* Got to disagree on Trump’s cluelessness and/or swampiness. What’s he done in 6 months?
-Installed Gorsuch rather than Garland
-Reduced the refugee program from 100k to 50k, with the majority Christian for the first time (actual persecuted refugees)
-Removed Johnson era reg prohibiting discussion of politicians and laws in church
-Defunded planned parenthood’s abortion services and increased funds for prenatal care
-Dept of Ed chief who supports vouchers and dismantling of Common Core
-HUD head who will not implement Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
-Dept of Defense chief who is fighting rather than supplying ISIS, and winning
-Sec of State who ended the needless antagonism of Russia over Syrian no-fly zones
-Dept of Justice head has prioritized anti-trafficking and pedophilia roundups, as well as border security
-Secured funding, even with a hostile Congress, for building the wall. First 1billion down payment was granted by the House this week
-Stepped up border enforcement including 10k+ new ICE hires. Request for an additional 10k made today. Prioritized removal of gang members and felons, including fraudulent voters. DACA was probably a concession to keep the felon removal going. Heightened scrutiny and pushback on ‘sanctuary cities’
-Examination of voter rolls, though tied up at the state level, is beginning
-Support for Polish nationalism and pushback against E.U. hegemony. Discussion of Three Seas Initiative to counterbalance E.U. superstate with central European powers.
-Spoke directly to the main exporter of Wahhabist terror, Saudi Arabia, about “radical Islamic terrorism”. Increased scrutiny on state funders of ISIS like Qatar
-Made a good attempt to counter North Korean militancy with a Chinese boycott. While not successful, it was a step in the right direction – less global policing, more multi-lateralism on regional issues
-Made a good attempt to stem the refugee inflow from hostile and unstable states, from which no “extreme vetting” could take place. Bogged down in 9th circuit even following the unanimous Supreme Court ruling several weeks back
-TPP dead in the water. Threat of tariffs enough to keep numerous businesses from beginning Mexican production. Bannon team is working on NAFTA renegotiation draft this month.
-Ended support of Paris Accords which would only have hobbled the West. Accords funded ‘developing nations’ while enforcing no limitations on their industry. Net result would have been more off-shoring of western industry to nations with no/limited environmental standards, and ironically, higher global carbon emissions
-Vastly reduced business regulation by tossing Obama-era emissions standards and disparate impact witch hunts
I’m sure there’s more. One must keep their eyes off the media circus to see the Trump admin’s actual intent. He’s upholding many campaign promises in the face of hostile media, Dems, and establishment Repubs. I’d give him a B+.
