The interesting thing about a swamp is that you don't know what's in it until you start to drain it.
Spying on citizens, undermining political rivals using government agencies with impunity and ignoring the rule of law destroy the stability of a nation. They make up the vapors emanating from the Washington swamp that President Trump declared he would drain but they are only the bubbling byproducts of the massive network of corrupt politicians, lobbyists, politically appointed ideological judges and lawless law enforcement officials.
Entrenched power entangled with opposing yet co-dependent desires that run counter to the interests of the American people is the sum total of the motivating forces within the swamp that Trump is facing.
So how can Trump and his team navigate the murky waters without getting sucked under as so many do? Ignoring the ever escalating, desperate and lawless actions of today's liberal Democrats is the equivalent of calmly watching a pack of hungry wolves racing towards you with the hope that maybe a rabbit will somehow jump out of nowhere and distract them.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, you have to give Democrats their proper credit because although they are a lawless, lying bunch of hypocrites, they passionately and relentlessly push their liberal, anti-Constitutional agenda forward a little at a time, whether or not they hold power.
For eight long years, Obama's liberal Democrats operated virtually unchecked and unopposed regarding their dreams of transforming America into a socialist slum--starting with the deceptive health care killer know as Obamacare that was sold to the American people using false advertising and passed without a single Republican vote not to mention the unprecedented creative collaboration of the United States Supreme Court. It is interesting to note that Liberals on the Supreme Court rewrote the text in Obamacare and ruled constitutional that which was unconstitutional, yet with Trump's immigration executive order, Liberals in U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ignored the text and ruled unconstitutional that which was constitutional.
Be that as it may, the liberal agenda steamrolled ahead as Democrat controlled cities circumvented immigration law, liberal department heads pleaded the 5th before Congress and ignored contempt of Congress charges. So it stands to reason that liberal Democrats want the candy store to remain open regardless of the fact that it's now under new management.
Trump can't ignore the cowardice and complacency of the Republican leadership
At the same time, Trump can't ignore the cowardice and complacency of the Republican leadership that so far has been satisfied with doing nothing. A group who quickly broke their 2014 campaign promises and have shown themselves to be formidable swamp dwellers as well.
But one promise, if kept, would go a long way in not only draining the swamp but showing conviction to keep a covenant made with the American people who handed Trump and Republicans a historic victory because of it.
It's the promise that Obamacare will be repealed and replaced; not augmented or refined but completely discarded. Draining the swamp will be tricky. But keeping true to one's word can protect oneself from the possibility that the process doesn't turn into a giant pit of quicksand.
Rick Hayes lives in the epicenter of liberal land where reality and truth will never encounter a welcome mat.
An award-winning writer and photographer, with over twenty years of professional experience in both fields, Hayes started his journalism adventure after a successful, eye-opening career as a Banker in Wall Street. Although he spent his early work life surrounded by custom made shirts, expensive ties and the shiniest of shoes, Hayes was an accomplished singer, cutting a few records with a local band and appearing on one of the first cable shows.
Working for a weekly New York paper, in one of the most politically corrupt areas in the State, he began investing his time trying to understand the nature of corruption.
