Will the 2018 New Year be a repeat of the year 2017 with a dysfunctional President Trump and a republican controlled congress that together failed to govern. Will Trump be impeached, held accountable for the sexual harassment that numerous women have come forward to talk about. Will his regressive executive orders that rolled back former President Obama's executive orders fail the country and its people. Will the democratic party win back both houses of congress in the November elections.
Understanding the past will be the key to what 2018 and beyond may look like. The key is there but some have a hard time seeing because "fake news" has become a part of our political system and the news media has lost sight of the importance of holding political leaders accountable on factual matters and pays little attention to the failed policies of the past and how that relates to the future. Sound bites are the game that is played.
Our nation witnessed in 2017 how Trump gave up the prestige of the office as leader of the free world on those issues that really matter and make a difference and instead shifted to isolation. Will the trumpet man change that in 2018? Those in his administration should be talking about that every day. In just a few more days 2017 will come to an end and when it does a comparison can be made to 2016. This writer believes any fair minded person would say America, its people, our political engagement and our institutions were better off in 2016.
My judgement is that Trump and the GOP are taking America and its people down the same failed past with their every action and the gains made by the economy since the great recession of 2008 will slowly roll back to unacceptable levels. Trump's divisiveness is a negative factor in every way and an obstacle to progress. Tax cuts are not policy that shape the economy the way Trump and the GOP preach. The economy needs consumers to spend which represents 70% of the economy. The wealthy and corporate America already have the money to spend what they want to spend without the tax cuts so a tax cut for that group will not result in more spending. Just ask former President George W. Bush.
A better plan for the economy would be larger tax cuts for the average American who would then possess more buying power to purchase consumer goods. We know that works for sure in driving the economy and as a result creating new jobs. During WWII and some years after, the corporate tax rate was in the 90% tax range and the Trump-GOP tax cut that just passed reduces that tax to 21%. So corporate America has enjoyed a tax reduction over the years in the 70-80% range. Is it any wonder
why wealth has been transferred from the middle class to the wealthy and why the pay gap continues to grow in favor of the wealthy and corporate America.
The actions taken by Trump and the republican controlled congress in 2017 tells this writer that the future will look like the failed republican past.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
