Battle4Liberty

Today we will decide who will be our next president. The winner will have a lot to do with immigration, trade, and the Supreme Court. Don’t get me wrong, this is a huge election. But I’d like to point out some very important issues that will remain on the table no matter who wins.

This election will be close. I’m always amazed that we refer to 5-point wins as “decisive” or “landslides.” The winner will claim vindication and some sort of mandate, but our country will be as divided as ever on November 9. The best case (realistic) scenario for Clinton includes a Republican House and ongoing investigations. A President Trump would face opposition in his own party and constant Senate filibusters. We can expect our government to be as divided as the voters. If divided means that less gets done, this isn’t the worst outcome.

Clinton may have promised “debt-free college” and Trump better trade deals, but Congress will have a lot to say about these issues. The President can wield a lot of influence, but his or her views will be tempered by the will of legislature. If you’re worried that Clinton might by-pass Congress with “a pen and a phone,” my guess is that she might not hesitate to anger the Republicans while her investigations are ongoing, which could be a while.

Regardless of the victor, the national debt will continue to rise. While Clinton seeks to expand entitlements, Trump wants to hold steady and is counting on economic growth to save the day. Trump’s prospects would be better given his tax proposals and the leanings of a Republican House, but both candidates have kicked the entitlement issue can down the road.

Win or lose, the Republican Civil War will begin on Wednesday. If Trump loses, he and his followers will likely blame the establishment for a close defeat and many will call for a new party. The Trumpsters would have a point. While Trump has made some errors along the way, never before has a presidential nominee had to battle so many within his own party. A Trump victory would mean an entirely new look for the Republican party, but don’t expect Romney, Bush, Kasich, Ryan, McCain, and the rest of the usual suspects to go down easy. There’s a lot of political blood left to be shed either way, and it will probably be a good thing over the long haul. The Republican party has been feckless for years now and needs a major overhaul.

Win or lose, we will still have a massively biased “mainstream” media. WikiLeaks continues to expose CNN’s corrupt ties to the DNC. While past GOP nominees seemed easily intimidated, Trump (to his credit) has kept this issue front and center. Imperfect though it may be, Fox News will continue to lean right to counter the herd. Kudos to Fox for its investigative work with WikiLeaks and the FBI investigations while others conveniently swept these issues under the rug.

There’s a lot riding on this election, but it’s only part of the equation. If you read this on November 8 and haven’t voted yet, your vote can make a difference. But no matter who wins, the battle for our liberties won’t end on Wednesday morning.