What to expect, what to do.
1. Trump is a narcissist. No doubt. He will never believe that anyone except himself was the reason he won. In his mind, he owes nothing to no one. Certainly not those who voted for him. That means he is sure, as sure can be, that anything he thinks of doing as President is the best thing anyone could think. So, do not be in disbelief if he suddenly thinks that right thing to do about Obamacare is Trumpcare, and that Trumpcare will be presented as much closer to the European/Canadian model, as he admired in the Primary debates.
2. Also, do not be alarmed if Trump makes the Yuge Infrastructure Bill is first priority, even over repealing Obamacare. It is an easy sell in congress, it involves heavy equipment, guys in hard hats, the stuff he says he gets. And, he will have no qualms if it is all adds hundreds of billions to the deficit. Interest rates are low and he is the King of Debt. The tangible sight of new roads, airports, and more new roads is always a politician’s best friend.
3. Do not think it unexpected if Trump seems to get along better with Minority Leader Schumer than Majority Leader McConnell. They are both New Yorkers, both on the make, and both see the world in similar ways. Plus Trump beat the Democrats but good, but he despises the Republican establishment, including many Senate Republicans. Trump vs the Senate Republicans on many issues may be the biggest story by the end of next year.
4. Trump will be bothered, to no end, that he did not win the popular vote. Yeah he is President, but he came in second in the ratings. He will be desperate to get to the second term election and win in a landslide.
All these things may read at first as Silver Lining speculations, but they are worst case scenarios. Us who are old enough thought Reagan would be a self-destructive demagogue. Instead we got a slick politician who made getting re-elected his first priority on day one. That led to a 36 year realignment that has yet to be completely transformed. So, what should progressives do to make sure Trump is one term and his landslide loss a reputation of everything the Trump Party stands for?
A. Double down on the Progressive. We want everything. Single Payer. Climate Change laws, The Supreme Court, Student Loan Debt forgiveness. The entire Bernie and Hillary agenda. No compromise, ever. So when the inevitable Trump brain cramp happens, and we are either mired in an no-win Middle East war (also part of his love me strategy: American’s love war, too) or has tanked the economy after he defaults on all that new Debt ( The King of Debt) then voters will know with no doubts that voting in Democrats means they are voting in Progressives, and Progress is what they will get.
B. Organize. Make every Trump dump a reason to meet, plan, demonstrate, and demand. Everything from local action to General Strikes. Put this clown and his clown car under pressure every day.
C. Demand all Democrats oppose anything Trump wants to do. Even the seeming good stuff. And if they don’t Primary them, every time.
Yes, there are good things in this election to build on. Bernie has kickstarted a whole new generation of Progressive leadership, and in the next elections, starting with mid-term we need to be the Young Outsiders saving American one state at a time. That means moving aside the old Dems who go along to get along. That shit, is dead.
