A summary look at hot news issues surrounding Trump during the past week
Where Trump’s initiatives should succeed:
Armada to North Korea | There has been confusion about exactly where the Naval battle group was in en route to North Korea. I suggest taking the news with a grain of salt. The phrase, “Loose lips sink ships” was made for maneuvers such as this. The press and the public have a curious instinct to believe they have a right to know where an aircraft carrier sits in the ocean while on a high alert assignment. Think about that a moment, how absurd. In the meantime, I do trust the current military to both confront the North Korean situation and yet not be a sitting duck for an attack.
Mother of All Bombs | The Syrian offensive told the world, and North Korea in the process, ‘we can take you out above ground’. The ‘MOAB’ told the world and North Korea, ‘we can shock you in your tunnels’. So far, Kim Jong Un appears to have received the message, even though he is still running his mouth, and yes, armed.
Where we should take a wait and see approach to Trump’s initiatives before we get the pitchforks:
Relationship with Turkey | Trump endorsed Erdogan’s questionable consolidation of power. Erdogan is a dictator in the making. Let world markets and the EU punish him where it hurts. In the meantime, if we learned anything from the past 20 years, it’s that abetting or assisting in the removal of a dictator in the Middle East almost always results in in far more repression and chaos from the likes of ISIS. Choose your poison wisely. Presently Erdogan is the lesser of evils and an unsavory endorsement may be part of the game.
Releasing taxes | If it truly should be compulsory for a person occupying the office of President to release their tax returns, it should be written into law first. ‘If there’s nothing to hide, then just release them’. By that logic, much oppression has taken place in the world. If we enjoy the civil liberties afforded by the right to not incriminate ourselves, that right should extend to the President as an individual. This is a matter of legal and constitutional principle. It should not be subject to the volume of the rabble. Don’t feed the trolls. Sure, Trump should release his returns. Under the current laws, we must respect it when he does not.
Where Trump’s initiatives should be reversed:
Access logs to the White House | Trump apparently has cut off access to the records detailing Whitehouse visitors. This is an ominous move. This must be reversed.
Commentary by Lee Jones