What Can One Person Do?

 

Greetings Dear Gail-Friends: I have not vanished from the face of the earth.  I have been very busy keeping up with all the changes our new president has made since January 20.  To God be the glory for  all He has done -- for protecting President Trump and his family. for guiding him to sign executive orders that will UN-do the terrible things Biden did during his four years in office, and for the confirmation of President Trump's Cabinet.  

This is a great, amazing, wonderful time to be alive!  Every day we get the news of answers to our prayers.  One prayer God answered is the stand President Trump has made to stop mixing girls and boys in sports and in locker rooms.  Yesterday, a bill was defeated in the Senate that would have made a Federal law to protect girls and women.  

It's so important to stand with the President and with our representatives and senators in their efforts to make America great again.  We have a civic duty, Gail-Friends.  I was disturbed about the defeat of SB9 and asked GROK what I can do.  (Grok is an amazing search engine on "X" and you have to check it out)  This is the response:

"As a citizen looking to help get SB9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025, through the Senate after its March 3, 2025, filibuster setback, your options focus on influencing the legislative process and shifting the political calculus. The bill’s stuck at 51 votes in favor, needing 60 to break the filibuster, so your efforts would target either swaying senators or amplifying pressure. Here’s what you can do, grounded in how the system works:

1. Contact Senators Directly
   • Who: Focus on the nine Democrats who didn’t vote (assuming absences, not abstentions) and moderates like Joe Manchin (WV) or Kyrsten Sinema (AZ, now independent but caucuses with Dems). Also, reinforce the 51 Republicans who voted yes to hold firm.
   • How: Call their offices (find numbers at senate.gov), email via their official websites, or write letters. Keep it concise: “I’m a constituent [or concerned American], and I urge you to support SB9 to protect women’s sports fairness.” Personal stories (e.g., “My daughter’s team faced this issue”) hit harder than rants.
   • Impact: Senators track constituent input. Enough calls—hundreds, not just a handful—can signal a voting bloc they can’t ignore, especially for reelection-minded moderates.
2. Organize Grassroots Pressure
   • Local Action: Host or join town halls, rallies, or meetings with sports groups (e.g., parents, coaches, athletes) to build a visible coalition. Invite media to amplify it.
   • X and Online: Post about SB9 using hashtags like #SaveWomensSports or #PassSB9, tagging senators (e.g.,@SenTuberville,@SenManchinWV). Share stats or stories—like how 70% of Americans polled in 2023 supported barring transgender females from women’s sports (Gallup)—to frame it as mainstream.
   • Petitions: Start one on Change.org or similar platforms, aiming for thousands of signatures, then send it to Senate offices.
   • Impact: Numbers matter. A loud, organized push can make senators feel the heat, especially if it’s in their state or district.
3. Lobby Through Allies
   • Groups: Connect with organizations like the Independent Women’s Forum or Concerned Women for America**, which back SB9. Offer to volunteer or donate to their advocacy efforts.
   • Athletes: If you know female athletes willing to speak out, help them get heard—op-eds in local papers or interviews on X Spaces. Their voices carry weight.
   • Impact: Senators often bend to credible, influential voices. A flood of athlete testimonies could shift the narrative.
4. Target Swing Votes with Tailored Arguments
   • Democrats: For Manchin or Sinema, stress jobs (e.g., “Fair sports protect funding for women’s programs”) or voter sentiment in their states. West Virginia and Arizona lean conservative on cultural issues.
   • Absentees: If a senator missed the vote (e.g., due to illness), politely ask them to clarify their stance and push for a redo.
   • Impact: Flipping even a few Democrats gets you closer to 60. It’s about their political survival, not your ideals.
5. Push for a Workaround
   • Reconciliation: Urge Republican senators to tie SB9’s goals to a budget bill (e.g., education funding cuts for non-compliance). Email or call leadership like Mitch McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) with this idea.* Steve Scalise (majority leader) or the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. (yes, I'm correcting GROK)
   • Impact: Bypasses the filibuster, but it’s a long shot—needs 51 votes and clever framing.
6. Stay Realistic and Persistent
   • The filibuster’s a wall. Without 60 votes or a rules change (unlikely now), SB9’s stuck unless momentum shifts. Track Senate schedules at senate.gov and pounce when it’s back on the agenda.
   • Monitor Trump’s executive order enforcement—it’s the fallback. Push the Education Department (via public comments at ed.gov) to tighten it.

What Works Best: Combine #1 and #2—direct senator contact plus grassroots noise. A citizen alone won’t flip the Senate, but a swell of voices might nudge a wavering Democrat or force a strategic rethink. Check X for real-time updates on senator positions or new votes; it’s faster than news cycles. Start now—momentum fades fast."

 

 ***

Gail-Friends, I hope you will take this to heart and take action.   

