Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Mr. President, Don’t Campaign for Re-Election
President Donald Trump // photo credit shutterstock.com
Donald Trump is so “unpresidential.” So say his detractors, with a frown. And so say his admirers, with a smile. In 2020 the electorate will have its chance to be rid of Trump and return to politics as usual, which offers a straight-line path to further Leftist influence. I prefer to continue our experiment with this unusual leader who dares to agitate and excite the political world.
In the name of that experiment, I offer a brash recommendation: Mr. President, do not trouble yourself to mount a campaign in 2020. Just go about the day-to-day presidential duties incumbent on the chief executive. Continue to contain illegal immigration, curb regulatory overreach, reduce government spending and reform the bureaucracy. Continue to flummox our foreign adversaries and comfort our allies. Just be you.
The Trump re-election effort should not hew to the mold of every other politician. Rather, I urge an approach that underscores his brand of individuality. By keeping to his desk in the White House, he maintains his outsider status, the distinction of being the president like no other. I’m not advising he avoid the arena; he may oblige those Republican candidates for governorships or Congress who seek his support at their own rallies. But I am saying he should limit his availability because he is the “un-president,” and voters for all practical purposes have made up their minds about him. He can stand on his record (which is still being written) and implicitly recognize there are few voters remaining to be won over.
If Trump is challenged in the primary season by his own party, he should simply dismiss any rivals as being disgruntled losers. If asked to debate, he should decline. Again, this is a tactic that can be justified on the grounds that he prefers to stand on his record. Otherwise a primary fight, producing the usual negative headlines, can only exacerbate the divisions within the GOP.
Once he has secured the nomination, he should allow himself the pleasure of several debates with the Democratic challenger. These are the appearances that will matter, because he will stand in stark contrast to the Democratic nominee, who is likely to be a vessel of every PC leftwing value. Traditionally, the presidential debates are the most keenly anticipated events of the campaign season. If in the preceding months Trump has held no rallies or otherwise limited his speech-making, the anticipation will border on the feverish.
Such an atmosphere provides Trump a favorable opportunity to display the boldness that has become his hallmark. Let polarization reign.
Published in General
Election? But CNN and MSNBC and the New York Times and the Washington Post promised us that a vote for Trump meant a one and done deal. Now that we have advanced beyond the whole elected president burden.
Did I misunderstand something?
So you think he should just shut up and do his job? Well he hasn’t been doing that up till now, why change? I thought you guys voted for him because he fights, and now you don’t want him to fight? People make up your mind.
Is this supposed to have something to do with the O/P?
Trump’s first campaign was a smashing success. Methinks someone doesn’t want him to have another smashing success of a campaign.
Yea, riiiiiight. That’ll show ’em.
Might work. But I don’t think Trump really likes the detail stuff. Besides, Trump not seeking constant media attention? Are we thinking of the same guy? He’s an entertainer, he’s gonna be on stage, not behind a desk
Interesting, outside the box idea.
Y’know, @valiuth, I got to give you props, man. You’re dogged. Like a border terrier. Like Benji.
If he doesn’t win this border wall fight. Its all moot. His base will largely abandon him and only repeating the idiocy of 2016 will save him. If only 1 or 2 acceptable alternatives emerge, he will be gone. If he gets the wall built, he will be the nominee in 2020 and people just need to put on the big boy pants and realize that.
Oh, and the definition of “acceptable alternative” is someone who can pull in large numbers of Trump’s disgruntled base while keeping the party wonks that have run this party into the ground for the past 30 years. If Kasich, Romney or any similar wet turd is among a list of more than 2 challengers, even if Trump pisses off more than half the Republican party, he’ll win the nomination again.
All the establishment types out there need to realize one thing. This is not your play pen anymore. You don’t have the power to anoint the nominee. You only have the power to contribute to the conversation. If you continue to act like elitist, arrogant, snobs, Trump will just be the first in a long line of similar candidates. If you are constructive and respectful, you will get the smaller government that we almost all want. You will have to give up on your cheap labor for cleaning your homes and picking your fruit and performing IT in you big companies. You’ll also need to forgo throwing other people’s kids into harms way to fight your profitable wars in God forsaken cesspools all over the world. You’ll also have to man up and actually do some painful cutting of the swamp that you’ve helped create. You’ve been lying and stealing and cheating for too long.
An interesting idea. I was going to counter that Trump wouldn’t let the Democratic challenger(s) get all the airtime, but will the media really give Trump any less attention just because he’s not actively campaigning?
When there was talk about Trump doing the State of the Union in another location, I had a hope of him doing innovative things, subverting pointless traditions. He didn’t do it there, I don’t see him doing it with the campaign.
Of course that is exactly what he’ll do, and it will be an effective approach. He’ll govern, more than normal. Let the left savage each other, then settle for a non entity. Of course if Bloomberg enters it’ll be different but it’s not clear how.
The basic problem is that Trump doesn’t particularly care for the work of the job (meetings, briefing books, studying facts, learning issues, etc.), but he loves campaigning.