Trump Must Prove that He Can Do the Job

 

TrumpDonald Trump has swept the primaries and is now the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. His almost unbelievable primary surge — from New York to Indiana — was nothing short of breathtaking. He has confounded almost all the pundits and a majority of elected officials.

Going back to last summer, it was Trump’s outsized political acumen that led him to understand the populist economic revolt that has been sweeping America. It’s not just the anemic recovery under President Obama. It goes back 15 years, under Democratic and Republican administrations. The American economy has stalled. Middle-income wage earners have essentially had no pay increases since 2000. What’s more, American foreign policy has gone off the rails.

And when Trump argued that America must become great again, whether at home or abroad, he hit a vein of political gold. And he got there before any of the other 16 GOP candidates.

This was a talented bunch — far better than anything the Democrats could produce. But Trump had the right instinct. He understood that the country wants someone who puts American interests first.

So he became the quintessential political outsider. It’s what every Republican-primary exit poll showed that voters want. The people are in full revolt and will settle for nothing less than radical change in Washington DC, and the entire political system. That’s what catapulted Trump to the nomination.

Now, Trump’s critics in the GOP say he can’t win in November. They say his candidacy will lead to a crushing Republican defeat — all the way down the ticket in state after state. Respectfully, I disagree.

Though it’s early in the general-election process, a number of polls show Trump to be gaining significantly against Hillary Clinton. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Trump only 6 or 7 percentage points back. And his general-election fight has barely begun.

All of this said, the single most important task ahead of Mr. Trump is to prove to Americans that he can do the job of President.

The people of this nation want a strong leader. They want someone who will crush ISIS. They want a fighter to sit across the table from Vladimir Putin. They want someone who can make the right trade deals with China, Japan, and Mexico. They want someone to defend the southern border from illegal immigrants and ISIS intruders.

They also want someone to bring back the post-WWII prosperity, where America grew by 3.5 percent yearly on average, and where per capita GDP — a good measure of average wages — rose from $16,000 to nearly $50,000.

Knowing the two are intertwined. they want someone to bring both prosperity at home and peace abroad.

Trump must convince America he can do this. He must demonstrate a firm grasp of policies — on growth, jobs, wages, trade, immigration, foreign affairs, and sound and stable money.

His serious-speech successes, teleprompter and all, before AIPAC and his April foreign-policy address, should be replicated. The economy, jobs, federal-government spending, terrorism, and immigration are the leading issues. Trump must speak to them. And when he makes his statements, he must stay on message, day after day.

I believe Trump’s America-first, no-new-nation-building, destroy-ISIS (“Their days are numbered, I won’t tell them where or how. But they will be gone. Soon.”) messaging is right on target.

He has a strong economic-growth plan. He just told CNBC, “We are lowering taxes very substantially and we’re going to be getting rid of a tremendous amount of regulations.”

On trade, he needs a coherent message that rules out protectionism. In his recent foreign-policy speech he talked up negotiations. The master of the art of the deal would be very good at that when it comes to trade. There’s no need for huge tariffs. The goal here is to tear down foreign trade barriers and make China and others play by the rules.

And rather than trade wars and currency manipulation (which includes the US), the world economic system should be anchored by stable and cooperative exchange-rate policies.

On immigration, Trump needs an articulate policy that aims to secure the border and keep out illegals while letting in skilled legal workers. Voters prefer a path to legality (not necessarily citizenship) rather than deportation. And Trump — a cost-conscious business executive — must translate that into curbing the cronyist federal-government leviathan.

There are other issues. But my key thought is that Trump can win by showing a consistent seriousness of purpose and demeanor, pro-growth economic policies, and a more realistic national-security strategy. He knows, as Reagan did, that success at home leads to success abroad.

Mrs. Clinton is a weak candidate. Now Donald Trump must show that he can get the job done. He has the potential for great leadership. The whole world is watching. I believe he can do it.

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  1. Retail Lawyer Member
    Retail Lawyer
    @RetailLawyer

    I agree, but that is a pretty big “if”.  He’s off to a bad start saying he would try to get the creditors holding US debt to bargain.

    http://hotair.com/archives/2016/05/06/trump-ill-reduce-the-national-debt-by-getting-creditors-to-accept-less/

    He really needs to stop performing and become more thoughtful.

