# What did conservatives get for two years in control of the government? (Aside from a big tax cut) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 24, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348 "2019-01-24T20:26:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/21 "2019-01-25T04:12:29Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > But I also think the OP has a point. Conservatives do have a right to feel disappointed. That’s because Trump is, well, feckless. I think it’s more of a general pattern than just being about Trump. Republican politicians know a lot of their base is based on dissatisfaction. Take abortion as a major example; there are people who vote for Republican candidates pretty much entirely based on the issue of abortion. What would happen if those candidates actually addressed that issue after getting elected? Suppose they get Roe v Wade overturned and enacted a national ban on abortions. That would satisfy the pro-life voters. And then how would those people in the next election? They might vote for the Republicans once more out of gratitude. Maybe even twice. But for a lot of those people, removing abortion as an issue would remove their reason for voting for Republicans. > [@snoe](#): > > If you’re a leftish American, though, you have every right to be appalled at Trump’s record. He hasn’t been harmless, or even mostly harmless. He’s done plenty, and what he’s done overwhelmingly sucks. Again, I think we need to look beyond Trump. He’s been getting public attention. And while that’s happening, what have the rest of the Republican officials been doing? I’m sure that McConnell and Ryan and Pence have been quietly steering a lot of laws into effect while Trump draws all the opposition. Trump probably isn’t even aware of half the things that have been done during his Presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/22 "2019-01-25T04:13:50Z")
A several trillion dollar tax cut for the rich. A ton of judges in the appellate court & supreme court. Tons of regulations were rolled back. They did pretty well for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/23 "2019-01-25T06:28:52Z")
Racists crawled out from under their rocks and got a few moments of sun. It has not enlightened them. ---
**Author:** ![l0k1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@l0k1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/l0k1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/24 "2019-01-25T14:05:44Z")
With the government currently under partial shut down, the shrink the size of government has been achieved, and exactly how they like to achieve it, smash the system with no regard for what people want for need from their government, eliminate government employees, even if they provide net revenue gains. ---
**Author:** ![Frankenstein\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@Frankenstein\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankenstein_Monster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/25 "2019-01-25T15:29:18Z")
Rivers and rivers of Liberal Tears. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/26 "2019-01-25T15:37:19Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Hairy Reed decided that filibustering confirmations, except for the Supremes, was getting in his way. The Republicans added the Supremes to Hairy’s list. > > Plus, the elected Democrats couldn’t ban all firearms. Crock-o-bull. The Republicans were blocking Obama’s nominations at unprecedented levels. The ever-virtuous Harry Reed was forced to end it for lower nominations, since Republicans decided that black presidents were not allowed to make them. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/27 "2019-01-25T16:04:50Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > That’s because these are all of the fake issues Republican politicians use to sell themselves to gullible voters. If they get around to it, they’ll do something toward these goals, but it’s by no means a priority. > > When you look at what they’ve actually bothered to do, install conservatives on the Supreme Court and give massive tax breaks to all of their rich corporate banker buddies, you see what their _real_ agenda is and always was. Include immigration, any action at all. Both parties have the same actual policy (for different reasons), as opposed to rhetoric. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/28 "2019-01-25T16:09:43Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Plus, the elected Democrats couldn’t ban all firearms. They didn’t establish Sharia law or make abortions mandatory either. It’s almost like these things were never part of the Democratic platform. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/29 "2019-01-25T16:35:27Z")
Why wasn’t the wall built though? It was certainly a big deal to the Executive Branch. ---