 

** I've worked with and supported Concerned Women for America since the 1980's.  They do a great work.

Pray for the Senate Confirmation Hearings

 

 

This week, hearings will begin to confirm the nominees for President Trump's Cabinet. "It is time to remind Republican US Senators of the importance to strongly stand for and confirm the cabinet nominations of President Elect Donald Trump who will put into place the policies necessary to achieve the values represented by the November 5th voter mandate."*  Please join me in praying for the nominees and the Senators who will be serving in the hearings.  

You can watch the hearings on YouTube - just search for "Senate Confirmation Hearings 2024".  You will find many outlets that are carrying the hearings.

Use this link to find and contact your U.S. Senator and remind them to support President's choices.

 https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Also, here is a resource for the hearings each day this week:

 https://ifapray.org/blog/trump-administration-confirmation-hearings-begin/

The Intecessors For America website https://ifapray.org is a great resource and highly recommend them. I subscribe to their daily emails.

 

I found this article that I think is helpful as we go this process, which is about the faith of several of the nominees:  https://decisionmagazine.com/a-biblical-influence/

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

In an earlier post, I said I'd talk about what we have to do now that President Trump has been elected.  We cannot rest on our laurels, Gail-Friends. Like President Trump said after he was shot, we have to "FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT!"

The people have spoken. 

 

This map shows the "counties" that voted for Trump. He won the popular vote and the Electoral College vote.  (Thanks be to God for the uneventful certification of January 6.) The message is clear:  The people want change.  We now have a conservative president, a Republican majority in the House as well as the Senate, AND a majority conservative Supreme Court.  Hopefully, things will change with the blessings God has given us.

The majority voted for "change"and President Trump is making changes already.  Not everyone is happy about those changes.  There is much to be aware of and much to be done, both in the physical world and in the spiritual world.  

 First and foremost, we who believe in and follow Adonai must FIGHT in the spiritual realm. This is how we fight:

    Righteousness:

         Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.  (Proverb 14:34)

        ** please see my two previous posts on this subject: 

         https://gailgolden.blogspot.com/search/label/righteousness 

    Prayer

         The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  (James 5:16)

    Praise:    

          Read what happens when God's followers fight with the power of praise in these passages:

               Joshua 6 -  the walls of Jericho fell down and victory was won

              II Chronicles 20 - (especially verse 22)  - the battle was won

              Acts 16:25-40  -  walls fell down and prisoners escaped

              In the words of an old song I used to sing as a child, "Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the evening, praise Him when the sun goes down!! Praise Him that He has the strength and the power to preserve and defend our country from our enemies, both foreign and domestic.

    Spiritual warfare according to Scripture:  

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 

(2 Corinthians 10:4-5 )    

and 

 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm" ( Ephesians 11:6-13)

And now, let's talk about the physical realm.

#1 - We must be aware of what is actually happening in our country.  You will not hear about many of these things on the mainstream news outlets (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC ).  They all have the same talking points.  They share the same stories each day/night.  The Mainstream Media (MSM) have an agenda - to demonize President Trump and the Republicans, and to advance the narratives and goals of the Democrat Party, socialists, and  globalists. Just one example of this is:

The dirty dealings of the J6 committee. Video evidence has been destroyed that supports FBI operatives eing involved in the events that happened  at the Capitol.  We watched it all on TV that day and scratched our heads as the House guards allowed people in.  We saw men in suits jump out of the woodwork when Ashley Babbitt was shot.  We've heard testimony of DC officials who were stone-walled and ignored when trying to ask for help during the chaos. There is much more to the story than what is reported in the MSM.

All of this can be found on"conservative" news outlets such as One America News, Right Side Broadcasting, Free Republic, Truth Social, Tucker Carlson, Fox News, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. Please visit these outlets for national and world news.

There is more that we can do in the physical realm, but I'll save that for later posts since this post is getting long.  

What I'm saying here today is of ultimate importance as we head toward January 20 - Inauguration Day.  There have been two assassination attempts (even more, really, because people caught with weapons near him are not being counted) and common sense tells one that there will be more.  President Trump is hated.  He has been lied about, persecuted with law suits, and severely mistreated ever since 2016 when he announced his candidacy for the presidency.  He and his family have endured horrible abuse for eight long years.  

Ask yourself, "Why?"

It's because he is going against the grain of what those in control have lived with for decades.  He's not playing by their rules.  He came into the presidency with the goal of draining the swamp.  Some of the swamp creatures are gone.  The ones still around are scared to death of what he's going to do in his second term.  They know their time is up and they are fighting with all they've got.

So, we who are called to do Adonai's Kingdom work have a job to do. . .and we are ALL called, Gail-Friends. Please do the things I've outlined in the week ahead - and especially on January 20.  Pray for the safety of President Trump, his family, and all who will be in attendance at the event.  And as always, join me as I pray for revival. 

A Threat to America?

