Making Sense of Donald Trump

It’s really not hard to do if one accepts the view that the character and personality of a person are set early in life – with rare exceptions (Saul on the road to Damascus two millennia ago is one of those).

Donald Trump comes from New York City.  For nearly seventy years, his identity was anchored there.  His friends were Wall Street and fellow real estate tycoons.  His personality demanded recognition of his importance and success in the environment.  In that heavily liberal town, he sought favor by contributing to those politicians who held sway and were perceived to be possible instruments of his ever greater quest for success.  Thus, the likes of Hillary Clinton on down became beneficiaries of his largess.  And, of course, he publically cast his lot with the Democratic Party.

But don’t misunderstand.  Mr. Trump is no liberal.  In fact, he’s apolitical.  If his center of activity were in conservative Dallas, instead of New York City, it’s doubtful that Hillary Clinton would have received so much as a dime.

After all, the President makes clear that what he wants, above all else, is to “win”.  What he wins is not the objective.  He simply wants to be on the “winning side” of whatever conflict there might be and bask in the applause that accompanies the victor.

Thus he’s glad as can be that, a few days ago, the U.S. Senate passed the tax reform bill he endorsed.

But don’t forget that last summer he sang a very different tune when repeal of Obamacare failed.  That caused the President to lose faith in the GOP majority Congress’s ability to win for him.  So he reached an accord with Democratic Congressional leaders “Chuck (Schumer) and Nancy (Pelosi)”.  (Trump took no time in referring to his new allies by their first names.)

Their agreement was to extend the debt limit for only three months and authorized hurricane aid. 

Republican Congressional leaders were aghast.  They wanted an eighteen month respite, which would be after next year’s elections, before having to deal with the troublesome issue.  Further,  Republicans were also highly displeased that Trump made his decision without first consulting GOP leadership on Capitol Hill.

Sorry.  The choice of Trump’s new partners should not have been shocking.  The nearly life-long Democrat wasn’t exactly being disloyal to his new party.  His conduct pre - and post election has made clear his lack of allegiance to traditional GOP members and their politics.  Rather, his conduct and words going back decades suggests a sense of loyalty limited to himself.

Certain Trump apologists prominent in the Conservative movement (such as Newt Gingrich and Laura Ingram) have excused his pact with Democratic Party leaders as an isolated act generated by special concerns, hence not to be repeated.

To The Sensible Conservative, that line of thought places wishful thinking ahead of sensibility.  Remember, Trump’s history makes clear that “winning” is his end-all, be-all.  Ultimately his answers to questions of public policy are confined to a single consideration - which side will win.  He’ll be on it.  Considerations of the best policy, ideological consistency or loyalty are irrelevant.