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In President Trump, we’re witnessing what happens when a third party candidate becomes president. Sure, he ran as a Republican and his politics are generally more Republican-esqe than Democrat-esqe. But he isn’t one of “them” and has never been one of “them.”

The first hint was the GOP Convention. A number of prominent Republicans (GOPe if you like) had better things to do that week. It certainly wasn’t a GOP Convention. It was more like the GOPe begrudgingly let Donald Trump have a rally because they had called off the convention and were happy to have someone take over the hall. After all, the GOPe didn’t win so what was the point?

The next hint was when rank and file Republicans wouldn’t even acknowledge he was the party’s candidate. I have never been so disappointed in a group of people than those Republicans.

Remember how “they” said Donald Trump didn’t have a ground game. “They” were probably right but it’s because the entire Republican party had gone underground. Fortunately, he had a better airplane game that focused on Electoral College votes and remarkably won proving that the GOPe was clueless about how to win a national election. And it turns out, they don’t care all that much.

The entire #NEVERTRUMP summed up the stupidity and the arrogance of the GOPe.

After he was inaugurated, I had the sense President Trump perhaps saw himself as the new head coach of a football team that looked like it had potential but had a poor on field record. In comes Knute “Trump” Rockne to address his new team. He looks out on the group and says —

The secret of winning is working more as a team, less as individuals.

And then someone yells “recess!” and they all walk away.

But as someone with a long track record of motivating people, Knute “Trump” Rockne goes to his two quarterbacks and says —

Let’s win one for the Gipper.

And then both say in unison “But what’s in it for us?!”

Donald Trump has absolutely no political capital and has nothing to trade. He also doesn’t want political capital because it’s baggage he doesn’t want or need. He doesn’t even want a legacy; his legacy is firmly secured in brick and mortar. That’s not to say he doesn’t want to be the greatest President the country has ever had!

There’s a story in the Politico titled GOP livid after Trump cuts deal with Democrats and one quote was —

“It doesn’t help our leadership to try to hold us Republicans together on anything when they know the president will chop them off at the knees,” said a House Republican lawmaker allied with Ryan. “Trump has got to start caring more about his colleagues over here.”

Colleagues?! That, I think, is what’s at the crux of the matter. I’m pretty sure Donald Trump doesn’t think Republicans in Congress are “colleagues.” He’s by gawd the President of the United States. He is the leader of the entire country with awesome power and responsibility.

Maybe Barack Obama was a “colleague” but that’s largely what got us into this mess in the first place; bad group think exacerbated by insatiable greed!

I suspect that President Trump looks upon Congress and says to himself “I’d fire every last one of them if I was given the chance!”

Here’s another tidbit Congress might want to get used to: Winning isn’t keeping the other side from winning. “We kept the Democrats from passing a bill” isn’t winning. Winning is passing your own bill for the greater good of the country!

So here’s where this gets messy. Donald Trump isn’t GOPe or DEMe. He’s tried to work with the GOPe allowing Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell to take the legislative lead and they have both failed dismally and spectacularly. What do you do? You go find people who will get SOMETHING done; maybe not the exact something you want but SOMETHING.

As Pablo Picasso said —

Action is the foundational key to all success.

President Trump, I believe, will go wherever he has to go to get action on an issue.

For instance, on immigration reform, the Democrats have better ideas than the Republicans. Why? Because the Republicans in Congress have NO IDEAS WHATSOEVER! And, no, I don’t think “hire a gazillion ICE Agents” counts as an idea. Don’t get me wrong — all the ideas from the Democrats suck but we better get on the stick or we’ll eventually wind up with each and every one of them! Not under President Trump but certainly somewhere down the road. Which, sadly, may really be OK with the GOPe.

On healthcare, we know for sure the Republicans in Congress have NO IDEAS WHATSOEVER (or at least none they can agree to!)

On tax reform, from what I’ve heard so far, the Republicans in Congress have NO IDEAS WHATSOEVER! The Democrats, on the other hand, are always ready to reform the tax code and confiscate money from citizens to dole out as they see fit.

Here’s what I believe. President Trump will do what is necessary to force action on these issues. Since he’s not GOPe, working with the DEMe won’t be a problem for him. In fact, he’d probably welcome the opportunity. The GOPe will either take their ball and go home or they’ll finally get some backbone and get to work.

How ironic that the narrative was one of “Trump needing to work with Democrats across the aisle” and we may wind up with “Trump needing to work with Republicans across the aisle.”

And here’s why I’m OK with this. I’ve been to one of the rallies, I’ve watched a bunch on YouTube, I’ve listened to his speeches and Donald Trump is firm in his core values. At the end of the day, we might not get exactly what we want but I’m confident President Trump will look through that simple filter of doing things he strongly feels will Make America Great Again. That’s good enough for me.