The upcoming presidential elections shall act as a referendum on the Trump Administration’s agenda and attitude. Most of the negative press that the president will face in his reelection efforts will most likely be similar to the line of attack used these four years: that his policies and candor are outside the mainstream politics we’ve come to expect from our commander in chief. However, this line of attack runs the risk of labeling the president the populist firebrand that he has never truly aspired to.
While most of the criticism of this administration has come from the bipartisan establishment of both major political parties, the Trump administration is far from the working-class junta many would like to think. In reality, there is little difference between what President Trump has done and the standard Wall Street politician.
Tax cuts for the rich? Check! Inhumane treatment of migrants paired with casual ignorance of the abuse of undocumented labor? Check! The slashing of programs meant to give free meals to disadvantaged students? Check! Oh, and that promise for a health care bill that would make sure “everyone will be covered”? Oh yeah, Trump blew most of his political capital pushing an ObamaCare repeal that didn’t even pass.
No one expected Trump to push for universal health care or a wealth tax, but there were points where this administration could’ve taken a truly populist agenda into action. Perhaps if he had started 2017 off with a bipartisan infrastructure bill, maybe raise the tax rate for the highest income bracket just a smidge, and have a manufacturing policy that went beyond slapping tariffs on a random country every other week, then Trump could truly claim the mantle of populist head of state.
