Trump Couldn’t Wait, Signs Tax/Budget Bill Before Heading To Mar-a-Lago

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Trump was initially scheduled to sign the sweeping tax cut bill in a formal ceremony after the New Year, but he couldn’t wait. Trump felt it best to seal the dealseal the deal before the holiday and make good on his promise to sign historic tax legislation before Christmas.

“President Trump on Friday signed his first major legislative triumph – a $1.5 trillion tax overhaul expected to trigger tax cuts for most Americans next year – as well as a temporary spending bill that keeps the government running through mid-January.

Trump signed the bills before heading to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., for the winter holidays.

As he did, the president told reporters he was initially going to wait until after the new year but changed his mind because he wanted to prove he was keeping his promise to America to get a tax bill signed before Dec. 25.

“I didn’t want you folks to say I wasn’t keeping my promise” to sign the bill by Christmas, he said. “Every one of the networks was saying ‘Will he keep his promise? Will he sign it by Christmas?'”

So Trump said he told his staff: “Get it ready, we have to sign it now.”

The president also called out Democrats who he said would “really regret” not supporting the bill.”

The stop-gap spending bill Trump signed keeps the government funded through January 19, 2018 and funds the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Republicans were criticized by Democrats for leaving the CHIP funding hanging, framing it in their usual style as if Republicans didn’t care about children.

To be sure, CHIP was originally passed by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and it’s continued funding was never really in question. It just goes to show that fodder for Democrats on Capitol Hill to criticize Republicans are running bone dry.

With the ‘winning’ still in the air going into the holidays, perhaps the aroma will entice the Swamp to keep the momentum going come January with more aggressive policy reforms, maybe even entitlement program reforms.