Recent history has indicated that first midterm elections do not bode well for new Presidents; both Clinton and Obama lost control of the House, for example. As for Trump, with November fast approaching, there are exaggerated expectations of a “blue wave” sweeping the Democrats into power.
This is a distinct possibility in the House, and unlikely in the Senate, where recent polls “should have the National Republican Senate Committee doing cartwheels,” according to the National Review.  However, a lot can change between now and the election.
The Democrats, motivated by an opportunity to grade the President’s performance, are already gearing up by kowtowing to the minority vote, who they will abandon after the election, as they always do.
To Trump supporters, Hillary’s loss is now a fond memory, while for the “Never Trumpers” this midterm is rife with vengeance. Turnout will be the key, and vengeance is a strong motivator.
If the nation is to retard the disconcerting trend of ever increasing liberalization of the nation, this election has to be viewed as critical, but it seems that is said in every election. Given that though, the election of 2018 will be a crossroad for the Trump presidency.
Following are five reasons why it is imperative, that the GOP retain Congress:

1) AGENDA, WHAT AGENDA? – The GOP and the 114th Congress have not performed as well as hoped, which is disappointing. However there were some considerable accomplishments deserving of acknowledgment: The Veterans Affairs Accountability, Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 and The Tax Reform Act. Additionally, Congress has reduced regulatory burdens by removing 22 regulations for every new one added. Beyond Congress, we have: Neil Gorsuch, strong support for Israel, record number of judicial appointments, Nikki Haley’s  outstanding support of the USA at the UN, which was a fresh approach after eight years of the Apologist-in-Chief. Yes, the budget was a huge disappointment, as was the failure to overturn ObamaKare, but given the choice of having Nancy Pelosi back as Speaker, do we really have an alternative?

2) Impeachment – If the Democrats take over Congress, impeachment will be their No. 1 goal, and it will occur. Remember what the odious Maxine Waters said: “Impeachment is about whatever Congress says it is. There is no law”  The Mueller charade of an investigation was never about “Russian collusion”, that was the excuse, the reason was to find something, anything, to impeach the president on.   Fortunately, with the GOP in the majority in both Houses, the law does apply. With Mad Maxine and her cohorts in control, the law will be thrown out the window faster than a phony FISA warrant. Recognize that impeachment proceedings would start at the House Committee on the Judiciary, which would likely be chaired by Gerald Nadler (NY). The committee also has, as members, such Trump haters as Zoe Lofgren (CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Hank Johnson (GA)  and Luis Gutierrez (IL).

3) Judiciary – In an NBC exit poll of 2016 voters,  a full 70 percent said SCOTUS appointments were either “important” or the “most important” factor in their decision (in 2008, it was 54 percent). Both McConnell, with his delay of a vote on Garland, and Trump, by listing his top picks, put this subject squarely at the forefront of election issues.   The strategy paid off for both men, as well as for the nation. Not only did we get Neil Gorsuch, but Trump is setting records, for a first year presidency, with his appointments of lower court Judges.  Gorsuch’s decision in Sessions v. Dimaya  was a disappointment, but his dissent was based on well-founded principles established by the late Justice Scalia and not on the feel-good sensitivity of the liberals, who were in lock step with their concurrence. If the Democrats take the Senate, then Trump judicial appointments will be DOA.

4) Deep State – Rumors keep flying that the Inspector General’s report will be locked and loaded with potential indictments for the lying-leakers and Hillary defenders at DOJ and FBI.   The clique of Hillary acolytes in key positions made decisions, knowing that Hillary would be the president and would reward them for loyalty to their dear leader. After the little people and the deplorables raised their voices in unison on election day, they had to quickly change plans: RUSSIAN COLLUSION! INVESTIGATE! SPECIAL PROSECUTOR!  That plan has now been shown to be a failure, but the delays have gotten them close to November and a possible return to their “glory days” of Nancy Pelosi.
Let’s be honest here: A significantly powerful group of people, comprised of Republicans, Democrats and bureaucrats seem to be locked in step with the primary goal of destroying Trump, come what may. If the Democrats win in November the “business as usual” of DC will continue unabated for the foreseeable future. Trump has offered the American people the opportunity to change the incestuous relationships of DC. One party leads, one follows, then they change positions, but nothing really changes, except for the size of the bank accounts for those who go-along-to-get-along.

5) Trump’s first year – You won’t hear this from Rachel Maddow, James Acosta or Chris Mathews, but Trump has accomplished a lot in his short time in office. Rasmussen Reports provides a list and offers the following:
“Looking back on President Donald Trump’s first year in office, he has compiled a shockingly strong record and long list of accomplishments. As was also the case with his rise to the presidency, President Trump has broken several records for a first-year commander-in-chief and fulfilled many of his key campaign promises.
Now, that’s not to say he hasn’t had failures and it’s not to mask the fact that many of these accomplishments were unilateral. But it is also true that President Trump has faced an unprecedented level of never-ending obstruction throughout the year. He was the first president in memory to be deprived of the ‘honeymoon’ period after Inauguration Day and, frankly, opposition at times has risen to levels that could arguably constitute downright treason.”
And all of that was before, what may be a spectacular achievement, regarding North Korea, where Trump may be on the verge of:
1. Officially ending the Korean War
2. Cessation of hostile actions by the North Koreans
3. Dismantling the nuclear bomb program
4. Dismantling the ICBM program
5. Potential reunification
6. Withdrawal of U. S. troops from South Korea
7. Return of US Captives

Yes, it may be premature, but the changes we have seen in the past six months are undeniable. Yet, the Trump haters will be vociferous in declaring that Trump had nothing to do with it. Right.
There are some Democrats starting to wake up to the reality of the successes of the Trump presidency and its impact on the electorate. Former San Francisco Mayor  Willie Brown is one of them, as he wrote in a recent SF Chronicle column:
“Like it or not, a significant number of Americans are actually happy these days. They are making money. They feel safe, and they agree with with the president’s protectionist trade policies, his call for more American jobs, even his immigration stance.
“The jobs growth reports, the North Korea summit and the steady economy are beating out the Stormy Daniels scandal and the Robert Mueller investigation in Middle America, hands down.
“So you are not going to win back the House by making it all about him.”

Come November we may want to recognize the validity of the old Irish expression: “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.”
Yes, Trump has his faults, which are greatly exaggerated by the Trump Haters, but the potential for destruction to the nation by an impeachment battle and a Democrat Congress, is indeed deeply troubling.

Dennis Lund is a mechanical engineer who lived in Benicia for more than 20 years. This piece originally ran on The American Thinker.

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