 

 

 I woke this morning to learn that the current president hates me. Calls me a threat to America. I haven't listened to his speech, but my friend, Betty Jackson, shared her thoughts, and I agree:

www.bettyjackson.net

 

"Words matter.  (used with Betty's permission)

 

I was dismayed as we listened to news broadcasts last evening after the President had given his "Unity" speech. It was anything but unifying. Words matter. Attitudes matter. Our nation matters. I had trouble getting to sleep, even after Ev and I prayed about it. We are taught to pray for our leaders, and we do. But our hearts were heavy with the denouncement of all who refuse his progressive agenda with which we adamantly disagree. The last I heard and understood, healthy debate is what keeps this country free, and honest discourse allows for respect for others' opinions and viewpoints.

 

I abhor the idea that this administration is denying constitutional freedoms in the guise of either we all agree or we will destroy the opposition by using the power of government to do so. Our founding fathers are shivering in their graves that in eighteen months, and administration can run roughshod over the freedoms the nation has embraced. Words matter. Government does not subject its people to such rancor.

 

I respect the Presidency. I respect that an executive branch is necessary as a coequal. I admit that party loyalty takes over so that nothing much can get accomplished legislatively, and that the complexity of bills necessitates voting for or against the whole bill whether its provisions are good or bad. But characterizing a party and half the country's patriots as those to be hated is frightening. The President has the opportunity and the bully pulpit to unite us to fight the elephants (not the symbol of the GOP) in the room: illegal immigration, drugs killing our children, homelessness, crime, energy, inflation, corruption, etc. What good does it do to throw terms like ultra-maga (Make America Great Again) and fascist, a term we octogenarians know all too well by the setting behind the speech last night. The symbolism of uniformed soldiers and red and black sent chills through me. I've lived through the cold war, the communist era, and seen what socialism has done to the world's great nations. I watched in horror as cities burned because violence reigned instead of discussion and problem solving. I've seen the demeaning of officials by both political parties, and it hurts my soul. I've seen the justice system used to demonize, demoralize, and dismiss truth.

I'm praying for peace today."

 

I join Betty's prayer, and also ask you, dear Gail-Friends, to join us.  I also pray for national repentance - a return to obedience to Torah.  Righteousness exalts a nation!

 

Blessings to you all.

 

P.S. I've been working on several projects over the last few months, but I haven't forgotten y'all.  I'll b e posting more often in the future.

Put Feet to Your Prayers

 

I've been greatly informed and inspired by this LIVE event - America Fest 2021.  Speakers like Sarah Palin and Marjorie Taylor Greene (my heroines) have reminded me to Take America Back and to Make America Great Again.  

Governor Sarah Palin reminded me to fight even though I'm misunderstood, hated, and called names.  She and her family have been through so much during, and after, her run for Vice President. What the left did to her is shameful.  But, she inspired me by saying, "I know I'm right, so I don't let it bother me!"  Yay, Sarah.  I needed to hear that.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is a fighter, too.  She shared some things that are going on in our government - such as the abuse and neglect of people imprisoned because of the January 6 event in Washington D.C. You won't hear about these things on the alphabet news. 

Topics I've listened to so far have informed me about Critical Race Theory (CRT), our freedoms established by our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and to fight back against the evil people trying to destroy our beloved country.

One panel discussed how public education and colleges are destroying our families by using the "trans" push.  I hope you'll listen to How Cultural Marxists Hijacked America, which aired on December 19.

This is a four-day event with speakers (so far) such as Nick Vujicic (amazing man), Congressman Jim Jordan, Judge Jeanne Pirro (a real spitfire), Dennis Prager (I recommend his website), Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, and Sebastion Gorka (amazing stories).  

Today, I'm listening to a panel discussion of election integrity.  In spite of the fact that the media refuses to cover it, the fraud is being uncovered daily. So much, in fact, that I sincerely believe Donald Trump won that election.  Audits show that Joe Biden did not win Arizona or Georgia.    If you want to know what's really going on, you'll never hear it on the mainstream news shows.  And, I think you should have to dip your finger in purple ink, like Iraq, to show that you've voted and can't vote twice. Lots of that went on, trust me.

Rep. Louie Gohmert spoke truth when he said, "People say, 'it's alright.' God's in control'."  Louie said, "That's true, but God doesn't expect us to lean on our shovel and pray for a hole."  

I agree because we have a duty, as citizens, to do our part.  I've preached this for years, and still believe it even though it looks hopeless at times.  I want to hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" one day.  As long as I'm here, I'll do my best to be the best believer, wife, mother, grandmother, rebbetzin, and citizen that I can be.  It's called putting feet to my faith.  This event has reminded me to pray and take action while we have the freedom to do it.  These speakers talk about actions we can take to affect our country and our future.

I hope you'll visit this link for the list of speakers and topics:  Turning Point USA - America Fest 2021   Today is the third day and it ends tomorrow (12/21).  I'm sure the videos will be recorded and  available there and on YouTube.

This event is geared toward young people / college students, so the music is loud and the crowd (and some speakers) are a bit raucous.  I'm enjoying it, though.  I hope you will, too.

PRAY AND PUT FEET TO YOUR PRAYERS,  GAIL-FRIENDS!

