Second-day thoughts

1.) To all the TV pundits, columnists, folks famous and not on social media writing indulge-my-feelings drivel about having to "process their anguish", and the mobs trying to cause riots in cities across the nation: knock it off. In the Novembers of 2008 and 2012, I went through plenty of wrenching mental states and entertained thoughts of doing all kinds of outlandish things, but I kept it to myself and a couple of close friends. Get a grip. If you ever want a majority of your fellow citizens to embrace what you stand for, you're first going to have to earn their respect. Having a kindergartner-style meltdown is an ill-advised step in that direction.

2.) Putin and other top Russian government officials have public expressed gratification at the turnout the US presidential election. In fact, check this out:

Putin’s advisor Sergei Glaziev went as far as to officially suggest that Trump’s victory saved the world from WW3. “Americans had two choices: WW3 or multilateral peace. Clinton was a symbol of war, and Trump has a chance to change this course.”

Wow!

But I think we can see that such pronouncements need to be interpreted as coming through the filter of an official Russian worldview. Putin makes clear that he intends to stand firm on how he sees the roots of the current juncture:

“We understand and are aware that it will be a difficult path in the light of the degradation in which, unfortunately, the relationship between Russia and the U.S. are at the moment.” And then, he added: “As I have repeated many times, it is not our fault that Russia-U.S. relations are as you see them.”

And Volodin starts the hard-nosed negotiating  right off the bat:

Vyacheslav Volodin, an aide to Putin, expressed his excitement with Trump as well. He stated that with “the end of the Obama administration there will be an end to the problems it caused between Kremlin and Washington, including the sanctions.”

“Sanctions is the tool used by the weak,” he claimed, referring to the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and European Union for Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea. “With sanctions you can’t have mutual respect,” he then added, which suggests that with Trump’s victory Russia hopes the sanctions will be lifted.

So there is no room for the first subatomic particle of naiveté as we proceed on that front.

3.) The best minds of both houses of Congress need to get busy from day one crafting legislation on these four areas: health care, tax rates, energy and the Iran "agreement." Shall I spell out what LITD wants to see in each? Repeal the "A"CA, have vigorous discussions about the multiple market-based replacement plans put forth over the last several years, distill the best features of each, and write a bill. Reduce corporate and individual tax rates to the levels Squirrel-Hair outlined in his speech to the Economics Club of Detroit. Immediately stop all subsidies to "companies" in the "business" of producing play-like energy forms. Unleash the Keystone XL pipeline, allow no dithering over the Dakota pipeline, and discuss any other oil pipelines that might be an economic boost.

And, of course, scrap the Iran "deal." Aggressively pursue channels of communication with European countries that are encouraging economic ties with Iran and serve notice that the US has a new policy that frowns upon such activity.

Speaking of channels of communication, Congress will of course have to keep the White House apprised of what it's doing. Squirrel-Hair's ego will insist that his name - his brand - be associated with these initiatives. Fine. His advisors will tell him that they are good things to go with, and he'll sign what you send him.