If Donald Trump returns to the White House, he should use the "reconciliation process" to enact a bold agenda through Congress. These include defense re-armament, tax cuts, energy production expansion, federal bureaucracy reduction, border wall construction, school choice, funding restrictions for colleges and public media, and election system reforms.
Former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, faces an urgent mandate to enact significant legislative changes if he is elected. With the potential for a Republican trifecta in government, he can utilize the "reconciliation process" to bypass Senate filibusters and enact controversial budget and tax measures.
The "reconciliation process" allows for expedited consideration of legislation related to spending, taxes, and debt limits. This process proved advantageous for President Biden's administration in passing the "COVID relief" package and the "Inflation Reduction Act."
Trump's Mandate for Change: Urgent Priorities for His Second Term
Trump should prioritize the following measures using reconciliation:
1. **Defense Re-armament:** Expedited construction of shipyards and nuclear submarines, expansion of submarine forces, and enhancement of cyber and satellite capabilities.
Trump's Mandate for Change: Urgent Priorities for His Second Term
2. **Tax Cuts:** Extension of Trump Tax Cuts, exemption of tips from taxable income, and taxation of endowments over a billion dollars.
3. **Energy Expansion:** Rapid expansion of energy production from all sources, suspension of regulatory hurdles, and construction of modern nuclear plants.
Trump's Mandate for Change: Urgent Priorities for His Second Term
4. **Bureaucracy Reduction:** Forced reduction of federal workforce by at least a third, with direct orders to cut non-essential agencies and repeal of Civil Service Reform Act provisions that hinder discipline.
5. **Border Wall:** Authorization for immediate construction of up to 1,200 miles of border wall, notwithstanding any existing laws or treaties.
Trump's Mandate for Change: Urgent Priorities for His Second Term
6. **School Choice:** Conditioning federal funding on the implementation of robust school choice programs modeled after existing programs in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, or West Virginia.
7. **Funding Restrictions:** Prohibition of grants to colleges with endowments exceeding a billion dollars and federal funding to National Public Radio, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and other grant-making agencies for four years or until a balanced budget is achieved.
Trump's Mandate for Change: Urgent Priorities for His Second Term
8. **Election Reform:** Conditioning federal funding on maintenance of standardized election procedures, including voter ID and limiting absentee voting. Prohibition of "ranked voting" for federal office.
These measures would reset the federal government and fit within the confines of reconciliation. However, Trump must ensure his GOP allies in Congress support his agenda and avoid the past mistake of failing to effectively use reconciliation.
Trump's transition should be efficient, with his nominees confirmed expeditiously. He must also convey a sense of urgency to Republican congressional leaders, as "there is genuinely not a moment to lose."
If Trump returns to the White House, his second term should be characterized by bold action and swift implementation of these priorities to address the nation's urgent challenges. By embracing a spirit of urgency and collaboration, Trump can enact meaningful changes that will shape the future of the United States.
