Is Trump Achieving His Goals?
In response to my piece in which I suggested that Trump could regain some support if he’d stop acting like a crazy person, the ubiquitous MarcoPolo writes:
Does it ever occur to you that the president might not be all that interested in your opinion? Let’s face it, Trump is achieving his goals. Not your goals, his goals. If he did any of the things you recommend he would be considered a hopeless hypocrite, despised by opponents and supporters alike.
As always, he makes an interesting point. In response, I would say:
People of substance respect those who change their minds in the face of new information, analyses of failed strategies, or even epiphanies about the importance of helping others and leading them in a productive direction. If you’re saying his supporters would regard this as hypocritical, you’re really saying that they’re not very good human beings, and I don’t think that’s the point you’re trying to make.
I also challenge your assessment of Trump’s goals. Please don’t tell me that this man, the ultimate thin-skinned narcissist, has a goal of becoming the most reviled person in the U.S. I don’t believe that for an instant, yet that’s exactly the direction he’s headed.
Craig,
Abusing your opponents isn’t a substitute for objective analysis, yet you appear feel increasingly in need of sharing this tactic with the President.
As the poet Horace so wisely stated, ” Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur” ( Why laugh ? Change but the name, and the story is told of yourself.)
You also often persist in exactly the same behavior as the President. How often have you persisted with advocating inaccurate or long disproved information ?
The term “flip-flopping” is associated with political weakness. Although politicians can sometimes be forced by circumstance to recognize changed circumstances, it usually done with great reluctance as electorates do not reward weakness.
Astonishingly, the President has always made a virtue of his lack of deep convictions and willingness to be flexible in order reach a deal.
He’s also made it known that he’s prepared to simply walk away if he feels compromise too costly or unworkable. His unpredictable abruptness can be effective.
It revels an astonishing degree of self-delusion for you to believe President Trump is likely to abandon the pledges he made and his campaign platform simply because of criticism from opponents like you.
Both the President and his supporter believe his strategies are succeeding and he is “leading America in a productive direction “.
President Trump doesn’t believe he’s ” the most reviled person in America ” ! Quite rightly, he probably believes comments like that are just over excited hyperbole from frustrated, but impotent opponents.
The President has tens of millions of supporters and probably believes the frantic hatred of his enemies is a measure his policies are succeeding.
Your problem seems to arise from a stubborn refusal to accept the election result and the reality of a new administration. Your outrage is so great that you (like many others) are locked in a desperate fantasy to reverse the election result.
It ain’t gonna happen! You must learn to live with an administration with a very different agenda. Like all administrations it’s time will pass, in the meantime, make the best of the situation.
The sooner the American people and Democrat politicians accept reality, the better for America. Obsessing over grounds for impeachment (even before the President even took office) and the current obsession with Russia, is only making America and it’s political system look ridiculous.(and hypocritical).
President Trump would not have been my idea of the best presidential candidate, but once elected he should be evaluated on his actions, not trying to re-contest the campaign.
The President has done quite well in foreign affairs while some of his domestic reforms have met with some success, but others reveal his lack of experience in government administration.
(Just getting elected seems to have had a remarkable effect on reducing illegal migration !).
It’s going to be very hard for some (if not all) Americans to accept reality. The President’s speech in Poland (largely ignored by American media outlets) was a profound admission of the changed circumstances in which the US finds itself.
The speech revealed a beleaguered America, no longer supremely rich and optimistic, willing to sacrifice it’s wealth to gain admiration and influence.
President Trump revealed to the world he’s grasped the reality of the present Geo-political situation and gave warning of the conflict to come.
It’s going to be hard for those who still exist in a world of self delusion, an America of Walt Disney and the Readers Digest, to accept the new reality.
Perhaps only a man as flawed as Donald J Trump can shock America into putting aside the rose tinted glasses and accept reality.