Least Shocking News of the Day
Steven L. Taylor
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Sunday, April 30, 2017
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5 comments
Via Politico: Democrats give up hope on striking a deal with Trump.
The only semi-shocking aspect of that headline and story is the notion that there was any serious chance of their being deal-making between Trump and the Democrats to start with.
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Steven, why are you so sure that there can’t be a deal with the Dems? Aside from the fact that no one can trust him, but that’s true for everyone
Booman has a good post this morning. He argues that the only chance Trump had of doing anything was to bring in a few Dem votes, but he’s blown away any hope of that.
I wish I shared his optimism. The grift still works and Trump won’t quit as long as he’s got at least a 30% base to adore him. Also, Pence.
Trump’s staff and the GOP Congress will learn to work with Trump, and mostly around him. They still have 1360 days to pass a mainstream GOP agenda that’s horrible enough without Trump. Trump will remain, as Norquist’s mindless pen to sign their bills. What a pass we’ve come to, the only thing between us and disaster is the insane Freedom Caucus.
Trump could, in theory, tack towards the center and actually try to do something to help the poor, rural class that voted for him. If he does, I think Democrats would be there.
There’s lots of common ground that could be found on the opioid epidemic, rural development or infrastructure.
However, right now the Republicans are against funding health care for retired miners, so… yeah, it’s not going to happen.
@Gustopher: This all strikes me as highly unlikely.
He is a white, wealthy, male in his 70s whose media diet consists of hours and hours of Fox News on a daily basis. He has no experience with government, does not like to read, and appears intellectually incurious.
Does any of that sound like a recipe for an epiphany of cooperation to accomplish policy goals?
I certainly don’t think Trump would put together a deal with the Dems, but that’s only because I don’t think his administration is capable of even putting together a deal with Repubs (except maybe defense). Deals will be made in Congress and bought to him to sign, so it is conceivable that Repubs might find themselves working with Dems to keep the government running and that may lead to a few other deals here and there. Trump would either sign those deals or throw a fit, but that will be true of every bill. He’s not going to understand what’s in them and so will decide based on Fox News facts.