Why the Immigration Debate Matters

Dominating the US news for the last three weeks has been the government shutdown and fight over funding for the border wall. Democrats refuse to fund the wall, President Trump insists on it. Stalemate ensues, and the United States is stuck in the longest government shutdown in history.

The United States fiscal year 2019 budget is 4.407 trillion dollars. The estimated cost of the border wall is 5.7 billion dollars. In essence, Democrats have forced a government shutdown in protest of what would be .1% of the federal budget.

Half of Something can be Better than All of Nothing

In politics, gradualism, deal-making and compromise get a bad rap. They are seen as weak and unprincipled. In the United States, we experience this in every level of politics, where neither side will give an inch for fear that they will lose their base. The end result is gridlock.

There is a time to stand firm in one’s beliefs and principles. But there is also a time to make a deal, and when important issues are at stake, remember at times half of something can be better than all of nothing.

Uptick in US Support for Taiwan

Keen observers in Taiwan have noted a significant uptick in recent US statements of support. Some have seen the Trump administration as generally more favorable to Taiwan, given the President-elect’s willingness to receive President Tsai’s congratulatory phone call and given the President’s willingness to sign significant pro-Taiwan legislation into law without modification or caveat. Notwithstanding that general trend, with which I agree, the source and content of recent statements has indeed been notable.

Major Review of China Likely in New Congress

You wouldn’t know it, based on current headlines, but the United States Congress is poised to conduct a critical review of the full spectrum of US policy issues related to China, on a scale not seen since the normalization of diplomatic relations with Beijing 40 years ago.

In the immediate term, all eyes are fixed on negotiations related to the government shutdown and measures to secure our southern border. The disposition of US forces deployed to Syria and Afghanistan also is a near term focus. But soon enough, once the full committees and relevant subcommittees have settled in and conducted initial business, the new Congress is likely to take a deep dive on China.

Making Friends in Politics and Diplomacy

My former boss, the Vice President of the United States taught me an important lesson when I first ran for the legislature in 2014. I worked for him for the first 5 years of the Bush administration, and we kept in touch over the years. When I decided to run, I called the Vice President and asked for his support. He offered an endorsement, but then warned me “don’t make it hard for me to be your friend.” This advice has stuck with me to this day.

Fox Opinion: Hey, Christian Bale, Dick Cheney's my former boss. Here's what your Golden Globes speech missed.

These elites live in a warped and entitled bubble, where “their truth” is to be imposed as “the truth” on all of us dim and dirty deplorables. As they gather for these celebrations of their collective narcissism, perhaps they forget that beyond the room full of their kind of people (who think Satan is funny and Republicans are evil) lies a large, fruited plain of people who think, believe and live differently.

If we deplorables wise up and stop paying to be insulted by them, their glorious bubble will get a lot smaller.