FINAL WORD
While Trump has the momentum right now, time is not on his side. He has a short window to aggressively pursue an agenda of prosperity, sovereignty, and the rule of law. Soon the November midterm elections will dominate the news cycle – by early summer, if not earlier. Politicians up for reelection are pretty reliable when it comes to pursuing their own interests over those of their constituencies. Once Congress turns its attention from how to “Make America Great Again” to “making donors pay again,” we can forget about realizing the promise of Trump’s movement. The GOP must push its agenda and get results. Immigration is the single biggest political challenge on the docket, but the
steps Congress takes on Obamacare will also be crucial. And Trump will be tied to the results no matter what the outcome. As a candidate who promoted himself as the ultimate negotiator, “The Donald” had better outsmart the Schumer and Pelosi-led Democrats, or else his base will lose faith. It’s all about results now. With tax reform already repatriating overseas cash and invigorating jobs and wages in America, Trump and the GOP majority only need one more significant policy victory to help keep the House and Senate in Republican hands. From there, Trump’s pathway to fulfilling his promises and earning a second term in office will be readily apparent. To be sure, the Democrats have already set many land mines along the way. The Mueller probe won’t find any Trump-Russia collusion, but it will likely claim a few more hapless Trump-connected staffers for unrelated infractions. The media’s anti-Trump mania is so pervasive, they celebrate the prosecution of process crimes as though some terrible evil has been punished. Hopefully, Trump’s extensive, expensive legal team will keep him out of jeopardy while Mr. Mueller and his band of Les Miserables -style Inspector Javerts do their worst. If Trump can focus, and if the GOP gets its act together, 2018 could be the defining year of this presidency. Regardless of what one thinks of Trump the man, his tweeting habits, or his personal style, let’s hope he gets the job done as he promised he would. A few hundred million of Trump’s fellow Americans are depending on it.
Hank Blaustein | © 2013 Grant’s Interest Rate Observer. Used by permission. www.GrantsPub.com
88 January 2018
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online