Waiting For “4,5,6”.

I have written a couple of things previously that I want to revisit at this time.  Even though I still, in the main, agree with President Trump’s policies and appointments, I am dismayed by his learning curve in the Executive Office.  He’s got the “1,2,3” of the Presidency down.  He knows how to find his office; he apparently has his desk set up; there is a full White House staff; he has been across the pond to rub shoulders with foreign leaders; he has been through the obstacle course of a SCOTUS appointment; and the ACHA adventure in the House has demonstrated to him the nooks and crannies of the legislative process.  What he has not done is learn how to effectively use the levers of his new office to facilitate the implementation of his agenda.  He has not learned how to parlay his Republican majority in Congress into real legislative progress (granted…Congress deserves much blame also).  He has not reconciled to any degree his contentious relationship with the media.  His constant tweeting and rhetorical gymnastics severely hampers his message communication and quite frankly makes him look like he is “all over the board” when he is trying to set forth policy.  In short, he has yet to master the “4,5.6” of the Presidency and daylight is burning.  He seems to be stuck in a juvenile stage of political gamesmanship and either he enjoys it too much to evolve to a more effective method, his opponents are far more effective at the game than he is and they are making his job literally impossible, or he is quite simply “in over his head”.  The reality is probably a combination of all of these; but the fact is that if something in the Presidential formula does not change and change rather quickly, Trump’s tenure in the White House will be one characterized by turmoil, chaos, and unfinished ideals.  Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, Trump is the President and history will hold him accountable for his accomplishments…or lack thereof.  No one can help President Trump succeed more than himself.

I once wrote that if Donald Trump tried to run the Presidency the same way he operated as a CEO, it would not work out well.  Well…it ain’t working out well.  I suspect that a large part of the James Comey affair can be attributed to President Trump dealing with a Presidential subordinate the same way he dealt with corporate subordinates.  Clearly, civil service and politics are not the same as corporate structure and “making deals”.  This “he said, he said” episode between the President and the FBI Director (ex-Director) may develop into something significant; but for now it appears to be nothing more than a directive from a corporate supervisor to a corporate subordinate to “wrap this up and let’s move on”. 

Trump’s outsider quality is truly a double-edged sword.  His direct and business-like approach to his executive duties is a refreshing departure from past presidents; but his inability to either grasp or abide by the political nuances required of a President is perplexing.   There can be no doubt that many areas of the WDC swamp need draining; but is equally certain that a plumbing challenge this big must be approached with a certain degree of…shall we say…diplomacy.  There are cultures and habits in our government that need to be either reformed or dispatched; and some of that can be accomplished in a frank and transparent approach leading to quick and decisive action.  But other parts of the challenge need to be addressed within the structure of government itself; the changes must come from within.  It appears that as challenging as the Presidency is, the biggest hurdle for Trump to clear might be finding a sufficient number of competent people to staff his White House; people who are uniquely qualified to deal with a man as dynamic as Trump.  Every time his detractors seem to run out of arrows, he manages to somehow refill their quivers.  Every time he takes two steps forward, he insists on taking at least one step back.  The bright and shiny object always gets Trump’s attention and unfortunately, the object is not always germane to his job description.

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I wrote that a six month period was a better evaluation period than 90 days; well…here we are.  The Republicans in Congress have a few months (actually weeks) to complete health care reform, tax reform, and an infrastructure bill.  Before any of us realize it, the mid-term election cycle will be upon us and nothing of substance will be accomplished in WDC during that reign of lunacy.  The Republicans in Congress, whose spines are composed mainly of a gelatin-like substance, seem very reluctant to take the risks associated with major legislation without having a strong President for cover.  Trump is not now that strong President and the jury is still out on whether or not he can become one.  If he can somehow grasp the “4,5,6” of being President, many great things are possible for this nation.  If he allows his ego-maniacal instincts to keep him stuck at “3”, we are likely in for another three and a half years of what we’ve just had for six months.