Episode 9 - Election Recap

The Rust Belt States - Net increase in vote margin (from USA Today)

Overview of voting coalitions and Trump's current electoral count of 290

---

---

​Episode Highlights

• This episode was recorded Wednesday, November 9.
  
  
• [1:55] What went wrong in the polls? -  One the first opinions about what when wrong is that polls missed the silent Trump supporter.
  
  
• [3:15] Folks want something different - People do not want the same in Washington, DC. They desire change and this was evident in the rust belt states.
  
  
  • This was seen with Pennsylvania going red for the first since 1988.
    
    
• [5:07] Congress -  Republicans maintain control
  
  
  • Paul Ryan will likely win speakership again.
    
    
  • Republicans did lose two seats in the Senate - now 51-48 with a runoff election scheduled for Louisiana. 
    
    
  • Lame duck session coming up - what will get done? Not much.
    
    
• [7:20] The Transition - President-elect Trump must start working to fill position within his administration.
  
  
  • ​When this was recorded, NJ Governor Chris Christie was leading transition team. Now, IN Governor and VP-elect, Mike Pence, is leading transition.
    
    
  • Environmental Protection Agency - under the Trump administration, there will undoubtedly be a new perspective of EPA's role. Myron Ebell is leading the transition at the EPA and he is a climate change skeptic. 
    
    
  • Interior Department - transition is headed up by former department solicitor general for George W. Bush, David Bernhardt, so a Washington insider. 
    ​
  • [11:32] Department of Agriculture - John reviews names being tossed around for secretary including Sid Miller from Texas. 
    
    
• [13:09] The First 100 Days - What do we have to look forward to in the first 100 days?
  • Trump wants to "drain the swamp" of the Washington insiders and he has proposed freezing all hiring of federal employees.
    
    
  • Immigration will be a priority - with a focus on deporting illegal immigrants that have committed crimes.
    
    
  • Trade activities - Trump will likely reopen and renegotiate NAFTA.
    
    
  • Fill the Supreme Court vacancy.
    
    
• [17:40] EPA and other programs - The EPA's WaterSense program, the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act and conservation programs in the Farm Bill may be treated much differently under a Trump administration.