Wednesday, November 9, 2016

The Upside to a Trump Presidency

There is an upside to a Trump Presidency: it is the same magic potion that originally intrigued me about a Trump Republican candidacy, before it became clear he was running on a racist, anti-muslim platform. It is the possibility that an operator as wily and malleable as Trump could lure the GOP into supporting the very things they have opposed during the Obama years. Things like infrastructure spending and universal healthcare. Trump campaigned on infrastructure spending and has supported universal healthcare in the past.

Anyone who has followed Trump knows that he can say anything, and contradict himself in the same sentence. He is clearly pragmatic. Yes, he promised to build a wall and deport all illegal immigrants, but he also promised to investigate the Clinton foundation and put Hillary Clinton in jail. His generous remarks about Hillary in his acceptance speech suggest that she has nothing to worry about.

Now that he has proven to white America that he hears their voice, who is better positioned to betray the racist elements of it? What Republican is better positioned to pass immigration reform?

Trump is a very skilful conman, a master manipulator. It is definitely possible that he could use his powers to do good. Those of us who voted for Hillary and are horrified at the possible dangers of a Trump White House should do everything in our power to support him if he makes honest attempts at governing, and we should be open to compromise. We have railed against the GOP strategy of making sure Barack Obama had a failed Presidency. We must not adopt this strategy ourselves, now that the shoe is on the other foot.

Trump wants people to love him. A happy Trump is a lot less likely to accidentally start a nuclear war.