“Despite President Donald Trump’s perceived missteps during his first two weeks in office, U.S. Rep. Tom Reed said Monday he was encouraged by the president doing what he said he would do on the campaign trail.” — Rick Miller in the Olean Times Herald
Is Tom Reed right? Is President Trump doing what he promised?
- Trump promised to “Make America Great Again.” There is little evidence of that; rather he seems bent on making America mean, fearful, and petty.
- Did he promise to attack Federal Judges? He did that before taking office, so perhaps it might have been expected.
- He did promise to “drain the swamp.” If this meant appointing officials who are without question scrupulously honest, he has missed the mark.
- He did promise to defend the Constitution. Instead he has shown no respect for freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the judiciary, or the emoluments clause.
- He didn’t promise to put an unsavory character on the NSC, but he did do that.
- He didn’t promise to appoint an Attorney General with a checkered reputation, but he did do that.
- He didn’t promise to pollute streams with mining residue or to allow companies to hide bribes paid to foreign governments, or to allow persons with mental illness to buy guns, but he is expected to sign laws doing that.
- He didn’t promise to pick fights with foreign leaders, but he has done that.
He promised to create jobs, build a wonderful wall, preserve social security and medicare, improve on the Affordable Care Act, but his ability to keep these promises is dubious at best.
When Tom Reed says the President is only doing what he was elected to do, I think he should be called on to explain that.