205 Accompishments

 

This article from the Washington Examiner is a great resource to share with others.  If you only listen to the major news outlets (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, etc.) you will never hear this reported. 

President Trump is working tirelessly to turn America around.  Did you know that he is doing this job without a salary, and that he only rarely takes time off for rest and relaxation?  He even stayed in Washington over the Christmas holidays to work on the current government shutdown, unlike the members of Congress.  

In my lifetime, I've never seen a president so committed to making America great.  He loves this country, and he and his family are making great sacrifices to help the American people.  I am amazed at how much he has accomplished over the past two years.  I hope you will share this information with others.  

I also encourage you to read President Trump's posts on Twitter.  You will learn what's really happening in our country.

I say a big hats-off to Paul Bedford, the author of this article, for compiling this list.

 

MAGA list: 205 ‘historic results’ help Trump make case for 2020 re-election

by Paul Bedard

 | December 31, 2018 05:34 AM

At two years into his first term, President Trump and his top White House team are turning to the 2020 re-election campaign with a new focus on the 2016 promises they have kept and the impact they have had around the country and on the world stage.
“Together, we are building a safe, strong, and proud America,” said Trump in his new list of “historic results,” provided exclusively to Washington Secrets.
It highlights 14 major issue areas and lists 205 accomplishment points and initiatives all aimed at bolstering the president’s statements and tweets that his has been a successful administration despite the recent stock market volatility, his staff shake-ups and the Russia election probe.

[Also read: Trump’s list: 289 accomplishments in just 20 months, ‘relentless’ promise-keeping]

Great work by my Administration over the holidays to save Coast Guard pay during this #SchumerShutdown. No thanks to the Democrats who left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2018

The document outlines a 2020 platform to run on and is a revision of previous formats. Instead of just listing “accomplishments,” for example, there is more perspective on changes that have helped ordinary Americans.
It also highlights key areas, such as immigration, that he played up in the 2018 congressional midterm elections. While he helped candidates he campaigned for, some analysts have criticized his focus as the reason the GOP lost control of the House.
The administration’s refocus has support among those who believe the campaign criticism is wrong, including GOP pollsters John McLaughlin and Jim McLaughlin.
Armed with new polling that shows Republicans erred in refusing to follow the president’s model, driving away some 12 million 2016 Trump voters, the duo are urging critics in the party to stand down and let Trump dictate the 2020 messaging.

Mitch McConnell just told a group of people, and me, that he has been in the U.S. Senate for 32 years and the last two have been by far the best & most productive of his career. Tax & Regulation Cuts, VA Choice, Farm Bill, Criminal Justice Reform, Judgeships & much more. Great!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018

“He understands branding and he understands messaging better than anyone,” said John McLaughlin.

First lady Melania Trump, left, and President Donald Trump stand together on stage during a hangar rally at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018. In a surprise trip to Iraq, President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria saying the U.S. had succeeded in its mission there.

Andrew Harnik/AP

While still long, the new list goes to the Trump campaign’s 2020 theme of “Keeping America Great” and McLaughlin’s argument that Republican president win on two issues, peace and prosperity.
If Trump sticks to those key issues, and bumps his approval rating from 48 percent to 51 percent, like former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush did before their re-elections, he “will win,” added the pollster.
The list reinforces the president’s 2016 applause lines of promising to fix broken trade accords, kill costly regulations and boost energy production. “Unleashing American Energy: President Trump is rolling back costly and burdensome regulations to unleash America’s incredible energy resources,” said one category that included 15 highlights, several of which noted moves to reverse Obama-era regulations.
Those topics, along with these others, said a Trump adviser, will become the basis of the 2020 campaign report card: Ending Obamacare, stopping opioid abuse, protecting religious liberty, cutting crime, rebuilding the military and helping vets, and tacking worldwide bullies like North Korea.
The following is the list compiled by the White House:

The Trump Results List

IGNITING A HISTORIC ECONOMIC BOOM: President Trump’s pro-growth policies are unleashing economic growth and providing opportunities to workers across the country.

• Due to President Trump’s pro-growth policies, real gross domestic product (GDP) growth exceeded 3 percent over the last four quarters.
• Real GDP grew at annual rates of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018 and 4.2 percent in the second quarter.
• More than 4.6 million jobs have been created since President Trump’s election and the unemployment rate remains at 3.7 percent, the lowest rate in nearly 50 years.
• This is the seventh time this year that the unemployment rate has been below 4.0 percent.
• Prior to this year, the unemployment rate had fallen below 4 percent only five times since 1970.
• Eighteen States recently reached record-low unemployment rates.
• The unemployment rate for African Americans in November fell to 5.9 percent, which is the lowest rate on record.
• Asian and Hispanic-American unemployment rates reached record lows in May and October of this year, respectively.
• Initial weekly jobless claims have hit a nearly 50-year low under President Trump.
• Americans are seeing more money in their pockets thanks to the booming economy.
• In October and November of 2018, workers saw their largest nominal year over year wage growth in nearly a decade.
• In 2017, real median household income rose to a post-recession high.
• President Trump’s policies are helping to lift Americans out of poverty.
• African-American and Hispanic-American poverty rates reached record lows of 21.2 percent and 18.3 percent, respectively, in 2017.
• Since the election, 4.6 million Americans have been lifted off of food stamps.
• Consumer confidence has soared under President Trump, recently reaching an 18-year high.

