Actually, catastrophic failure on Trump's part may occur. This is because Trump, his Republican allies in the House and Senate, and the Tea Party are all determined to destroy a good part of the federal government's social and environmental programs, as well as radically deregulate the economy. To this end the very first bill the Republicans rammed through Congress (it happened on 4 January 2017) was "one designed to roll back a range of environmental and consumer regulations." The bill was appropriately named the "Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017." This bit of misguided legislation is only the beginning.
Regulations have a foundational reason for being, foundational because they serve as a check on the greed and larceny that, all too often, seem to lie at the heart of political and economic leaders. That does not mean that regulations should not be fair and efficient -- carrying with them a minimum of red tape. However, to do away with them all altogether is, historically, stupid.
The economic and social history of 19th- and 20th-century American makes it abundantly clear that regulation is the sine qua non of modern societal stability. Don't want discrimination based on race, religion, gender, and the like? Don't want another economic depression? Don't want adulterated food and drugs? Want safe transportation both on the ground and in the air? Want safe medical treatment? Want drinkable water and breathable air? Then you want, indeed you absolutely need, economic, environmental and social regulations.
Somehow President-Elect Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and their many right-wing associates are unaware of the historically established need for such action. In that part of their brains where the relevant historical facts should reside, these individuals have substituted neoliberal ideology -- the same sort of outlook that brought you the 1929 Great Depression and other assorted woes. If our present crop of right-wing leaders get their way, then, sooner or later, we will be able to relive all that misery.
Then, without reforming themselves at all, the Democratic Party might once more win a national election -- the hard way.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
