By Ike Mgbatogu
Staff Writer
Onumba.com,USA ———- In the wake of Democrats sweeping both chambers of Congress after last week’s mid-term elections, President Trump wasted no time congratulating them on their victories.
In an even greater gesture, he extended an olive branch to the guffawing and high-fiving Democrats across the country, vowing to work with them in a spirit of bipartisanship for the benefit of the American people.
“My message is congratulations to the Democrats and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country,” Trump told CBS News late Tuesday.
It’s a nice gesture, obviously, but naming Stephen Miller as the new White House Chief of Staff to replace Susie Wiles who will step down on Nov. 9 is profoundly counterproductive ——- sort of one step forward, two steps back.
But who exactly is Stephen Miller? And more importantly, why is putting him in this role controversial and ill-conceived?
First of all, Miller’s official position in the Trump administration is White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to the president.
As Senior Adviser, he holds one of the loftiest White House positions with unfettered access to the president. He is a ferocious, rabid conservative hawk complete with a reputation as the hardliner of the hardliners in the Trump administration.
Miller occupies a central role in shaping and implementing Trump’s immigration agenda. He is generally credited as being the architect of the administration’s tough anti-immigration policies, fueling the ongoing controversial crackdown on immigrants across the country.
But as Chief of Staff, he is expected to play a different role —— one which brings people together across the partisan bifurcate —— a bridge builder, a rapport cultivator and a gulf closer.
In his new position, his primary role is to become the affable face of the administration’s effort to establish a spirit of bipartisanship ——- to work across the aisle and forge a connection with the majority in pursuit of policies rooted in areas of common ground.
With Democrats set to assume the majority in Congress, Trump has expressed an optimistic outlook on future teamwork ——- somehow believing in Miller’s ability and temperament to lead this effort.
“I think they’re gonna want to work with me,” said the president.
Well ——- not so fast, Mr. President ——- especially not with the incoming Speaker of the House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries calling the shots.
Appearing on ABC’s This Week recently, Jeffries made it copiously clear that Democrats will not work with Stephen Miller.
Therein lies the dilemma for Trump ——– who is clinging on to a volatile mix of MAGA defiance and a push for collaboration even as the cold reality of lame-duck status stares him right in the face.
“There’s not going to be any opportunity, certainly, to work with Stephen Miller and what he represents,” said House Minority Leader Jeffries.
Jeffries is essentially regurgitating the menacing activities of ICE in Wisconsin and vows a fierce pushback.
“Miller has unleashed billions of taxpayers’ dollars to brutalize and kill Americans citizens, like Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good,” recalled Jeffries.
“He clearly represents, along with Pete Hegseth and a few others, a really toxic brand of political engagement, of politics and governance and the American people just voted for that kind of MAGA extremism to be eradicated.”
Republicans echo a parallel displeasure with Miller’s promotion.
Trump made a “bad mistake,” said GOP Rep. Marlin Stutzman from Indiana.
“I come from the business world, just like Trump does,” he said.
“And you know what, If your team takes a beating as badly as we took this last week, you have to fire people,” Stutzman told Manu Raju of CNN’s Inside Politics.
“You don’t promote those who were in charge of what was supposed to be delivered,” —– that weren’t.
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