Being President Not A Marketing Job

Submitted by Dave, Apr 24, 2017 at 13:45

A marketing manager once told me that his successful career was always guided by the following wise words: It's not the depth of your knowledge that matters, but the height of your convictions. That certainly could describe Donald Trump's unexpected ascendance to the Presidency. Once elected, however, the knowledge deficit has become a liability.
For example, the repeal and replacement of the ACA requires the ability cogently sketch an alternative in order to unite and galvanize congress. But that hasn't happened and there's been division and drift on health care.
On the Israel issue, Trump sounds like the whole thing can be wrapped up easy, like making a deal for a new hotel, a simplistic view waiting to be disabused. And he has picked advisors on the subject who seem better suited to the Cold War than the present Islamist conflict.
The fact that Trump could sound so adamant on "Islamic" terrorism and then pick McMaster to head the NSA, a man who comes across like Obama on the subject, shows intellectual flab.
On trade, Trump's tough talk on China has given way to realpolitik, influenced by the North Korean problem. Ambushed by reality, it would seem.
At least Trump is following through on border security and illegal aliens, especially the criminal variety, and that's a relief. And his Syria bombing and aggressive actions towards North Korea show that he can muster some righteous indignation in defense of the country, something we haven't seen in the last eight years.
Trump has heart, but let's hope that he can get his brain in gear.

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