Jonathan Kraut: Two good things about Trump

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It may be surprising to learn that a lot of Democrats are hoping Trump is able to make good on his many campaign promises.

Not only do Dems outnumber Republicans nationally, but the wave of Democratic and independent votes for Trump prove that the president-elect’s messages took root.

As commander-in-chief, Trump has won the chance to make America’s military, economy and political presence in the world strong again and to put us back on top. I don’t recall who is on top right now, but apparently, it is not us.

One thing I and other Democrats like about Trump is that he responds to an issue with a direct answer. Whether reasonable or poorly conceived, a stab in the dark is sometimes better than no answer at all.

Clinton, on the other hand, responded to questions with idealistic rhetoric or simply referred the questioner to look at her policies posted on her candidate website. I believe Hillary lost the presidency in part because she chose not to directly address an issue with a specific solution.

“I have always been an advocate for children and families” is not a good answer when asked how she intends to contribute to American prosperity, for example.

No American wants to be less prosperous, less safe, or less “better off.” No true American should want any president to fail, either.

The boat may be a big one, but we are all in one together.

Everyone I speak with so far is hopeful President Trump will shake things up and move us toward solving many issues that are in reality not that hard to solve. It just takes political will and cooperation to get things done. A Republican president with Republican majorities in the House and Senate means that legislative cooperation is on the horizon.

Obamacare, for instance, needs some serious tweaking. The Affordable Care Act has proven to be a cash cow for medical insurance carriers, and premiums for coverage are predictably shooting through the roof.

Trump has vowed to make it a priority to fix Obamacare’s flaws and replace this system built on compromise via a Republican-controlled Congress.

A nationalized health care system is not a method condoned by conservatives but seems to Trump as a likely option to remedy Obamacare. I believe Trump will discover that a tightly managed health care system through government control is the best way to bring down costs and improve health care services.

It is about time we solve the illegal immigration issue. Ending illegal immigration starts with punishing employers who pay the undocumented demeaning wages or cash off the books to generate more personal profit – like Trump’s construction companies.

Trump’s construction projects are notorious for this illegal practice, which helped Trump amass his fortune.

As Trump proposes, it is about time we impose a five-year moratorium when a federal elected official leaves office from serving as lobbyist. Trump boasts about the donations and influence he used to gain favor with government officials, and I am glad he is condemning his own behavior.

Trump promises to eliminate the many tax loopholes – including those he has used to avoid paying personal federal income tax for much of 20 years – that are available to the wealthy to avoid contributing their fair share.

And Trump intends to look at federal bankruptcy laws like the ones he has taken advantage of four times that allow him to keep millions, if not billions, in investors’ monies while legally avoiding having to pay workers and for services rendered.

Trump states he intends to re-negotiate international trade deals so that millions of American manufacturing workers being paid $25 an hour or more will be able to be hired and put to work again. As we know, many of the Trump’s “Fashion Line” items are made by cheap foreign labor.

Increasing labor costs by 800 percent would make most U.S. products too expensive, but Trump argues trade wars will be good for us. In essence, Trump is proposing that his fashion business and many other firms would have to shut down due to high labor costs.

The first good thing about Trump is that he directly answers a question. I hope he is also one who keeps his promises.

The other good thing about Trump is that he apparently is committed to do everything in his power to end the many forms of egregious, selfish, and predatory practices that he has used to make himself wealthy.

I hope he succeeds.

Jonathan Kraut directs private investigations and private security firms, is a published author, Democratic Party activist, and SCV Interfaith Council member. His column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of The Signal or of other organizations.

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