel also delves into Obamacare and how it could permanently destroy Democrats as long as we continue our movement outside the Republican Party to destroy the leviathan even if Hillary wins.
Remember, the Republic will not rise or fall on this election alone but on whether we acquiesce to the unpopular tyranny or commit to new strategies in fighting for the same principles.
Key Quotes
“The Constitution is the ultimate stare decisis.” Clarence Thomas
Show Links
This is how dishonest liberal Republicans become when they run against conservatives
Daniel’s personal Obamacare story
A demonstration why the courts are already gone
Early voting is unfair, unwise, and unconstitutional