Many political scientists and experts in international relations have evaluated the qualities that could make America exceptional. And achieving specific goals is necessary for making America great again. For instance, when compared to other nations and areas like Japan and Europe, the US is thought to demonstrate dominance. Once more, American exceptionalism has provided citizens with a special opportunity to advance socially and accomplish the much-desired upward social mobility. Unfortunately, the American influence has occasionally diminished, briefly undermining its status as the world's leading powerhouse. In addition to that, the rise of other countries such as China has diverted attention from the US to the rising and emerging powers.
Having stated that, the campaign of Donald Trump was run against the backdrop of populist promises aimed at making America again. A case in point is his statements that the Trans-Pacific Partnership was more of a liability to the American people and should be renegotiated. Similarly, he stated that he would do anything possible to curb illegal immigration including building a wall on the USA-Mexican border. Trump chose to say the things that most resonated with the people, and it worked for him. He positioned himself as the messiah who would save America. But he has not made America great again.
Donald Trump Will Not Make America Great Again
In June 2015, on a Sunny afternoon, Donald Trump addressed the press at Trump Tower. He said:
So, ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for president of the United States, and we are going to make our country great again.
During the campaign, Donald Trump made his followers believe that he would make the US great again (Shermann 31). However, a keen look at the political and economic landscape reveals that Donald Trump has not made America great again.
The presidency of Trump has been characterized by drastic changes. Changes (even when done for the better), can upset the status quo. It is far much better to introduce change gradually to assess its impact before full implementation. If Trump wins another term, there will be a lot of changes in the American economics and politics, something that is going to take many years to normalize.
The Economics of Trump (Trumponomics)
An audit of Trump's six months in office shows that his promise of making America great again is nothing but a fallacy. In the first half, 2017, the growth rate was a mere 2 %. This was lower than Obama’s presidency. Financial analysts are noticing a growing gap between Wall Street and the main street.
The Trump’s policy on tax leaves a lot to be desired. In an ideal taxation reform, such reforms need to transfer the burden to the rich people and make it easier for the middle class and the poor people. However, the Trump’s reforms are doing the direct opposite of that- making it easier for the rich people and harder for the poor.
The “Buy American Hire American” may look a good economic ideology at the surface. However, other countries view it as a purely protectionist policy. Therefore, it creates unnecessary tension with other global players and reduces their engagement with the American government. In particular, America could lose a lot if there is a trade war with China. It should be noted that Trump has already caused a gaping rift with most Muslim countries due to the controversial executive order on immigration. In connection to this, processes such as a crackdown on immigrants should be done bearing in mind the sensitive issue of human rights.
Donald Trump has put the achievements of the past presidents. For example, treaties and trade agreements take a lot of time to be drafted and to be implemented. It would be unfortunate that Trump intends to over-turn such gains that took years to build. Again, such events make foreign investors shy away from investing in the country. The American First policy easily puts the foreign investors at the periphery, and they may feel excluded from investments. Consequently, it denies Americans a chance to get jobs due to foreign investment.
Lack of Control in Congress
Whereas Trump has some clout in Congress, his antagonizing nature has made him lose some friends. In connection to this, the impact of a dysfunctional Senate cannot be underestimated. Such factors have made it hard to push critical legislation through. It should be noted that some policies require a bipartisan support and Donald Trump does not have much of that. A case in point is the difficulty among the Republicans on the most effective way of repealing Obamacare and finding sustainable solutions.
The Behavior of Trump
The behavior of Trump is a hindrance to his promise of making America great again. If his attacks on journalists and media houses are anything to go by, it could be said that he has declared war on the media. This is an antagonizing to do for a president. A constant attack on the media is not doing him any good. Again, Trump can attack anyone and anytime.
Trump ought to understand that a good relationship with national and global leaders is a key impetus to economic growth. His behavior of picking enemies easily is not a good thing for the country.
Handling a Crisis
Key scholars and political analysts have questioned the ability of Trump to handle a crisis. A nuclear war has a highly devastating effect on human life and the environment (Kaku & Axelrod 56).
In particular, it is the responsibility of the American president to make sure that the nuclear codes are well taken care of. In the case of the use of nuclear codes, military hierarchy does not have the power to prevent the use of such codes.
It should be noted that Trump has been known for some erratic behavior and the probability that he can act spontaneously. It, therefore, becomes questionable if he can make sound decisions when it comes to the use of nuclear codes.
Sackings
The rate at which some individuals have been fired points to an inherent problem in the administration of Trump. For instance, James Comey was instrumental in opening a file that investigated the Russian interference in the US election and Trump’s relationship with some Russian officials. As expected, Comey would later be fired by Trump. Personalities who have worked with Trump have voiced their concern over what they call lack of freedom to an opposition. Especially compared to Obama, Trump seems to lack sufficient team work skills as well as consultation skills.
Conclusion
Donald Trump is just at the genesis of his presidency. There are still some years ahead, and he has stated he intends to run for a second term. The American society has been divided right in the middle. On the one hand, there are diehard supporters of Trump who would hear none of the criticism directed at him. On the other hand, there are many Americans who put his leadership style into doubt. So far, Trump has not made America great again. Overall, Americans should be ready to absorb the harsh reality that the president will not make America great again after all.
Works Cited
Kaku, Michio, and Daniel Axelrod. To Win a Nuclear War: The Pentagon's Secret War Plans.
Montréal: Black Rose Books, 1987. Print.
Shermann, Jill. (2017). Donald Trump: Outspoken Personality and President. London Routledge,
2017, Print.
