President Trump: A year of real change "Even as Democrats continue to obstruct and play politics, I have never stopped fighting for the people, and I have no intention of changing course," President Donald J. Trump writes in Washington Examiner. "We are putting America first, making real change in Washington, and creating opportunities for all of our people," the President explains. "From coast to coast, there is a renewed spirit. Our country is roaring back more quickly than anyone could have predicted. The American Dream is real again." Click here to read more. ------------ Rich Lowry writes in the New York Post that Sen. Chuck Schumer started a government shutdown he wasn't able to finish. "He believed any charge could be made to stick to President Trump, no matter how implausible, and chose the dictates of an inflamed Democratic base over common sense," Lowry explains. "His embarrassing climbdown after a short, mostly weekend shutdown shows the limits of the Resistance." ------------ "Since the 2016 election, President Donald Trump has nominated judges who have a demonstrated commitment to, as the president puts it, interpreting the Constitution 'the way it was meant to be,'" Leonard Leo writes in Newsweek. "The 'judicial wave' of 2017 was a very important benchmark of political success," Leo says. "And, looking ahead to the rest of 2018, it is likely to become the GOP leadership's case-in-chief for redoubling unified and intense action on the many federal judicial nominees the president still has to nominate and get confirmed." ------------ In The Wall Street Journal, Andy Puzder, former CEO of CKE Restaurants, writes that "more than 120 major employers have announced significant tax-cut-induced wage increases and employee bonuses." And businesses of all sizes are joining the rush. "Small businesses rarely make such announcements, but rest assured many are following suit as they compete for employees," Puzder writes. ------------ Financial Times (paywall) reports that JPMorgan Chase will "increase wages for its lowest-paid workers and reverse its recent trend of branch closures" thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These steps come as part of a $20 billion investment plan that the bank says will "increase its lending to small businesses and create thousands of new jobs," Nicholas Megaw writes.