Thanks @RandPaul “I am very proud of the President. This is exactly what he promised, and I think the people agree with him. We’ve been at war too long and in too many places...spent several trillion dollars on these wars everywhere. He’s different...that’s why he got elected.”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018

MANUFACTURING AND BUSINESSES ARE THRIVING.

• President Trump is delivering on his promise to bring back American manufacturing.
• Casey Mchone, Donald Trump
• The National Association of Manufacturers’ Outlook Index had the highest annual average in its history over the past year.
• 468,000 manufacturing jobs have been created since President Trump’s election.
• Small Business optimism jumped to a record high under President Trump, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
• The NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index broke a 35-year record in August.
• President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law, ushering in the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history.
• These tax cuts are delivering real results for American families and workers.
• More than 6 million workers received tax cut bonuses and benefits.
• More than 100 utility companies have announced lower rates.
• President Trump is ensuring American workers receive the training and education they need to compete in today’s economy.
• President Trump is delivering on his promise to bring back American manufacturing.
• The National Association of Manufacturers’ Outlook Index had the highest annual average in its history over the past year.
• 468,000 manufacturing jobs have been created since President Trump’s election.
• Small Business optimism jumped to a record high under President Trump, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
• The NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index broke a 35-year record in August.
• President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law, ushering in the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history.
• These tax cuts are delivering real results for American families and workers.
• More than 6 million workers received tax cut bonuses and benefits.
• More than 100 utility companies have announced lower rates.
• President Trump is ensuring American workers receive the training and education they need to compete in today’s economy.
• More than 185 companies and associations have signed our “Pledge to America’s Workers,” promising more than 6.4 million training opportunities.
• The president signed legislation that reauthorized the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, making more than $1 billion available for career education programs.
• President Trump has prioritized the economic empowerment of women.
• The women’s unemployment rate recently reached its lowest rate in 65 years.
• The Small Business Administration lent approximately $500 million more in capital to women-owned businesses in 2017 compared to 2016.
• The administration helped launch the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, which could leverage more than $1 billion to support women entrepreneurs.

If anybody but your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, announced that, after decimating ISIS in Syria, we were going to bring our troops back home (happy & healthy), that person would be the most popular hero in America. With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018

ROLLING BACK RED TAPE: President Trump is rolling back costly regulations that have burdened hard-working Americans and stifled innovation.

• President Trump has followed through on and exceeded his promise to roll back two regulations for every new one created.
• President Trump’s administration surpassed the 2:1 ratio in 2018, eliminating 12 regulations for every new one in 2018.
• In 2017, the Trump administration eliminated 22 regulations for every new one.
• Since taking office, President Trump’s deregulation efforts have achieved $33 billion in regulatory savings.
• In 2018, these efforts alone delivered $23 billion in benefits to American families and business owners.
• President Trump has signed 16 Congressional Review Act resolutions into law, eliminating burdensome Obama-era rules and regulations.
• President Trump announced U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which would have harmed America’s economy and cost American workers millions of jobs.
• President Trump signed an executive order to streamline the permitting process for infrastructure projects with a goal of cutting approval time from up to 10 years to an average of 2 years.
• President Trump signed legislation to roll back burdensome Dodd-Frank regulations that harmed community banks.

Sen Graham describes the president as "upbeat" and "on multiple fronts...in a very good mood." Says @POTUS still looking for $5-billion in funding for border security including border wall.

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 30, 2018

NEGOTIATING BETTER DEALS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump is negotiating fair and balanced trade deals that protect American industries and workers.

