A summary look at hot news issues surrounding Trump during the past week
Where Trump’s initiatives should succeed:
Bannon removed from NSC role | Good move. Trump obviously read my Trump Scorecard from last week.
Gorsuch | As stated in previous weeks, Neil Gorsuch should be confirmed. The Senate Dems may get a crack at their filibuster but their loss will only diminish them further. This was a stupid place to plant their flag in the ground.
Susan Rice | First it was Trump’s accusation about wiretapping, then veiled disclosures about the affair from Nunes, who was trashed almost as much as Trump over the original charge of wiretapping. Susan Rice turned out to be at least one of the operatives. Lets state it plain here: I don’t really give a damn if Trump Tower was wiretapped by plumbers showing crack vs expertly lifted intelligence and unmasking by agencies on behalf of Obama (admitted or not). Out here in the hinterland, it’s all the same. The Dems sought and benefitted from intelligence gathered for national security in order to exploit it for political gain and or revenge. This puts them roughly on the same level as Russian hackers or even Putin himself.
Climate change | Trump has sought to even the playing field of climate science by allowing funding of studies by infidel climate change ‘deniers’. The holy church of climate change should no longer enjoy a monopoly. Of course this is not about instances of actual climate change, which are always in constant flux at various points around the globe. This is about stymying the cooked data, the scientific and academic dishonesty, and using false climate science as an overt tool to manipulate international and domestic agendas or governments.
Where we should take a wait and see approach to Trump’s initiatives before we get the pitchforks:
Flynn | So Flynn wanted to sing like a bird. Evidence mounts that he’s in trouble. Still, just let all the truths come out. Just get it on the table.
Escalated family | Trump continues to elevate family members within his administration, especially son-in-law Jared and daughter Ivanka. The press seems to be focused on their wealth and any potential related conflicts of interest. Of course this has to be watched but it can’t be any worse than Chelsea Clinton buying her wedding dress out of Clinton Foundation funds. Right? On the positive side, both of them are young, smart and much better socially adjusted than the old man. Short term, this is a win, I think. The long-term remains to be seen.
North Korean threat | My instinct is to suggest pointing so many projectiles at North Korean command centers that they are smoke and ashes by the time their nuke falls into the sea. On the other hand, miscalculate an immanent threat and a lot of people are toast. I sort of trust Trump’s state and military advisors to do the right thing…I hope.
Environmental regulations | Contrary to my comments about climate change, I am not comfortable with the wholesale reduction in environmental policies. I simply don’t trust Republicans and big business to not run rough-shod over the land. Nope.
Where Trump’s initiatives should fail:
Increased military in the Middle East | Reports say that our military involvement in the Middle-East is increasing. Certainly some strategic presence is needed, but this is now looking like the same old tactics. During the week in which some Syrians were hideously killed or maimed by chemical weapons, what is the answer? I don’t know but I have two propositions: 1) Direct military involvement is a big factor in the current Middle East instability . Why should even more involvement automatically be the only answer? 2) Real statesmanship is sorely lacking. We’re all sour on diplomacy maybe because much of Obama’s diplomatic efforts actually looks like the Neville Chamberlin school of brinksmanship. But if you go back into the past, statesmen used to keep us out of wars. Did we ever send boots on the ground to sort out the long-standing North/South Ireland conflict? No. it was all statesmanship. Lessons to be learned.
Commentary by Lee Jones