Everything we feared a Trump presidency would mean is happening, and fast.
Donald Trump’s presidency is nearly 100 days old, and it feels more like 1,000.
Watching him preside over the United States for 100 days is akin to dealing with a newborn baby for three months. The late nights, unpredictability, the constant need for attention, the crying—it’s an eerie parallel. More importantly, if Trump’s first three months and change in office are an indicator of what’s to come, it provides a measure of satisfaction to those of us who warned this would happen.
The “Never Trump” Republicans were united by a pledge never to support his candidacy—one that was based on his behavior, his past, and our deep fears about that he would do if ever occupied the Oval Office. Those fears are now playing out.
More than once, we thought voters might come to their senses, and somebody like Marco Rubio or even Ted Cruz would start winning primary races. The Trump Train chugged along, racking up win after win until it was only Trump and Cruz with Ohio Governor John Kasich following along like a small yapping dog suffering from separation anxiety. The Trump fan base, who managed over a period of months to morph from supporters into cult-like followers, slammed the Never-Trump movement at every opportunity, reveling in their short-sightedness so they could point and cackle, “Haha! You loser Never-Trumpers got it wrong!”
It is true that we whistled past the graveyard on Trump being the nominee and nearly every prognosticator outside the circle of Trump got it wrong on the general election results. That said, the same people who paid off their Vegas bookies after losing those bets are currently sitting back thinking, “We warned you this would happen.”
“This” being his train wreck of an administration through the first 100 days.
We tried to warn you—that Trump’s impetuousness and penchant for believing outlandish stories, his inability to deal with criticism, his long-time past as a Democrat and his absurd promises would come back to haunt the very people who thought his face would one day adorn Mt. Rushmore.
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Trump’s failure to lead the GOP to the repeal and replacement of Obamacare is likely going to push any attempts at tax reform back to later this year at the very least. Tax reform hinged partly on repealing taxation provisions within Obamacare as a starting point. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has rolled out his “plan” for cutting taxes, one that mostly echoes Trump’s campaign rhetoric, devoid of the details that would make it much more than a way to show “progress” in his first 100 days. A hallmark of the Trump administration since January 20th is claiming “progress” with no plan to actually have those plans progress.
Trump’s failures may come with a hefty price tag for the Republican Party. Thanks to his approval numbers being in the toilet, he’s dragging GOP leaders in Congress down with him. Two special elections in Kansas and Georgia didn’t portend to show the strength of the anti-Trump movement so much as it revealed a lack of enthusiasm on the part of Republican voters to get out and support their party, with Trump as the defacto leader.
Trump won, but “’Never Trump” was right in predicting the mess we’re currently witnessing, and the damage Trump is doing to the GOP brand. All of it after a mere 100 days. Just imagine how much damage this baby will be capable of by the time he turns four.
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