**Author:** ![l0k1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@l0k1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/l0k1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/30 "2019-01-25T16:45:49Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Why wasn’t the wall built though? It was certainly a big deal to the Executive Branch. No it wasn’t. It is fake plank in the platform, just like deficit spending. They only mention it because they think it will improve their poll numbers. They don’t care. And they know it is a worthless waste of money. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/31 "2019-01-25T17:54:44Z")
> [@l0k1](#): > > No it wasn’t. It is fake plank in the platform, just like deficit spending. They only mention it because they think it will improve their poll numbers. They don’t care. And they know it is a worthless waste of money. OK, that may be true, but since it’s Democrats are getting in the way now what are their answers for why they didn’t build it before? I’m guessing it was all a political calculation. The base and Trump want it, The GOP knows it can’t be done for anywhere near Trumps figures, Democrats will definitely try to stop it and we can paint them as open border 5th columnists who care nothing for the safety of Americans. But still, when asked what do they say? ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/32 "2019-01-25T18:17:55Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Why wasn’t the wall built though? It was certainly a big deal to the Executive Branch. Median voter theory. The president does not get what they want. What gets accomplished is what the 50th senate vote wants. On the immigration issue that Senator is probably Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski who are both immigration doves. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/33 "2019-01-25T18:26:32Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Crock-o-bull. The Republicans were blocking Obama’s nominations at unprecedented levels. The ever-virtuous Harry Reed was forced to end it for lower nominations, since Republicans decided that black presidents were not allowed to make them. Hehehehe. “The ever-virtuous Harry Reed”. Good one! Your post make my day. Didn’t see that coming. I’m still grinning about it. (Seriously 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/34 "2019-01-25T18:32:39Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Median voter theory. The president does not get what they want. What gets accomplished is what the 50th senate vote wants. On the immigration issue that Senator is probably Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski who are both immigration doves. So you’re saying a bill to build the wall WAS put forward years ago and it failed to get the votes? I don’t remember that, please fight my ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/35 "2019-01-25T18:46:36Z")
Canuck here. Please take that into account. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I was thinking about the current government shutdown and it occurred to me, “Why now?” The republicans have been in complete control of the government for two years. If they wanted a wall then it was trivial for them to get a wall. Not a thing democrats could do to stop them. Even when they knew they’d lose the House…no wall. Instead they waited till the new congress was seated and then _poof_…a crisis and we need a wall NOW! Shut down the government till they get it!! > > Which then lead me to wonder, what other things on a conservative’s short list did they get for two years in complete control of the government? Tax cuts leap to mind but they seemed really short on other policies they (supposedly) hold near and dear: > > - Abortion? Nothing. When George W. Bush was president, with a Republican Senate, House, and (slightly) Supreme Court, nothing was done here either. Nothing will ever be done. If abortion is made illegal, all of a sudden some single-issue voters have no reason to vote Republican. Having said that, a lot of states have been “stealthily” taking away abortion rights, finding ways to close down clinics. People have to travel further. This isn’t really a Trump thing though. > [@](#): > > - Gun rights? Nothing. There’s so many gun rights, beyond the members of the “well-organized militias” that are supposed to possess them. Right now people with mental illnesses can buy guns. People with warning signs (such as threatening people on social media) can buy guns. There’s at least one blind person with a firearms license. If a criminal pleads guilty and is later released, can they get their gun back? > [@](#): > > - Shrink the government? Nothing. That takes effort, and prioritization. The government actually is shrinking in some areas, but probably not areas that have been prioritized to shrink. > [@](#): > > - State rights? Nothing. I know too little to comment on this. > [@](#): > > - Kill the ACA? Mostly nothing (hobbled it). How many votes to repeal it were held before they had complete control? More than 50 I think. The ACA is a law, but it’s really more like several laws stitched together, many of which are popular. I wouldn’t say “mostly nothing”, taking away the tax penalty will leave many people without insurance, as they’ll only pay for this decision when they get sick. It’s basically impossible to kill ACA entirely, as many parts are popular. It’s also impossible to cut out the unpopular parts. Something I didn’t know (as a Canadian) are how popular employer-sponsored health insurance is in the US. In Canada the government provides insurance (with no co-pays for many things) but many employed people don’t have private insurance. In the US, to have employer insurance, it seems you need to be working full-time. People working full-time look down on people working part-time or not at all (except retirees, who have their own programs). So I wonder if some of the political issue is seeing the ACA as an expansion of welfare rather than the more “obvious” propaganda you see, read, and hear. > [@](#): > > - Decrease regulations? Maybe something here but not from congress…instead left to cronies put in charge of various agencies IIRC some environmental regulations got cut. Those are probably not where you **want** to see cuts though. Regulations that slow down small businesses are something I’d rather see cut. More jobs, less pollution, etc. > [@](#): > > I’m probably missing others. Feel free to add. That is just a start. The most obvious are judges. The media focuses on the Supreme Court, obviously, but doesn’t report very often on the minor judges, who don’t seem to attract filibusters. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/36 "2019-01-25T20:12:12Z")
