President Trump had a good, but not great first year in office. With the major victory of comprehensive tax reform fresh in American minds, many have forgotten the missteps and fumbles of his first hundred days regarding perhaps the most debated policy issue of recent elections — healthcare reform.
The 23 legislative days wasted early in concert with a Congressional GOP that was too eager to enable the still ongoing Mueller investigation has led to much of the same in terms of health insurance choices for consumers as we enter a critical point, when the Democratic National Party is readying the season's anti-Trump/GOP attacks in advance of November.
In the early months of the administration, I often opined that a major error out of the gate was the appointment of former GOP Chairman Reince Priebus as White House Chief of Staff. Many of the establishment elements that the Trump victory was supposed to neutralize had been given a prominent seat at the “Big Kids” table between Priebus and former White House Communications Director Sean Spicer.
As we currently stand, issues like infrastructure, military spending, immigration reform, entitlement reform, in addition to healthcare, remain on the table with a minimal amount of time to score points with GOP voters considering the difficulty in achieving more than one major victory in 2017.
President Trump needs to understand that many of the opposing elements that existed at the highest levels of government are still firmly in place. We have not had a complete turnover in terms of personnel and seemingly every decision made by the Executive Branch has come under severe scrutiny, from the president’s travel ban to his decisions regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to America’s position on the Paris Climate Accords.
The president missed a major opportunity in not assigning a prominent official advisory position to Trump Campaign surrogate and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. With little time to check off some major platform boxes before this fall’s midterms, the need exists for someone with the experience to steer the White House’s considerable influence on Capitol Hill.
Trump finds himself in the position of a president with very few governmental allies outside his immediate circle. One president Trump could study in possibly developing an alternative strategy is his predecessor President Barack Obama.
Barack Obama, as misguided and radical as he was, kept a laser like and unyielding commitment to attacking natural rights and growing government’s influence in our life at a pace previously unseen in American history. He led and influenced policy that looked as if it could have been easily dictated from the Oval Office.
Trump has at times seemed content to attempt to curry popular opinion for ideas, that while being the product of a Republican legislature, are not in line with many of the more conservative ideas he exposed on the campaign trail.
Trump can carry the momentum of late last year if he sends the message that he is not opposed to refusing to enact legislation that falls short of the American people’s expectations of him. Legislation that pacifies both the conservative freedom caucus and fulfills the platform outlined in the 2016 Republican National Convention should start to roll out to the president immediately or Trump should be amenable to sending a hard message to Congress. With a lack of consensus and bipartisanship being the order of the day, Trump can ultimately exercise more power than both chambers would prefer. Through the SOTU address Trump is yet to veto any bills that have advanced to his desk. Obama vetoed a total of 12.
Originally published on Newsmax.
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Reblogged this on Sigrid's Blog * America Then and Now and commented:
President Trump does not need to do better, he had an excellent year with huge changes from the terrible Obama era of 8 years, that almost brought America to it's feet. Our stock market increased by 300 %; unemployment is at its lowest in some 25 years, especially black unemployment has never been this low; he got rid of so many regulations that hampered employers to expand their businesses to the detriment of their employees, whose salaries stayed stagnant ; he got his tax reform, desperately needed and the list goes on.
All of this, of course, will never be discussed on CNN or any of the liberalness outlets ABC,CBS,NBC and so many others. They like to degrade the President wherever they can and love to talk about his weight, or what he ate and how much..... It is almost comical. He brought us back from a very damaging Obama era, which almost brought America to it's feet. Then fortunately, Donald Trump came along and made us successful AGAIN in one short year. We, the "basket of deplorable" are all happy that we finally have a non-political, successful business man running this country like it should be run, a business. And, has the media ever mentioned that he does not take a salary, but just $ 1? Trump is the one who restored many things that were lost during Obama presidency. He, Obama, was more interested in his image, against business and would rather re-create/invent racism.
It is the DEMOCRATS, who need to take a deep breath and get real. So do the liberal media, propaganda machine of the Democrats/Liberals. They are all completely out of touch with the American people. They should stop relying on Hollywood or the entertainment industry, which oddly is friends with the Libs/Dems, and think for themselves. Another oddity is, that these Democrats/"progressives" are among the wealthiest in America trying to convince their base that they are good for the country, when in fact, they have been good and were the ones, who would not abolish slavery, tho were connected to the KluKlaxKlan, their presidents were all abusers of women, some in a big way and especially the blacks never got wealthy, they are still poor after Obama ended his tragic presidency.
So, my conclusion and that of many of our family and friends, there was nothing wrong with Donald Trump's first year. This is all just media hype and the whining of the Dems.
We all understand that Trump is not a seasoned politician and that is exactly what was attractive to me and so many many other Americans.
The Democrats or those, who called themselves "progressives" are in dreamland. They are not progressive, they are regressive, obstructing everything that comes from the GOP and/or this president, even though THEY, themselves propagated many ideas which they now reject, only because Donald Trump is president.
I am convinced that, in the next midterm election, Democrats will encounter another shock. Their display during the Address to the Union, was abominable. Best of all, the whole of America could just view them, sitting, pouting, looking disgusted and refraining from applause. They couldn't even make themselves clap for military people present or parents, who lost their children to gang related murder etc.
The Democrats have become a Party of whiners, children that don't get what they want. PATHETIC BUNCH!