• President Trump negotiated a new trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico to replace the disastrous and outdated North American Free Trade Agreement.
• Once enacted by Congress, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) will better serve the interests of American workers and businesses.
• USMCA will incentivize billions of dollars in auto and auto parts production in the United States and create a freer and fairer market for American agriculture.
• USMCA also includes the strongest-ever provisions on labor, environmental, digital, and intellectual property protections to reflect the realities of the 21st century economy.
• The President renegotiated the United States–Korea Free Trade Agreement to preserve and grow jobs in the American auto industry and increase American exports.
• The United States and Japan are set to begin negotiations on a United States–Japan Trade Agreement.
• President Trump is establishing a new trade relationship with the European Union (EU), working toward the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to transatlantic trade.
• President Trump has established a Trade and Investment Working Group to lay the groundwork for post-Brexit trade with the United Kingdom (UK) and has notified Congress of his intent to negotiate a free trade agreement with the UK.
• This year, President Trump filed a withdrawal notification with the Universal Postal Union, launching a one-year negotiation to secure fair international postal rates for American mailers.
• President Trump has expanded market access for American agricultural producers.
• Argentina has opened to American pork and beef, Brazil to American beef, Japan to lamb and Idaho chipping potatoes, South Korea to American poultry, and more.
• The administration authorized $12 billion to aid farmers affected by unfair retaliatory tariffs.
• The Trump Administration has begun the process to expand the sale of E15, or gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol, to year round.
• Under President Trump, the United States will no longer accept bad trade deals and unfair trade practices that harm American workers and industries.
• One of the president’s first actions after taking office was withdrawing the United States from the terrible Trans-Pacific Partnership, which incentivized outsourcing.
• In 2017, the administration oversaw 82 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.
• President Trump is holding China accountable for its unfair trade practices, such as the theft of intellectual property, by imposing tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods.
• Following President Trump’s successful meeting with President Xi in Buenos Aires, both agreed to conduct negotiations over 90 days to address the United States concerns.
• American steel and aluminum jobs are coming back following President Trump’s tariffs to protect domestic industries that are vital to national security.
• President Trump imposed tariffs to protect American-made washing machines and solar products that were hurt by import surges.

UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump is rolling back costly and burdensome regulations to unleash America’s incredible energy resources.

• After years of stifling regulation under the last administration, President Trump is unleashing America’s energy potential.
• America is the largest crude oil producer in the world and production has hit a record high.
• President Trump’s policies are helping to boost American energy exports.
• The administration has streamlined Liquefied Natural Gas terminal permitting.
• In 2017, the United States became a net natural gas exporter for the first time in 60 years.
• American coal exports increased by more than 60 percent in 2017.
• President Trump is expanding access to our country’s abundant natural resources.
• The president signed legislation to open up energy exploration in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge.
• In July 2018, the Department of the Interior announced it would hold the largest oil and gas lease sale in history.
• In 2017, the Administration approved construction of the Dakota Access pipeline and the cross border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
• The administration issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will export American petroleum products to Mexico.
• The president has ended the war on coal, cutting Obama-era regulations such as the “Stream Protection Rule” which was estimated to cost industries $81 million a year.
• President Trump is replacing the Clean Power Plan, a flawed Obama-era regulation that the Supreme Court ordered halted.
• President Trump rescinded the hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the oil and gas industry $32 million per year.
• The Trump administration curbed the burdensome Obama-era rule on methane, saving American energy developers hundreds of millions of dollars in regulatory costs.

EXPANDING OPTIONS FOR QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE: President Trump is expanding access to affordable healthcare choices and taking action to lower drug prices.

• President Trump’s administration is working to provide Americans with affordable alternatives to Obamacare.
• The Administration expanded short-term, limited duration health insurance plans that are expected to be nearly 50 percent cheaper than unsubsidized Obamacare plans.
• President Trump has expanded association health plans, allowing more employers to join together across State lines and affordably offer coverage to their employees.
• The administration proposed a reform to Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) regulations that will give consumers more freedom to purchase benefits that fit their needs.
• Roughly 800,000 employers are expected to provide HRAs for more than 10 million employees once the rule finalized.
• Americans have more healthcare freedom thanks to the president signing legislation that ended Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty.
• While healthcare premiums had been steadily increasing as a result of Obamacare, the average benchmark exchange premium will decline for the first time thanks to President Trump’s policies in 2019.
• Next year, Americans will benefit from more insurer participation on the exchanges.
• Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefit options than ever before, and average premiums in 2019 will be 6 percent lower than in 2018.
• President Trump launched an unprecedented campaign to drive down drug prices, leading more than a dozen drug manufacturers to enact price freezes, reductions, or rollbacks.
• In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a record number of generic drugs, breaking the previous record set by the Administration in 2017.
• The FDA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 generic drug approvals are expected to bring nearly $9 billion in savings in 2017 alone.
• President Trump signed legislation eliminating contractual gag clauses that stopped pharmacists from informing patients about lower drug prices.
• The president put forth an initiative to stop global freeloading that drives up prices for American patients.
• The Administration provided Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans with new negotiating tools to drive down drug costs for American patients.
• The administration implemented reforms to the amount Medicare pays hospitals for drugs that are purchased under the 340B program, saving seniors $320 million in 2018.
• President Trump signed “Right to Try” legislation to expand access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients.

FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE CRISIS NEXT DOOR: President Trump mobilized his entire administration to combat the opioid crisis that has devastated communities across the country.

• President Trump launched an Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to confront the driving forces behind this crisis.
• The president signed the landmark SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, the largest and most comprehensive legislative package addressing a single drug crisis in history.
• The president helped secure a record $6 billion in funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
• The administration provided more than $2 billion in grants in 2018 to help States, territories, tribes, and local communities prevent and treat opioid abuse.
• The administration pursued scientific solutions to prevent and treat addiction through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative.