    • #1
  2. TG Thatcher
    TG
    @TG

    Your statement is imprecise.  It is not that Mr. Trump must prove he can do the job; it is that he must persuade “enough” people to vote for him.

    • #2
  3. TG Thatcher
    TG
    @TG

    Retail Lawyer:I agree, but that is a pretty big “if”. He’s off to a bad start saying he would try to get the creditors holding US debt to bargain.

    http://hotair.com/archives/2016/05/06/trump-ill-reduce-the-national-debt-by-getting-creditors-to-accept-less/

    He really needs to stop performing and become more thoughtful.

    But what if his “best” path to getting those votes is to be entertaining?

    • #3
  4. tigerlily Member
    tigerlily
    @tigerlily

    Note:

    Personal attacks against a contributor. Play the ball, not the man.

    Larry Kudlow has turned into [redacted]. Everything he has stood for over the years – limited government, low taxes, free market economics, free trade, respect for life and civility in the public sphere – is the inverse of Trump, yet he [redacted]. Go figure.

    • #4
  5. Grosseteste Thatcher
    Grosseteste
    @Grosseteste

    What do you think about Trump backing away from his tax plan you endorsed, and suggesting he’d hike the minimum wage?

    • #5
  6. Joe P Member
    Joe P
    @JoeP

    Grosseteste:What do you think about Trump backing away from his tax plan you endorsed, and suggesting he’d hike the minimum wage?

    I’d really like to know the answer to this.

    • #6
  7. Lucy Pevensie Inactive
    Lucy Pevensie
    @LucyPevensie

    Joe P:

    Grosseteste:What do you think about Trump backing away from his tax plan you endorsed, and suggesting he’d hike the minimum wage?

    I’d really like to know the answer to this.

    Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, Mr. Kudlow doesn’t read or reply to comments here.

    • #7
  8. J Climacus Member
    J Climacus
    @JClimacus

    A good start would be staying away from kooky conspiracy theories. But Vince foster may be too much to resist.

    • #8
  9. Marion Evans Inactive
    Marion Evans
    @MarionEvans

    tigerlily:Larry Kudlow has turned into a pod person. Everything he has stood for over the years – limited government, low taxes, free market economics, free trade, respect for life and civility in the public sphere – is the inverse of Trump, yet he shills for this vile demagogue. Go figure.

    I have a hunch that in a few months Kudlow will announce that Trump has proven he can do the job, even though of course Trump will have done nothing of the sort. He can’t. You need some training for this job and he has none. See incumbent.

    • #9
  10. EThompson Member
    EThompson
    @

    Great post.

    • #10
  11. BastiatJunior Member
    BastiatJunior
    @BastiatJunior

    Larry, you’re right that Trump ought to do those things, but he has given every indication that he won’t.

    Did you see his reaction to Paul Ryan’s suggestion that he uphold conservative principals?

    • #11
  12. Big Ern Inactive
    Big Ern
    @BigErn

    How exactly do you expect him to prove in six months that he can do a job he’s already spent a year convincing us he can’t?

    • #12
  13. Robert E. Lee Member
    Robert E. Lee
    @RobertELee

    The most important thing is not to prove he can do the job but to actually do the job of president.

    The “conservative ideals” that many decry will be abandoned by Trump are the ideals of a small, and getting smaller, minority of Americans, hence the way the voting has turned out.  Lord knows the Republican establishment abandoned those ideals years ago, no matter their mouthings to the contrary.

    • #13
  14. Paul Kingsbery Inactive
    Paul Kingsbery
    @PaulKingsbery

    This is utter fantasy, Mr. Kudlow.  He has already proven that he can’t do the job.

    He has no coherent policy on any important topic.  On trade, he has shown a complete lack of understanding about our contemporary global economy.  On immigration, he has merely spewed hateful rhetoric with no sensitivity to practical realities.  On foreign affairs, he suggests that our military can both eradicate foreign terrorism and refrain from so-called nation building, but no amount of success on the battlefield can prevent further insurgencies without some commitment (with both military and diplomatic aspects) to the development of the region.

