Under President Obama a lot has transpired over the last eight years. Many Americans are at arms that Donald Trump will become President at the end of this week. I have heard of organized protests around inauguration and even some states preparing for legal actions to curtail the new administration policies/ actions, i.e. assuming the worst. Before jumping on such a bandwagon, I think it is important for Americans to take stock of our situation here and across the globe, specifically:
- Our national debt nearly doubled to $20 trillion
- We weathered a terrible recession
- The middle class is shrinking
- Working class jobs have degraded in pay and vocation
- College debt has been growing exponentially
- We have a very large veteran population who have severe and complicated injuries/ disabilities
- Multi-national corporations who are primarily selling goods/ services in the West have been growing jobs primarily outside the US
- Terrorism attacks are rampant throughout the Arab world and are now occurring regularly in the West
- Mass migration is happening from the war torn Middle East into the West
- Islamic totalitarian states and their state actors are well funded by Muslim countries and their supporting regimes
- Domestically, healthcare costs have risen significantly and coverage is problematic
Rather than comparing what Hillary Clinton might have done, I think the question we should be asking is what will President-Designate Trump likely do during his initial year in office. Some of my thoughts on the matter are:
- He will repeal a few of President Obama’s controversial executive orders, most likely these seven.
- He will work with Congress to replace the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare), keeping popular provisions related to pre-existing conditions.
- He will institute tax changes, maybe reforms, along with other budgeting improvements.
- He wants to create jobs and will likely institute a variety of trade and infrastructure initiatives to help spur the creation of private industry and vocational jobs.
- He will institute extreme vetting policies, take a firmer position in supporting allies and align based on US interests, especially in regards to the UN and NATO.
I think the domestic policies that folks are worried about will not greatly change and that President-Designate Trump will focus based on priority, which the highest priority ones are likely the last two items in the above list. Making inroads into the last two will build significant political capital for him both at home and abroad.
A good article to read on the presidential transition is from the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at:
- Out with the Old, In with the New – By Maj, Gen. (res) Yaakov Amidror
