Donald Trump has quite a few things working against him in his mission to be a great president. At this point in his tenure most polls are uncovering scores of reasons why Trump is more likely to be a flop. Most importantly his administration has had very few victories and hasn’t been able to keep any of the promises made during the presidential campaign. This essay will explore four huge issues facing the administration
Personality– Trump is not a likeable person. He doesn’t relate to other people. Historically he hired minions to do his bidding but he made all the decisions himself depending more upon family advisors than anyone else.
Other presidents like JFK, Reagan and even Obama were loved by large groups of Americans. Being loved doesn’t necessarily correlate to being a great president (consider Obama), but it is not productive when an image of a president evokes outright disdain.
What is it about Trump that causes so many to abhor him? It’s really personal. Hillary Clinton supporters complained that every aspect of her appearance was judged by America, which detracted from her being able to show off her political acumen. The press often commented about her frumpy pantsuits, hair and less than extraordinary oratory skills (compared to Obama and her husband).
Many of us, including the press, Hollywood celebrities, late night hosts and every American that despises him, has mocked Trump’s physical appearance. Alec Baldwin, who is making a career out of viciously jabbing at Trump on SNL, covers a lot of territory including his comb over hairdo, his facial expressions and his weight.
Some of Trump’s ardent supporters continue to applaud the president’s aggressive ‘tude and his in your face demeanor. But way more than half the country (based on recent polls) hates these traits. Trump has turned people off with his critical and not so subtle speeches, and his Twitter lambastes are universally panned. When you are always attacking, you have to expect retaliation.
Politics– Trump managed to get elected just a few months ago, a truly amazing feat in the opinion of most. He gets an A+ for doing so as a neophyte. By contrast Hillary Clinton spent her whole life in government and politics and was beaten soundly by both Obama and Obama, who both came from nowhere to claim the biggest political prize.
But Trump’s ability to garner increased support since the election has been minimal. He and his Republican colleagues won control of both the Executive and Legislative branches of the government. And since then his nominee for the SCOTUS vacancy has been confirmed restoring the conservative tilt of the Court. So why the hell has Trump failed so miserably legislatively?
The answer is crystal clear. He was double-crossed by his own party. Sanctimonious conservatives got off by making it impossible for him to repeal and replace Obamacare. The same people were raging about the crappy law ramrodded down the throats of Americans by the previous president that is still in effect. When the conservative dingbats had the chance to finally ditch the law they committed political treason and refused to vote for the president’s plan. Many Republicans hope that these outliers lose their seats in the midterm elections in 2018.
Exacerbating the political problem is that Democrats abetted by the liberal press are pulling out all the stoppers to ensure that Trump fails. Isn’t it unpatriotic to want a president to implode? Yes. Is it legitimate to fight against policies that you disagree with? Of course. Should you do and say things that are disrespectful to the presidency and are bad for America? Absolutely not. Opposition is healthy, but vitriol is not. And please, get your facts straight.
Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are leading the charge against the Trump administration while the New York Times and all of the other left-wing media outlets are complicit. They are doing a disservice to our country by putting politics ahead of America.
Foreign Affairs– All the craziness involving Syria, Iran, Russia, China, North Korea, Mexico, ISIS, other terrorists and many world leaders might all work out. Perhaps America has become a marshmallow being abused regularly by the global community. Maybe we need someone like Trump to restore some dignity and respect.
There has been some progress. The airstrike on Syria and improved communication with China could have long-term positive implications. But we will have to wait and see. Suffice it to say that strong leadership by the U.S. will be very important to the world moving forward.
The Liberal Revolution– The writer is a product of the 60s. I recognize and appreciate protest that is good for the country, and conversely can sense when it is destructive.
Free speech is now on the table. The definition of this constitutional issue is that every person has a right to speak his or her mind on any topic they wish. The audience doesn’t have to agree but it shouldn’t respond violently to even the most offensive among us.
Berkeley was at the epicenter of free speech in the 60s. Free speech was protected by a group of brave students at that time. Today the same college is the epicenter of dissent that will effectively impair free speech in this country.
As mentioned earlier you can’t be for free speech only when it supports your position. All significant sides should be heard. The violent protests against Ann Coulter and others are anti-free speech and appalling to those who actually understand the importance of this right.
People like the ones encouraging violence at Berkeley are the same people that hate Trump the most. That, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. The actions of this group have been over the edge and should be tempered. There’s an obvious way to fight against a leader you disagree with- vote for someone else in the next election. In the meantime encourage you government representatives to oppose this person.
Trump is going to have a tough road ahead. His ability to prove he is great is questionable. But this may be because he is not been given a chance to prove his mettle.