Lang: ‘Hang on to your hat’

Wednesday, January 20, 2021, is Inauguration Day, when the United States demonstrates the peaceful transition of power. This has happened regularly, every four or eight, or twelve years since President George Washington was replaced by John Adams. This transition occurs after the voters of each state select a slate of “Electors” who cast their votes for presidential candidates. This year the “Electors,” following the official canvas of the voters, cast a majority of their votes for candidate Joe Biden, who will be sworn into office as President, on January 20, 2021.

Let’s take a look at the probable changes in Federal Government policy that will take place in the next few years.

In a previous column I talked about “following the science” regarding the practice of abortion. Whatever you think about abortion, incoming President Biden has promised to make several changes to current policy. President Trump was staunchly opposed to your tax money being used to fund abortions. He made several attempts, some more successful than others, to reduce government funding of abortions. Friday, January 22, 2021, is the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion on demand. There have been more than 60 million abortions in the U.S. since 1973.

President Trump strongly opposed illegal immigration into the United States and consistently enforced immigration law. He tried to reduce funding to states and cities that openly and blatantly violated federal law by providing sanctuary to illegal entrants to the U.S. Incoming President Biden has proposed granting amnesty to millions of lawbreakers who have entered our nation illegally.

President Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris Climate Accord was designed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Centigrade by imposing limits on carbon emissions. The US Senate has never ratified this agreement, denying it the status of a Treaty. President Trump withdrew because of the draconian economic burden it would impose on American workers, businesses and taxpayers. Partially due to President Trumps action the United States is now energy independent. We produce enough energy domestically to meet our demand for energy. Just a few years ago the “science” predicted massive global cooling. Who knows what the climate will be like in 50 years? Check your local forecast for next week.

In 2017 the US Congress, with a majority of Republicans in both the House and Senate, passed, and President Trump signed, massive tax reductions. Individual tax rates were reduced and tax returns were simplified. The business tax rates were reduced to a competitive relationship with the business tax rates of other industrial nations. As a result, the business sector of the economy experienced growth at a rate far exceeding what the previous president told us was possible. Many jobs were created and employment boomed, especially in minority groups. Incoming President Biden has promised to substantially increase business taxes. This will do the same thing to our industrial base as if you shoot yourself in the foot. Both the economy and your foot will be seriously hobbled.

Many on the left are clamoring for incoming President Biden to adopt a “Green New Deal.” At best this will result in massive subsidies for expensive, non-competitive sources of energy. It will also lead to abandonment of current, traditional, efficient means of producing energy. Interestingly, the Green New Deal will oppose the production of electricity with nuclear energy. There is no real science supporting this choice – just an emotional bias against nuclear power.

President Trump successfully renegotiated several trade agreements to eliminate unfair advantages they had given to other nations. Incoming President Biden has ties to some of these nations.

President Trump withdrew from the unfavorable agreement with Iran. At the same time, he has negotiated agreements between Israel (our only reliable ally in the Mid-East) and several of the Arab dominated nations previously arrayed against Israel. Incoming President Biden has suggested that he will reactivate the agreement with Iran.

All of these and many more policy changes have been promised by incoming President Biden. His cabinet nominations are designed to implement these changes.

Elections have consequences. Hang on to your hat. There will be many more changes, some unforeseen, to come.

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Mike Lang is the chairman of the Union County Republican Central Committee.