Some
journalists are making lists for 100 days of Trump. Others are asking the
citizenry to assign grades. So, I’ll give Trump a grade--a solid F. I’d give
him a lower grade if there were one.
I
think that grade deserves a reasoned explanation, so here are three of the many
reasons we could cite.
First,
Trump has threatened our very democracy with his assaults on the courts, the press
and the truth. Discussion to follow in next blog post.
Second,
Trump is a liar and a bluffer. Neither our allies nor our enemies know when he
is serious. This could be an existential
threat since Trump uses lies and bluffs against nuclear-armed powers with
little apparent plan for the consequences.
Trump
has, on occasion, engaged in truth telling. He now says he’s learned healthcare
is complicated. He says no one knew. Ha ha. But seriously, he also was
astonished to learn that dealing a with nuclear North Korea is complicated. No
one—that is Trump—knew that fact until now.
Trump
acknowledges that trying to get legislation through Congress is hard. In his
first 100 days, despite Trump’s threats, bullying, and bluffing he has not
managed to pass any of the major laws he campaigned on.
No
legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare.
No
legislation to fund his great wall.
No
legislation to bring back jobs. (Executive orders to eliminate regulations that
protect workers and the environment have not resulted in job growth.)
No
big tax-cut legislation. (A one-page list of how to give more money to Trump
and his fellow billionaires is not a plan for a tax cut to help average Americans.
It’s not even a tax plan.)
Third,
Trump is totally unprepared and unqualified to serve as President. As he now
admits, being President is actually harder than being a real estate “mogul” who
licenses his name. I suppose it also is harder than being a reality TV star. This
should not have been a surprise to a ten-year old. But it was to Trump.
On
more campaign promises than I can list, Trump has changed his mind. This
definitely is a case of less is more. The less Trump accomplishes or even tries
to do, the better it is for all of us. If only he would devote his full efforts
to golf until Congress gets around to impeaching him.
