Immigration legislation is over for the year because both Trump and the Democrats believe a bill more to their liking has better odds of passing after the midterms. Regardless of who is right, neither has any incentive whatsoever to return to the issue for the remainder of this Congress. And so they won’t.
What Trump has already gained the Senate’s latest immigration votes is securing the perception of holding center-right ground while retaining the option of passing a more Conservative immigration reform than what was reflected in Grassley’s bill which was based on Trump’s “last DACA offer” to the Democrats.
I see the same script playing out in gun control legislation: Trump has given a (false) perception he is in favor of a more moderate policy while still preserving a very Conservative firearms policy. Meanwhile, and like immigration, Trump baits the Democrats into taking more Liberal positions on guns that will leave Trump once again looking like the reasonable moderate when, in fact, he is preserving the existing Conservative status quo on guns.
Trump’s gun policy gives up nothing substantive to the Left.
For example, there is already an age limit of 21 to purchase assault rifles from licensed vendors. However, unlicensed gun dealers as well as internet dealers are exempt from that restriction.
Trump recommending an age limit of 21 simply standardizes that rule in a broader way for gun vendors.
Similarly, there already exist mental health background checks on firearms purchases. But those rules are not standardized for all gun dealers, a problem Trump vows to correct. Hence, Trump is not conceding nothing additional to the Left on guns other than making existing ground rules more universal.
From this pseudo-moderate position, Trump can stand back to observe whether Democrats step into the trap he’s laid for them.
Because Democrats don’t know how to compromise it is likely they will overreach like they did on immigration by rejecting Trump’s mostly cosmetic changes while the Dems entrench into an overly anti-gun position that pleases their base but sets the Democrats up for losses in electorally crucial pro-gun Rust Belt states.
If the Democrats do not push a Liberal line on guns, their base will become demotivated as immigration activists became when Schumer folded to McConnell and Trump in the shutdown fight by agreeing to reopen government without a DACA amnesty.
Either way, Trump wins and in the process further preps the electoral battlefield in favor of the GOP.
Pragmatically Distributed 
Tell me if you like this argument.
About a month or so ago, had this thought about coming up with a new argument for the existence of the biblical God. It is what is called a transcendental argument (IFF X then and only then Y.)
IF and only IF God exists…..(drum-roll):
The Jews will have, not only survived every test that God has given them, but passed every stress the Devil has contrived from them and not only survived but thrived to the point where Israel is a strong, secure, flourishing nation.
Now, since the consequent is true(right) the antecedent must be true for it not, the consequent would not obtain.
Now, a transcendental argument is not the fallacy of affirming the consequent of a conditional proposition (if it is raining, then the sidewalks will be wet. The sidewalks are wet, therefore it is raining (wrong!)).
What do you think?
Also, do you think there is going to be a major confrontation between Israel and Iran?
(The Transcendental Chutzpah Argument For God’s Existence.)
The Jews will have, not only survived every test that God has given them, but passed every stress the Devil has contrived from them and not only survived but thrived to the point where Israel is a strong, secure, flourishing nation.
Or they survived for some unrelated reason.
Also, do you think there is going to be a major confrontation between Israel and Iran?
I predicted this would happen as part of Iran’s series of proxy wars.
If it is going to happen the Israelis might as well get it over with soon while Iran is overextended and fairly weak, Iran’s delusions of Persian Empire notwithstanding.
“Or they survived for some unrelated reason.”
Well spotted. Could make for a good political formula for Israel though. Muslims would hate hate hate it.
“I predicted this would happen as part of Iran’s series of proxy wars.
If it is going to happen the Israelis might as well get it over with soon while Iran is overextended and fairly weak, Iran’s delusions of Persian Empire notwithstanding.”
It seems the next few weeks and months will be decisive.
Israel survives because we are exceptionally good at keeping the likes of Meretz out of power. Unfortunately, I believe the Progressives will take America and force them on us.
Could make for a good political formula for Israel though.
I believe this is already baked into the theological cake with the Abrahamic Covenant.
Muslims would hate hate hate it.
Maybe Muslims should bring up the humanitarian outrage of stolen holy sites with the Greeks, Coptic Christians, Armenians, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Maronite Christians…
It seems the next few weeks and months will be decisive.
I can also see matters being strung out indefinitely with pointless diplomatic busy talk until the conflict finally boils over after Israel, as usual, drags its feet instead of acting decisively.
Israel survives because we are exceptionally good at keeping the likes of Meretz out of power.
But Likud barely takes advantage of the situation when it gets into power.
Instead of being Nationalist, Likud does the bare minimum to survive.
Likud does what it can. They recognize statecraft, for us, is convincing the diaspora that we must be far right and convincing out far right that we must have the support of our diaspora.
They recognize statecraft, for us, is convincing the diaspora that we must be far right and convincing out far right that we must have the support of our diaspora.
They can afford to, and should, move further right.
Part of the reason Likud prefers the status quo is indeed diplomatic. But it is also laziness and complacency. A more aggressive posture by Israel would have gone a long ways to preventing Iran from causing as much trouble as it is today.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/01/gary-cohn-white-house-tariffs-432625
Good?
Good?
Verified?
Looking forward to your next article.
Much to discuss (North Korea, Israel and Palestine, Trump). Is there any topics you would like to debate/discuss?