Some of the greatest concerns and criticisms conservatives have held for years surrounding now presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump revolve around the candidate's disregard of the U.S. constitutional system. Trump rarely, if ever, talks about the constitution or the role of government. His statements and positions indicate little cooperation with Congress, if any at all. Congress of course serves as an important check on the executive and represents the American people at a much closer level than the Oval Office. Members of the House in particular are constantly flying home to their congressional districts to hear directly from their constituents.
Just days after winning Indiana and becoming the only remaining candidate on the Republican side of the race for the White House, Trump is already proving he doesn't have much regard for Congress.
Yesterday House Speaker Paul Ryan told CNN's Jake Tapper he wasn't ready to support Trump's candidacy. Trump fired back by saying he isn't ready to support Paul Ryan, either. Disagreements over policy and agenda are healthy and as Ryan said, it's up to Trump to unify the Party.
The problem and disregard for the process came this morning when Trump Spokeswoman Katrina Pierson said during an interview with CNN that if Ryan can't support Trump, who has been a Democrat until just a few years ago, then he's unfit to be Speaker.
“If the Republican speaker of the House does not come around to supporting the Republican nominee, do you think that Paul Ryan is still fit to be speaker?” CNN’s John Berman asked Friday.
“No,” Pierson responded, “because this is about the party.”
This is the best way to unify a Party? By classifying a popular Speaker, who took the job for the country when no one else wanted it, and former Vice Presidential candidate as "unfit" for the position?
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It isn't the role of Congress to fall in line with the President, regardless of Party. It is the role of the President, however, to respect disagreements with Congress and to work on finding solutions.
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