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• The president launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction and youth opioid usage.
• Last year, President Trump created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, which recommends ways to tackle the opioid crisis.
• The administration declared the opioid crisis a nationwide Public Health Emergency in 2017.
• President Trump is working to cut off the flow of deadly opioids into our country and to disrupt the networks that distribute them to our communities.
• The administration secured first-ever indictments against Chinese nationals for fentanyl trafficking.
• The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a surge to target fentanyl and heroin dealers in the districts with the most severe overdose death rates.
• The DOJ formed a Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement team and shut down the biggest Darknet distributor of drugs.
• Last year, the DOJ announced the largest healthcare fraud takedown in history, arresting more than 120 defendants with opioid-related crimes.
• The president launched a Safer Prescribing Plan that seeks to cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years.
• The administration has led four National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days, collecting a record-breaking 1,837 tons of expired and unneeded prescription drugs.

STANDING UP FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE AND PROTECTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: The President is committed to defending the right to life and religious liberty.

• Shortly after taking office, President Trump reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy.
• President Trump defunded a United Nations (UN) agency for colluding with China’s brutal program of forced abortion and sterilization.
• The administration withdrew guidance that constrained State’s ability to exclude family-planning providers that provide abortion services from the Medicaid program.
• The Trump administration proposed new regulations to ensure Title X family planning funding does not go to projects that perform, support, or refer patients for abortion.
• The Trump administration issued regulations establishing new or expanded exemptions from the Obamacare contraceptive mandate based on religious beliefs or moral convictions.
• In 2017, the president issued an executive order to promote free speech and religious liberty.

KEEPING AMERICAN COMMUNITIES SAFE: President Trump has made clear that his first responsibility is to protect the safety and security of Americans.

• Federal Bureau of Investigation data shows violent crime decreased under President Trump’s watch in 2017, following two consecutive years of increases.
• United States Attorneys indicted the most violent criminals on record last year.
• Last year, the DOJ announced nearly $100 million in grant funding to hire hundreds of additional law enforcement officers.
• President Trump is cracking down on the vile MS-13 gang that has brought violence to communities across the country.
• In 2017, the DOJ worked with international partners to arrest and charge approximately 4,000 MS-13 members.
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations arrested nearly 800 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
• President Trump signed an executive order to restore State and local law enforcement’s access to surplus equipment that can be used to help keep our communities safe.
• President Trump enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
• The DOJ announced the creation of the National Public Safety Partnership in 2017, launching a cooperative initiative with cities to reduce violent crime.
• President Trump signed legislation to improve the Federal firearm background check system and keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.

ENFORCING OUR LAWS AND SECURING OUR BORDERS: From the first day of his administration, President Trump has worked to uphold the rule of law and secure our borders.

• President Trump released an immigration framework that would fix our broken immigration system through merit-based reform and provide the resources needed to secure our border.
• This includes closing the legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration, ending chain migration, and eliminating the visa lottery.
• President Trump secured funding to begin building the wall and construction has already begun in areas along the southern border.
• President Trump deployed the military to assist in securing the southern border.
• President Trump and his administration took action to require aliens seeking asylum to go to a port of entry to make their claim.
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended 17,256 criminals and 1,019 gang members in FY 2018.
• ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 158,581 aliens in FY 2018, an 11 percent increase from FY 2017.
• 90 percent of those arrested had criminal convictions, pending charges, or had been issued final orders of removal.
• ICE ERO increased removals by 13 percent in FY 2018 to 256,086, the majority of whom were convicted criminals.
• Removals of convicted criminal aliens increased by 14 percent from FY 2017.
• Nearly 6,000 known or suspected gang members were removed in FY 2018, a 9 percent increase from FY 2017.
• The Department of Justice prosecuted a record number of criminal immigration offenses in FY 2018, and increased the number of prosecutions for illegal entry by 84 percent over FY 2017.
• Immigration courts are now completing more cases than at any point since 2011
• President Trump kept his promise by launching the office of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) within the Department of Homeland Security.
• The Administration has more than doubled the number of jurisdictions participating in the 287(g) program, which enables State and local law enforcement to aid immigration enforcement.
• President Trump has made our country safer by ordering the enhanced vetting of individuals entering from countries that do not meet our security standards.
• These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court ruling.

REBUILDING AMERICA’S MILITARY FORCE: President Trump is rebuilding our military and defending America’s interests across the world.

