A "spot on" appraisal of the pros and cons of a Trump Administration

Submitted by Saul Stein, Jan 17, 2017 at 11:50

For the most part, I couldn't agree more with your assessment. As a historian, you focus more on Trump's ideas in the arena of foreign policy, but I have the most concern about where he stands on the Economy, and in particular Trade. I never feared the racism issue, he can't expel 11 million illegals and there won't be any decline in the treatment of minorities in our country. That argument was always fearmongering by the Left based upon Trump's penchant for making absurd off the cuff remarks and/or tweets.

Trump's preoccupation with the effects of a trade deficit, which goes back to public statements he has made since the 1990's, is the result of his own failures to understand the broader economy beyond Real Estate. If he chooses to preoccupy himself with reversing our trade imbalance with China and Mexico (and Japan for that matter) over all else, he will play into the Democrat oppositions hands in Congress and he will fail to grow the economy as promised. Only if he acts as a businessman and not an ideologue, meaning he focuses on results not rigid belief systems, only then will he find a way to make a positive contribution.

Trump's trade policy and what priority he assigns to it, is the real slippery slope in his agenda that I'm most concerned about.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".