He didn't start any major wars. I figured there was about a 1% chance that he would, which was my biggest fear with him. In hindsight, I feel like I probably overestimated that probability, but it's hard to say.
That’s a good one, but he sold out the Kurds and Palestinians in the process.
This is hard....
I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard
I know this is probably unpopular but I support the China trade war. I don't think it has been handled well or been successful.
I agree. The one thing China, Russia etc like is predictability from a western democracy. An unpredictable figure like Trump could have reset all kinds of relationships, got better deals, sorted out NAFTA, improved NATO and international relationships. Instead he messed up the Iran deal, cozied up to dictators and generally made the wrong move at almost every step.
I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard
SoBeDad said:
Operation Warp Speed's parallel manufacturing of vaccines, well before trials were completed, appears to be a big success.
I’m really not sure how much credit Trump deserves on this one. I am open minded, but the absolutely horrendous handling of the pandemic by this administration stretching right back to cutting the funding for the Pandemic task force, right up to the politicization of mask wearing, warring with states, washing his hands of any responsibility leading directly to the obscene.numbers of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. If it wasn’t for Bolsonaro in Brazil the dunce cap for handling the pandemic would be all his. Many countries have managed this virus, contained it and some have even eliminated it. All of this was to tread water until knowledge on how to handle it and/or a vaccine was available. Instead we get chaos and needless death and suffering. Getting credit for the vaccine may be fair, but the urgency of it wouldnt be so necessary if some simple steps were taken.
I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard
He deserves credit for sticking a giant middle finger in the face of the establishment. The D of C has been on autopilot since the 1950s and Mr. Trump came along and shattered a bunch of its unwritten rules.
Now we are getting somewhere. Democrats and Republicans are trying so hard to appeal to money they have lost sight of the majority of the population. The establishment deserved to be pummeled, disrespected and pantsed in public. Like most things Trump related, right idea, wrong execution.
I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard
I can’t really think of any specific policies I like, but I think Trump should be thanked for:
1. Exposing how vulnerable our democracy is to an authoritarian populist.
2. Energizing a bunch of people to vote.
3. Paving the way for a future outsider, possibly third party POTUS.
These are good, except for maybe the third one. A celebrity is the only realistic shot at third party. The empire is too strong to defeat opposing forces.
People who have never voted have been inspired to vote for or against Trump. At what cost though? Knowledge and understanding of issues is paramount. Instead we get people believing everything spoon fed from a biased source, especially the President.
The first point is my favorite. The fact all these issues came up is because we have a wannabe authoritarian unable to break the system. He got darned close though and with better planning and execution the next one will have more success. Removing the spine of an entire party.....usually the democrats lol....was incredibly easy.
I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard
I just don't have a lot of interest in a Donald Trump Forgiveness Tour.
Exactly.
@timschochet and others seem so keen to appear to be playing fair and balanced, but ceding constant ground to a side unwilling to move an inch from principle, dogma and alternative reality is minimizing the truly destructive nature of this administration....and i use that term loosely.
Trump had opportunities to do things an incoming President dreams of. Control of all houses, supreme court justices aplenty, reseting international relationships to the true advantage of America, a pandemic which if handled competently gets him back in an electoral landslide and the support of the forgotten masses he has energized. He had the freedom to do lots of good, instead of enriching himself and those on the coattails.
The true horror of this administration will be felt for decades as more and more information comes to light. The thing is it could have and should have been so much better. No President is ever likely to have the freedom he had. Giving Trump little victories is short sighted. Trump has been demonized by many, maybe a little unfairly, but he is his own worst enemy. The opportunity was there to be a truly great President. Trump will go down as one of the best salesman of all time.