A word of praise for big helping of democratic sacrilege with their new House power in 2019: not only should the democrats now give Trump something he can claim as a win on his wall pledge, they should give a second win on another big campaign promise of his – be seen to clean up the swamp.
Why be so generous with new democratic power in a new year? To prove to the country but especially independents that democrats lead and govern following classic norms and do so better than republicans, whose corruption as a governing force is profound, especially if we can double down on more democracy and less voter suppression.
Here’s how you give the second win to Trump, and to take advantage of a proper crisis: Trump wants a win on the wall so much (which could easily be funded as a traditional border fence and he’d still call it a win) he’s willing to agree to just about anything. So go bold. He’s also repeatedly claimed he wants to clean up the swamp. How about in exchange for a few hundreds miles of fence Trump can put his name on (we already have 700 miles of fence what’s another 200 or so) Democrats should take their planned first Bill, H.R. 1, The Elections and Government Reform Package, adjust a tiny bit so that is it real legislative proposal with the wall money added in, and get Trump to not only support it but to ask him to force the Senate to pass as part of clean up the swamp story.
What is the the sweeping anti-corruption Bill H.R. 1? There are three main planks the bill covers: campaign finance reform, strengthening the government’s ethics laws, and expanding voting rights. Democrats should change the title to “Donald J. Trump Open Government and Cleanup the Swamp Act” if he agrees to push it through the Senate and sign it in exchange for the $5B of new wall-fence he can stand in front of next year in a photo-op. And there is little in H.R. 1 that would upset Trump’s base or for that matter Trump (as long as they make the President’s tax return stuff only apply to future Presidents). In fact, since the main sources of opposition to it are currently empowered political elites, Trump could be the ideal salesman, at least to his core constituency. He might even be able to roll Mitch McConnell in it!
Would Trump take this offer in a rush with this shutdown clock ticking all the time? Who knows, he’s something of a nut-job and a terrible negotiator. But putting this offer out there changes the conversation from who should own the shutdown and who is better on border security, to ground that’s better for not just democrats but for democracy: how do we govern the country in a more fair and less corrupt fashion than ever before. Further, this is what the democrats wanted to talk about first – so let’s do more than talk, let’s propose legislation and pass it day 1. Attach an open the government rider to H.R. 1 with the $5B of wall-fence money.
Arguably the biggest risk here would be allowing Trump to be perceived as more electable in 2020 by making him out to be a winner on some fronts like having built more fence than the last guy. But compromise between political actors is a not a sin if the policy outcomes benefit the people, and taking the fence (not idiotic concrete barriers) from 700 miles to 900 miles is not a major sin – in fact, modeling compromise that benefits the country is what political leadership should be seen doing. And if new house leadership stands up day 1 with this kind of a bold immediate solution, a lot of voters will notice the refreshing change from all-republican rule, especially independents. In the end, as long as the democrats put up a competitive candidate in 2020, no small amount of new wall-fence is going to get the Russian stooge at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue another 4 year lease on power – the 2018 mid terms are a great data point there, with democrats wining 8.5% more voters nationally than republications, in the cycle when their voters typically do not come out.
And if we can knock dark money and extreme partisan gerrymanders way back, do public campaign finance, add national automatic voter registration, restore the Voting Rights Act, that is a win for the ages for the country. Which is why now is not a bad time for some democratic sacrilege: give the art of the deal man some wall, just make sure he pays a price for it with benefits deep and widely shared by all Americans.
Clown Tower 