RALEIGH, N.C. _ One way Republicans in Congress could avoid messy infighting on issues where they have differences with Donald Trump is to simply step aside and let the new president do the job.
Think of it as outsourcing Congress.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., suggested as much Wednesday when he told reporters that many of the GOP's top priorities with the Trump administration could be done "unilaterally" by Trump _ much the way some of President Barack Obama's top accomplishments were put in place.
"Much of this can be done alone because much of the problem has been created by this (presidential action) alone," McConnell said at a news conference at the Capitol on Wednesday.
Repealing Obamacare, rolling back administration's regulations _ including the landmark clean coal plan and others _ are among top priorities of Republicans. They believe reversing those will boost the economy.
"We need to undo much of that," McConnell said.
But on one of the most contentious issues of the election _ Trump's promise to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally and doing away with Obama's executive actions that give some permission to live and work here _ McConnell declined to address that divisive issue.
"I'm not going to discuss the immigration issue today," McConnell said when asked about Trump's ideas for those in the country illegally.
Before the election, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., rolled out an ambitious "Better Way" agenda _ a hundreds-page-thick wish-list of proposed tax breaks, regulatory reforms and national security measures that could serve as the blueprint for a new GOP government.
But Trump and congressional Republicans have differences on many issues, and cobbling together agreement in the House and Senate has always proved difficult for GOP leaders.
McConnell does expect Trump to ask the Senate to confirm a nominee for the vacancy on the Supreme Court early in the administration. He also expressed hope for tackling tax reform, but said a big Pacific trade pact negotiated by Obama would not be voted on during the final weeks of this Congress.
McConnell said he had talked to Trump on Wednesday and "would like for him to get off on a positive start."
"Where we have differences of opinion, I want to express them privately," McConnell said. 'We are going to be enthusiastically supportive almost all the time."
