Inaugural Speech Dims G.O.P. Hopes for a More Conservative Trump Agenda.

[elleng]

'One topic has dominated conversations among elected Republicans since President Trump’s stunning victory: Will he actually pursue his campaign agenda of big-government nationalism, all but obliterating the liberal-conservative distinctions that have defined America’s political parties for a century?

While some of his advisers suggested that he would slip back into a more conventional Republican approach, Mr. Trump dropped hints in interviews, Twitter posts and other public comments that he intended to push his party away from its free-market, internationalist dogma on trade, foreign alliances, immigration, infrastructure spending and prescription drug access.

The hints are over.

An inaugural speech delivered with the same blunt force that propelled Mr. Trump’s insurgent campaign has dashed Republican hopes for a more traditional agenda. With his “new decree,” he declared himself modern America’s first populist president — and all but dared his own party to resist his Republican reformation.

“Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families,” he said.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/us/politics/inaugural-speech-dims-gop-hopes-for-a-more-conservative-trump-agenda.html?

[Jake Stern]

1. If impeachment happens THIS is where it will come from.

His super ego will eventually cause clashes with the GOP led congress. If he were to actually follow through on his pledge to deport and build, the free marketeers and pro-business blocs of the party will launch a palace coup. He'll either be told to resign and keep his honor or face the humiliation of being dragged through impeachment and removal.

"Tell 'em you want to spend more time with your family and your business pursuits, Donald"

[murielm99]

2. He has already announced U.S. withdrawal

from the TPP. China will dominate many more markets, and plenty of repubbies and billionaires will be pissed about the lost opportunities to make more money. They won't care about the job losses so much, but China's domination of the Pacific rim and Australian markets will set them off. They care more about money than anything else.

This makes no sense. I think he wants to weaken China, because Putin wants it. He has been picking fights with China. This will only strengthen China.

[yurbud]

5. He doesn't have a super ego. He's all id.

[hollowdweller]

3. Trump may be the republican Clinton

If he really made good on some of his promises he would need help of DEMOCRATS, because the GOP will oppose him, most of them. I'm talking the ECONOMIC ones.

Worst case scenario would be for Trump to usher in a Republican party that would be like the old "Dixiecrat" party, very conservative socially but very progressive economically.

Then he gets all the white votes plus his economic agenda pulls in enough minorities to win.

Worst case scenario would be Dems then become the old "Country Club" GOP "Party of Lincoln" For equal rights but in the pocket of big business.

[alarimer]

4. Yes, this is kind of a nightmare scenario for me.

I am socially liberal, first and foremost. But liberalism, when applied to economics, means open markets above all else and a sort of laissez-faire approach which helps fewer people than it should. I guess I'm amenable to trade agreements that are fair trade rather than free trade. But I want a strong social safety net. I imagine something like you find in many Scandinavian countries. So I don't know what that makes me, politically. Social Democrat? Democratic Socialist?

We were on the right track with FDR's Four Freedoms (Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear) and also the second bill of rights.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bill_of_Rights

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.

If there was a political party that followed all of these things, I would be there. The Democrats do at least pay lip service to many of these, but they lack a strong platform on number 4, for instance. Think of media consolidation, for example, or free trade agreements that limit the environmental or labor protections. And I don't believe a good education includes lifelong debt.

[geek tragedy]

6. This is nonsense. He's going to slash Medicaid, gut the EPA, cut taxes on billionaires.

There is NOTHING about him that isn't 100% rightwing Republican. There is NOTHING in his agenda for liberals to support. NOTHING.

[MBS]

7. THANK YOU. I agree 1000%.

I was just sitting down to compose a similar reply, but yours nails it for me.
His executive orders thus far are a nightmare realization of every far-right Republican fantasy for the last 30 years.

The nightmare for me is that even if we get rid of Trump, there will still be Pence, and all the ghastly people who have been appointed so far, and all these executive orders that I'm sure Pence will be happy to support.