    His embrace of crass and pandering rhetoric, and references to multiple conspiracy theories in carrying out character assassination on honorable men demonstrate that he lacks seriousness of purpose, let alone a moral compass.  QED.  There is nothing he can say or do now to undo his past actions.

    That is not to say that he cannot win an election.  But let us not fool ourselves about what kind of chief executive he would make.  We should not confuse political “skill” for the ability competently to govern.

    • #14
  15. Judithann Campbell Member
    Judithann Campbell
    @

    Thank you for this post. :)

    • #15
  16. Robert Zubrin Inactive
    Robert Zubrin
    @RobertZubrin

    Trump must prove that he is not on Putin’s payroll.

    • #16
  17. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    The GOPe must prove they’re not on Mexico’s or Saudi Arabia’s payroll.

    • #17
  18. Robert Zubrin Inactive
    Robert Zubrin
    @RobertZubrin

    Larry Kudlow says:

    He has a strong economic-growth plan. …

    On trade, he needs a coherent message that rules out protectionism. In his recent foreign-policy speech he talked up negotiations. The master of the art of the deal would be very good at that when it comes to trade. There’s no need for huge tariffs. The goal here is to tear down foreign trade barriers and make China and others play by the rules.

    And rather than trade wars and currency manipulation (which includes the US), the world economic system should be anchored by stable and cooperative exchange-rate policies.

    On immigration, Trump needs an articulate policy that aims to secure the border and keep out illegals while letting in skilled legal workers. Voters prefer a path to legality (not necessarily citizenship) rather than deportation. And Trump — a cost-conscious business executive — must translate that into curbing the cronyist federal-government leviathan.

    Well, actually Larry, Trump’s “strong economic growth plan” is to start a trade war that will collapse the world economy. He also supports mass deportation of immigrants, blocking immigration of new talent, and is an arch exponent of crony capitalism.

    But you know this. So maybe you need to show that you are capable of getting off of an insane national socialist bandwagon.

    • #18
  19. tigerlily Member
    tigerlily
    @tigerlily

    Sheesh – Larry described Trump as a “cost-conscious businessman”. Are you kidding? Trump is notorious for running up massive debt in his business enterprises and subsequent failure to repay that debt including four bankruptcies. In an interview with CNBC   Trump indicated that he planned to run the US government as he had his personal businesses – Spend, Borrow & Default – telling the CNBC hosts, “I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal.” Later in the interview he stated “I love debt. I love playing with it…”

    I’m not a fan of the concept of running the government like a private business – after all the government is not and shouldn’t be a profit maximizing enterprise. Still, if you think it should be run as a business, the Trump model is just about the worst you could choose.

    • #19
  20. Paul Erickson Inactive
    Paul Erickson
    @PaulErickson

    Robert E. Lee:The most important thing is not to prove he can do the job but to actually do the job of president.

    The “conservative ideals” that many decry will be abandoned by Trump are the ideals of a small, and getting smaller, minority of Americans, hence the way the voting has turned out. Lord knows the Republican establishment abandoned those ideals years ago, no matter their mouthings to the contrary.

    Yet those ideals and principles are what made America great.  I don’t mind holding to them in the minority.  Better than pandering to the p-o’d.

    • #20
  21. Paul Erickson Inactive
    Paul Erickson
    @PaulErickson

    Paul Kingsbery:This is utter fantasy, Mr. Kudlow. He has already proven that he can’t do the job.

    He has no coherent policy on any important topic. On trade, he has shown a complete lack of understanding about our contemporary global economy. On immigration, he has merely spewed hateful rhetoric with no sensitivity to practical realities. On foreign affairs, he suggests that our military can both eradicate foreign terrorism and refrain from so-called nation building, but no amount of success on the battlefield can prevent further insurgencies without some commitment (with both military and diplomatic aspects) to the development of the region.

    His embrace of crass and pandering rhetoric, and references to multiple conspiracy theories in carrying out character assassination on honorable men demonstrate that he lacks seriousness of purpose, let alone a moral compass. QED. There is nothing he can say or do now to undo his past actions.

