Trump Realism 2018

GDP – the measure of how much stuff we make, sell, and live on. This has been stuck at around a 2% growth rate for a long time, and this is bad, we need a higher rate of growth than 2% to avert catastrophe economically. Under Trump that core measure has climbed to 3%. This is good news, in a very fundamental way, making it number 1 on the realism list.

Job Growth – the measure of how many people are employed making all that stuff in GDP. Any way you measure this, and across all income categories, employment is up under Trump, and measurably outside the norm. This one is also a fundamental and is therefore in the number 2 spot.

War – the war with ISIS was long, complicated and too bloody for the American public. Did Obama stretch this problem? It appears so, as Trump has reduced the ISIS fighting strength almost completely, denied them virtually all their territory, and did it all with less than 50 U.S. military causalities and in less than a year. The first two economic items are significant, but this one is a dramatic difference — and points to the future study of how important small presidential prerogatives like the Rules of Engagement — are to mission success, and whether as policy, this remains a viable idea.

The Tax Bill – I’ve written extensively on the need for legislation very close to what the President delivered and I’m definitely in the camp that thinks an improved economy is worth this incremental debt risk. Huge win here.

Immigration and Borders – Trump promised change and he has delivered.

North Korea – Trump has challenged a situation long overdue for challenge.

Voter ID – Ditto.

Obamacare – the mandate is gone, now let’s see if the President can get Congress to tackle cost containment, competition, tort reform and empowering change at the state health level, rather than dictating it like Obama did. If he does, you know he’s the real thing for the history books.

Regulation – Obama was insane here, creating regulations to arbitrarily wipe out entire industries and try to create others. Trump has stopped all that nonsense — and is rolling back the other direction at light speed — to the delight of the business community. If safety is not ignored as Trump has promised it will not be — this will be good news for a long time.

Law and Order – Restore the Constitution, appears to be under way.

Supreme Court – Gorsuch. Check. Huge win here.

The Mainstream Media – They have acted shamefully, lied, prostituted themselves and ignored all the standards of our profession, while aiding and abetting a group of people conspiring to rig a Presidential primary, conspiring to abuse the use of our intelligence apparatus — and further conspiring against an opposing political opponent — with government resources. And this is just what I can prove right now. The MSM need reform, and fortunately, we have the right President to accomplish that.

All in all, Trump gets the highest realism marks of any modern President. If he is crazy, it’s a genius kind of crazy.