"1776er" How are we to evaluate Trump's
approach?
Republicans. Democrats. Insiders.
Outsiders. Movement. Establishment. Christians. Atheists. Black. White.
Hispanic. Gay. Straight. Transgendered. Feminist. Troglodyte.
Xenophobe. Commie. Islamophobe Deplorable.
He don't care.
He is focused on results. Get me the
results I want or get lost"
And quite right too. The "Never
Trump" conservative ideologues can stay in their ivory towers as
disconnected from the rust belt working men and women as Hillary Clinton and
the Democratic Establishment are. The voters in the key marginal states wanted
change and have a clear idea of what that change is-a return to America first
job security and opportunity.
This requirement, which exit polls
clearly signaled as the number one concern for voters, is of course Trump's
perceived strength and clearly his main focus, the successful execution
of which would be his presidential legacy.
Trump as president and head of the
GOP is the populist element of the administration, it being utterly wrong to
even consider this as a 'figurehead' for the Wall St. crowd as sullen leftists
are describing the situation.
There is nothing the GOP establishment can do to
stop or hinder Trump's plan for regenerating the American economy even if
by interventionist means which are such an anathema to the traditional right.
The surest indicator of this is the
Carrier deal, a populist interaction if there ever was one, which was enabled
and enhanced by VP in waiting and true classic conservative Mike Pence.
The GOP
understands they owe the presidency and the Supreme Court to Trump and while
the likes of McCain and Graham may tut tut in the end they are powerless in
face of the vast support Trump has among the rank and file.
In a magnificent display of
realpolitik Trump has solidified his support in the party by creating a
"meritocracy" cabinet of rock solid military men, hugely successful
businessmen and women and achievers all without a nod to traditional party
loyalists (Haley for example was a strong opponent) and even early supporters
like Gingrich, Giuliani and Christie.
What stands out above all with
Trump's appointments is that the group is solidly conservative.
This will
signal to the base that their turning out for him in campaign events and in the
polling booth that their desires as regards immigration (especially Muslim
immigration), social issues, bureaucracy,"sanctuary cities", support
of the police and armed forces, "Obamacare" with be addressed
and the measures of the Obama years will be erased as much as possible.
In return for this large shopping
list the rank and file and new GOP "blue collar" voters don't care in
the least if traditional Republican free trade orthodoxy is ignored, as often
as Trump deems it necessary, if they see jobs returning.
When asked if he was
acting against free trade by putting barriers to American firms relocating to
Mexico Trump replied "that is not free trade that is dumb trade."
There can be no doubt those in the rust belt in danger of losing their jobs
would not side with the likes of George Will. Mark Levin and Bill
Kristol and the rest of the purists railing against Trump in their $1000
suits.
There is much of FDR in Trump. Both
very wealthy men who took office during times of financial and foreign
uncertainty and who assembled a cabinet of similarly capable men and women. The
outcome for FDR and the Democratic Party following his success was 20 years of
unbroken presidential rule and a new coalition which served the party well
until 2016.
Trump has the opportunity of
cementing a new populist/meritocratic Republican Party with the Dem's in the
worst shape since the 1920's. If he succeeds the election of 2016 will be seen
in retrospect as a major watershed in American history.
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