Are fears about Trump’s intentions a legitimate concern?
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TR Harry
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How and when will we know if this concern is highly overblown or justified? Probably when we see his reaction to the many legal rulings challenging his actions. Will he abide by the constitutional rules of the game?”
In January, I opined that Donald Trump’s victory in November gave him a mandate to pursue what the people had voted for: Change in the direction of government; that he merited at least the opportunity (time) to demonstrate his commitment to this objective. By late February we had more of an idea of his plans. It clearly seems he is seeking change in government. The question remains, in whose favor, ours, or his?
Apparently following the Project 2025 roadmap he distanced himself from earlier, he has adopted a scorched earth policy, being conducted primarily by a questionably legal approach by an executive branch steamroller titled DOGE.
Slash and burn in the Executive branch; shoot first and answer questions later. Let’s just fire them and/or close down the whole agency … and they have, mostly with questionably clear legal authority to do so.
Opposition, aside from the victims themselves filing lawsuit after lawsuit, appears stunned, slow to react to this blitzkrieg — and that’s good for the offense, no doubt about it. But what might it also indicate of the end objective of our president? Is all of this, so far, to force a showdown with the Supreme Court? What then?
Is “The Donald” doing what he was elected to do, or as I questioned in January, “…has he gotten our vote for the benefit of a more personal agenda?”
I’m of the opinion it’s still too early to fairly make that determination. Nonetheless, by his actions both domestically and abroad, he is rocking boats and creating uncertainty, to say the least. Will it lead to positive change? My skepticism remains deep. I base much of this uncertainty on Project 2025.
Since Jan. 20, many feel it is his playbook of choice in his pattern of actions. Maybe, and if so, the president is largely self-serving. It is implicitly (1) overwhelmingly meant to benefit “business,” (2) placate his far-right social conservative base and (3) fortify his personal base of power over control of government, depending heavily on expanding the president’s personal ability to control Civil Service rules and regulations (hire and fire).
Project 2025 could well foreshadow a move beyond changing “oligarchy,” toward a reach for “autocracy,” a system of government by one person with absolute control. Does the latter possibility seem consistent with the public persona of “The Donald?”
How and when will we know if this concern is highly overblown or justified? Probably when we see his reaction to the many legal rulings challenging his actions. Will he abide by the constitutional rules of the game?
His pledge of office was “…to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Yes, we gave him a difficult job to do. Changing the direction of government, including its size, is not going to be easy nor without some pain and readjustment. The truism that you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs seems applicable.
However, an even more important reminder is, be careful you don’t end up throwing the baby out with the bath water!
Editor’s note: TR Harry is the pen name of a Scottsdale-based author who writes primarily about politics and religion on his blog. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