    That is not to say that he cannot win an election. But let us not fool ourselves about what kind of chief executive he would make. We should not confuse political “skill” for the ability competently to govern.

    I love this comment!  That you did not split the infinitive at the end was deftly to place a cherry on top.

    • #21
  22. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    How can Trump show seriousness of purpose?  He’s not a serious person, and I think he struck the right note by accident, then ran with it.  He has to be captured by adults.  Ryan has the right approach.  We need a deal on SCOTUS, Treasury and State, the rest he can blow to pieces.

    • #22
  23. Joe P Member
    Joe P
    @JoeP

    Lucy Pevensie:

    Joe P:

    Grosseteste:What do you think about Trump backing away from his tax plan you endorsed, and suggesting he’d hike the minimum wage?

    I’d really like to know the answer to this.

    Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, Mr. Kudlow doesn’t read or reply to comments here.

    That’s disappointing. Is that normal for the contributors here? I ask because I am new to Ricochet.

    • #23
  24. Macsen Inactive
    Macsen
    @Macsen

    tigerlily:Larry Kudlow has turned into [redacted]. Everything he has stood for over the years – limited government, low taxes, free market economics, free trade, respect for life and civility in the public sphere – is the inverse of Trump, yet he [redacted]. Go figure.

    Is there a way to “like” the editor’s note, as opposed to the underlying comment?

    • #24
  25. TG Thatcher
    TG
    @TG

    Joe P:

    Lucy Pevensie:

    Joe P:

    Grosseteste:What do you think about Trump backing away from his tax plan you endorsed, and suggesting he’d hike the minimum wage?

    I’d really like to know the answer to this.

    Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, Mr. Kudlow doesn’t read or reply to comments here.

    That’s disappointing. Is that normal for the contributors here? I ask because I am new to Ricochet.

    Some do, some don’t.  It is often disappointing … but the discussions by the Ricochetti usually get the brain working so energetically, that one “barely notices” the absence of those contributors who are … absent.

    I believe we do have a very human tendency to develop camaraderie with and affection for the contributors who hang around and mix it up – which those active contributors probably like, grin. (again, very humanly)

    • #25
  26. Calvin Dodge Inactive
    Calvin Dodge
    @CalvinDodge

    Us vs. the Volcano?

    • #26
  27. John O'Connell IV Inactive
    John O'Connell IV
    @JohnOConnellIV

    J Climacus:A good start would be staying away from kooky conspiracy theories. But Vince foster may be too much to resist.

    Hadn’t thought of that. It is pretty low hanging fruit.

    • #27
  28. dukenaltum Inactive
    dukenaltum
    @dukenaltum

    After 30 years in the public limelight Trump  has proven beyond any doubt that he is not  able to “get the job done”.  He has no potential for great leadership.  He is hardly even a man but a grotesque vile caricature of what stupid people believe to be a man.

    Finally,  Mr. Kudlow, believing in such a  vile and evil man is only a vain emotion inspired hope but such hope is seldom fulfilled.

    • #28
  29. Fred Houstan Member
    Fred Houstan
    @FredHoustan

    All of this said, the single most important task ahead of Mr. Trump is to prove to Americans that he can do the job of President.

    It’s very difficult to take this sentiment seriously. He’s had since June 15, 2015 to convince us. Anyone not subject to tea-leaf reading understands he doesn’t care about this, hence #nevertrump.

    • #29
  30. MJBubba Member
    MJBubba
    @

    Why must Trump prove anything?

    B. H. Obama never demonstrated any ability to manage anything.

    Trump may be an awful candidate, but he would be better than Madam H.R. Clinton.   The only thing she ever managed was the State Department, and she was never a manager so much as a ringleader.

    Trump would be opposed by a majority of his own party, which will provide a limit on his excesses.

    Madame Clinton would be celebrated by her party, which would enthusiastically expand the work of B.H. Obama.

    Lord, help us;  I see Trump as the lesser of two evils.

    This difference is compelling.   Corrupt Hillary would inherit the weaponized agencies and spur them on to greater crimes.

    Trump would be opposed by a majority of his own party.  At least he knows how to fire people.   Lord knows there are plenty of apparatchiks in Washington who need to be fired.

    • #30
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