Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is headed to Trump Tower Friday morning to meet with the president-elect. The two have already been speaking via phone every day and today they will hold a personal discussion as Trump’s entrance into the White House draws near.
The discussion will focus on Trump’s 100-day agenda beginning in 2017. For the first time since 2006, Republicans will control the House, Senate, and the White House. Seeing a ripe environment ahead, GOP congressional leaders have already planned for a conservative overhaul next session by packing more legislative days into the 2017 calendar – giving the 45th president more conservative bills to sign into law.
Top items on the agenda will include annihilating Obamacare, securing the Mexican border, rolling back a host of Obama-led regulations that have hurt the economy, and much else.
Pundits are already foreseeing clashes within the GOP bubbling to the surface as they coordinate what to do with their imminent power. President-elect Trump is calling for more infrastructure spending – something deficit hawks are weary of. Free market Republicans are voicing concerns with Trump's animus towards free trade. Also, a major hurdle will be what to do exactly with Obamacare. Every Republican agrees it needs to go – the question is over the best approach. Repeal and delay? Repeal and replace immediately? Many in the GOP are sparring over how to replace Obama’s healthcare overhaul without disrupting the industry. Other conservatives believe no replacement is even necessary.
No matter what they decide to do, incoming senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has already promised congressional Democrats will stonewall any progress.