> [@Kimera757](#): > > … The most obvious are judges. The media focuses on the Supreme Court, obviously, but doesn’t report very often on the minor judges, who don’t seem to attract filibusters. The Dems _can’t_ filibuster those minor judges, thanks to “the ever-virtuous Harry Reed”. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/37 "2019-01-25T20:20:34Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > OK, that may be true, but since it’s Democrats are getting in the way now what are their answers for why they didn’t build it before? > > I’m guessing it was all a political calculation. The base and Trump want it, The GOP knows it can’t be done for anywhere near Trumps figures, Democrats will definitely try to stop it and we can paint them as open border 5th columnists who care nothing for the safety of Americans. > > But still, when asked what do they say? My guess is that the Republicans know this project is going to be a fiasco. There will almost certainly be massive cost overruns and it will fail to stop illegal immigration. This has dumb idea written all over it. If the project had been launched anytime in the last two years, it would have been by a Republican President, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House. There wouldn’t have been a lot of room for the Republicans to blame the Democrats when the project became a public scandal. So they waited until the Democrats had regained some power and then tried to bring them in on it. That way, the Republicans would be able to deny responsibility in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/38 "2019-01-25T20:35:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > My guess is that the Republicans know this project is going to be a fiasco. There will almost certainly be massive cost overruns and it will fail to stop illegal immigration. This has dumb idea written all over it. > > If the project had been launched anytime in the last two years, it would have been by a Republican President, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House. There wouldn’t have been a lot of room for the Republicans to blame the Democrats when the project became a public scandal. > > So they waited until the Democrats had regained some power and then tried to bring them in on it. That way, the Republicans would be able to deny responsibility in the future. Right, I agree. But there ARE constituents who wanted to build this wall, where was their outrage these past two years at that lack of progress on this thing. Has no one at FOX News or Breitbart or any of the Alt Right forums held any of their Republican Representatives to task for this. These past two years, what did these Congressmen say when asked? ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Erudite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ancient\_Erudite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Erudite)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/39 "2019-01-25T21:56:02Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > A several trillion dollar tax cut for the rich. > > A ton of judges in the appellate court & supreme court. > > Tons of regulations were rolled back. > > They did pretty well for themselves. The median savings account balance across American households is $4,500. And when you have a median that’s considerably lower than the average, it means that most people have less than the average. Trumps’ tax cuts will save the middle class to working class at least a $1,000.00. When you consider what they have in their account balance, that is a significant amount of money for them. During his tenure, North Korea is no longer firing missles above Japan, and taking about denucleratzation, and China appears to be willing to balance out our trade deficit a bit. Trump and his team have all successfully negotiated the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. He also moved our embassy to Jerusalem, which is where it should have been for our key ally. So it’s not just tax cuts for the rich. As others have mentioned, he has transformed the supreme and federal courts. The economy, in general, has done well under Trump Liberals hate him because he’s accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. Unless I miss my guess, he will build his wall and improve border security one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348/40 "2019-01-25T23:57:47Z")
I’d like to see some proof that Liberals hate him because he’s accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. Speaking for myself, I hate him because he’s a nazi-loving racist misogynistic ignorant pig who’s upsetting the global applecart for no good reason, but maybe I’m alone in this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-conservatives-get-for-two-years-in-control-of-the-government-aside-from-a-big-tax-cut/828348.md?page=3)