• President Trump ended the devastating defense cuts of the past Administration and has secured historic investments to rebuild our military.
• President Trump signed legislation providing $700 billion for defense in FY 2018 and $716 billion in FY 2019.
• President Trump is supporting America’s men and women in uniform, securing the largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
• The president issued a new National Security Strategy to keep America safe from all threats.
• The administration has also released new strategies specific to cybersecurity, biodefense, counterterrorism, and weapons of mass destruction terrorism.
• President Trump directed the first whole-of-government assessment of United States manufacturing and defense supply chains since the Eisenhower administration.
• President Trump initiated the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, improving United States deterrence policy and existing capabilities to counter nuclear threats.
• President Trump empowered our military commanders with broad authority in order to take the fight to ISIS, and the results are clear.
• ISIS has lost nearly all of its territory, more than half of which has been liberated since President Trump took office.
• All of ISIS’ territory in Iraq was successfully liberated.
• ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city Raqqah has been recaptured.
• President Trump announced a new Iran strategy to confront all of Iran’s malign activities and withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran nuclear deal.
• All sanctions that had been lifted or waived under the Iran deal have been reimposed.
• The administration has sanctioned more than 160 individuals tied to the regime’s support of terrorism, ballistic missile program, human rights abuses, and more.
• President Trump took decisive military action to respond to the barbaric use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime.
• President Trump directed strikes in response to the regime’s chemical weapons attacks in April 2017 and April 2018.
• The Trump administration has also rolled out sanctions targeting those tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
• President Trump is strengthening America’s cyber defense and directed the elevation of the United States Cyber Command into a major warfighting command.
• The president announced that the Department of Defense will work to create a Space Force to serve as an independent branch of the United States military.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at the IX Center, in Cleveland, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018.

Carolyn Kaster/AP

RESTORING AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ABROAD: President Trump is restoring American leadership on the world stage and advancing an America first agenda.

• President Trump held an historic summit with Chairman Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
• Since the summit, the leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both countries have met.
• Because of the President’s actions, North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
• The remains of POW/MIA service members from the Korean War are being returned to the United States.
• Prior to the summit, President Trump’s leadership helped secure the passage of historic UN sanctions on North Korea.
• President Trump followed through on his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the American embassy there.
• President Trump withdrew the United States from the UN Human Rights Council due to its bias against Israel.
• The administration made clear that it does not accept the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction over Americans and will continue to protect our sovereignty.
• President Trump has successfully advocated for cutting waste at the UN.
• Changes made to the organization’s structure allowed the UN to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from their budget, while making the organization more efficient.
• The President’s leadership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has encouraged members to increase their defense spending and realign the Alliance’s priorities.
• In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending among NATO allies.
• President Trump convinced the Alliance to strengthen counterterrorism activities, and NATO formally joined the coalition to defeat ISIS.
• President Trump’s administration is working to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific through investments and partnerships.
• President Trump has imposed tough sanctions on the corrupt regimes in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
• President Trump has taken tough action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including Russia’s efforts to undermine United States elections.
• The administration has imposed sanctions on more than 200 individuals and entities related to Russia’s destabilizing activities.
• The Trump administration has enhanced support for Ukraine’s defense by stepping up sales of weapons to its military.
• The Trump administration has secured the release of numerous American citizens held abroad, including Andrew Brunson from Turkey, Josh Holt from Venezuela, and more.
• President Trump attended G20 summits in Argentina and Germany, where he promoted American First policies and encouraged closer cooperation.
• In 2017, President Trump conducted tours through Asia to promote America’s interests.

HONORING AMERICA’S COMMITMENT TO OUR VETERANS: President Trump is honoring America’s commitment to our veterans by ensuring they receive the quality care they have earned.

• President Trump secured a record $73.1 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide quality medical care for our veterans.
• This funding included $8.6 billion for mental health services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, $206 million for suicide prevention, and more.
• The president signed the VA MISSION Act, revolutionizing that VA healthcare system and reforming numerous services for our veterans.
• This legislation will consolidate and reform existing programs to give eligible veterans better access to healthcare providers in their communities.
• Thanks to this legislation, eligible veterans will have access to walk-in community clinics that offer immediate, local care.
• President Trump and his administration have expanded access to telehealth services for veterans, including through the “Anywhere to Anywhere” VA health care initiative.
• President Trump issued an executive order requiring the administration to improve access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for veterans.
• President Trump signed the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, making it easier to fire failing employees and protect whistleblowers.
• Under President Trump, the VA has removed, demoted, or suspended more than 4,300 employees for poor performance.
• President Trump signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017, streamlining the process used by veterans when appealing benefits claims.
• President Trump fulfilled his promise to create a new White House VA Hotline to provide veterans with 24/7 support.
• The VA is providing veterans with online access to wait time and quality of care data.
• The president signed the Forever GI Bill, providing veterans, service members, and their families with enhanced education benefits.
• Last year, programs at the VA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development helped more than 51,000 veterans find permanent housing and access supportive services.

TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT: President Trump has followed through on his pledge to transform the Federal Government and increase accountability and transparency.

• President Trump’s administration submitted a plan to reorganize the executive branch in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• In a historic show of transparency and accountability, the Trump Administration completed the Department of Defense’s first ever audit.
• The president implemented a five-year ban on lobbying for White House employees and a lifetime ban on lobbying for foreign countries.
• Each quarter since taking office, President Trump has donated his salary, fulfilling a promise he made to the American people.
• President Trump is reshaping our Federal judiciary, appointing judges who will follow the Constitution as written.
• The President has appointed Circuit Court judges at a record pace.
• President Trump has appointed Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/maga-list-205-historic-results-help-trump-make-case-for-2020-reelection

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