In this week’s installment some prior week’s issues have moved up – Succeed, or down – Fail, after being in the Wait and See category. The point here is many issues are never clear-cut at first hype. Would that most media organizations took that approach. Some issues, such as foreign affairs developments or spy-craft are inherently hard to verify due to the distance and nature of the players. Most media rushes to judgment, fools follow. In contrast, domestic policy issues are easier to pin down because the news builds on a body of clearly documented words and actions.
Where Trump’s initiatives should succeed:
The Speech | I’m quite glad for the successful speech. Although I’m a non-fan of Trump, I wish him the best and for him to succeed. The speech is taking the Presidency in the right direction.
Honoring fallen veterans | If Trump has one area of understated grace, it is in his regard for fallen war-heroes. While his observances may be small symbolic gestures, they stand in contrast to his predecessor who not infrequently projected indifference. The long range impact is greater than the face value.
Latest twist in immigration | Trump has signaled some level of accommodation on long-term immigration. An initial tightening of enforcement was justified to stabilize the unregulated human traffic into the United States. Part one, now part two.
Where we should take a wait and see approach to Trump’s initiatives before we get the pitchforks:
Increase in defense spending | Defense is constitutionally mandated; so much else in government is not. On that basis, Trump’s priorities at least, are good. Caveats: Where did the increase numbers come from? As with education where more spending rarely equals better education, how will we get value for that spending? The military loves cash for lunch as much as any department. Paying for the bump? Ryan is right on this one.
Repeal of transgender bathroom regulations | One the one hand, there is a baseline of rights that should be afforded to all including transgenders, and on the other, the recent transgender bathroom access regulations did constitute an infringement to many people’s sense of privacy. This issue deserves a longer-range solution over time according to the needs of those states and municipalities that wish to promote hybrid unisex facilities and also protect non-transgender facility users.
‘Facts’ | Trump’s concept of ‘facts’ is annoying as a minimum. Disturbing also comes to mind, but so has been, every other public figure. O how quickly we forget the campaign trail and …who was it that he ran against? I seem to recall that person also had a lot of ‘alternate truth’ going on, even before Conway’s words popularized that term. In Trump’s case, substitute the word ‘beliefs’ for ‘facts’.
‘Complicated’ health care | Like, yeah. On the one hand, this is not unlike all the other realizations after a successful candidate assumes the Presidency. The stupid thing is to then project that ignorance. Last week, I put this on congress, this week it’s on Trump. News moves fast. As of this posting, there are signals that Trump will work closer with congress.
Where Trump’s initiatives should fail:
Media grudge and the banning of some press |The decision by the Trump administration to lock out a number of major press organizations from a routine press event does not bode well for Trump. While certain excluded media outlets such as CNN have a checkered history of coverage, the scope of the exclusion is clearly designed to manipulate broader coverage of the administration. The irony of course is that any press briefing is a chance to deliver the message ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’. Look for a quiet correction down the road.
And in other news:
Get your shoes off the oval-office sofa Kelly-Anne Conway! The photo almost looked staged to me. Who? How? Why?
