Trust In Government In Trump’s America

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Trust in Government in Trump’s America 

Just My Opinion: By Brett Kondratiew

From The Outside Looking In

At the outset, I am not an American, instead I live in Australia but I have an interest in American Politics. Pretty much because its brutality is unlike anything I have ever seen. However under Donald Trump, it has reached unprecedented ferocity. Is trust in government a victim of Trump intention and rhetoric? Or, a reaction to five decades of government disregard for a growing disgruntled and distrustful electorate?

Controversy And Division

To witness a presidential candidate, openly condone the physical and often violent behavior by his supporters, certainly piqued my interest. Yes, the battlegrounds of immigration and race will always cause controversy and division but when used as an explicit, electoral “plan of attack”, was extraordinary to watch. So here we sit, some two years into the Trump Administration and the question is, “Has Trump’s America altered our trust in government”?

Statistics May Have The Answer

As an observer I would say yes, America has lost faith and trust in her government. Statisticians examining and correlating their numbers all have reached a somewhat different conclusion. Fewer than three-in-ten Americans express faith that their government will do the “right thing.” This distrust in government has been consistent in survey after survey since 2007. So, increased distrust in government is not just a phenomenon of Trump. Perhaps Trump’s election was more about the lack of trust in government than we will ever understand.

How Low Can We Go

Confidence and trust in Trump, the man, is also staggeringly low. Eugene Scott, a writer for The Fix and the Washington Post, presents the following figures.  In Sept 2018, only 36% of people approved of Trump’s job performance. When questioned further, less than 30% believed that Trump would do the “right thing”.  This is the lowest figure seen over the earlier 10 months. Factor in the following stats; more than 50% of men believe that the media have more credibility than the government. It is significant that only 8% of African-Americans  trust Trump. His trust numbers among women are dropping so fast it is hard to get an exact number. Taking all groups together the average of expressed trust in government is at an all time low of 19%.

Is Trust in Trump a Ship that has already sailed?

I like to have a bet on horses but there is no way that I would put any of my hard-earned on someone with so little support. When I decided to write this editorial, I was given a copy of Bob Woodward’s new book “Fear- Trump in the White House.” I did not expect that so early into the read, I would find a man so ill-informed and totally unsuitable to be the “world’s most powerful individual”. Bob Woodward is a highly respected journalist and his book is based on many hours of interviews with multiple firsthand sources. The material presented doesn’t surprise me. Nor, does it surprise me that Trump has refused to comment, other than to call Woodward a “liar” and his book a pack of “lies.”

Which Country?

Of course the standard comment out of the White House, would be “fake news” but Woodward’s words are scathing. In one notable instance, David Bossie, a Republican strategist and dirty trickster told Steve Bannon , a right-wing political film maker in 2010 that Trump was looking to run for President. Bannon’s  immediate response was, “Sure, but which country”!

I’m a Popularist

As fate would have it, they did meet and the comedy continued. Bannon would later say that he had in fact met Trump through David Bossie.  Bannon told Trump that he  wasn’t vested politically. He had in fact, been a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent and even Unaffiliated. Not particularly impressive resume for a presidential candidate. Of course, Trump didn’t see that as an issue. When Bannon told him that the world was becoming more populist in its politics; he said good, “I am also a popularist”! I’m laughing, but that’s Bannon’s  story.

Right Time, Right Place?

Was Trump just an example of right time, right place? Populist hysteria was springing up everywhere across the world. As far as Trump’s 2016 victory goes, the intertwining of historic events probably makes such a conclusion too simple. How much chaos and distrust was fueled by Russian trouble makers? What was the effect of Comey’s October announcement?  And of course we can’t forget the  endless email stream by Wikileaks. How about the absurd Electoral College process? Add to all the above the American people were being challenged to pick between the two most distrusted and disliked candidates ever pitted against one another. Time and historians will struggle with the answers to these questions. With all this going on, trust in government seems to be an obvious victim of the fray.

Across The Pond

The right-wing populist wave was on fire in 2016, bringing down governments and destroying long-established agreements. No more clear was the populist revolt than in the U.K.’s BREXIT vote. The riled up Brits overwhelmingly decided to leave the European Union.  Their vote indicated a wish to return to borders, limit immigration and stop the spread of radical Islamism. Factor in, the rise of Marine Le Pen in France who’s radical right-wing party advocated much of the same anti-immigrant and anti-Islam platform as the Brexit crowd. Although centrist Emmanuel Macron won with ease, Le Pen garnered a disturbingly high 34% of the vote. Centrist Italian Prime Minster Matteo Renzi was unable to withstand the powerful push of the extreme right and resigned shortly after the Trump victory. Clearly, the protest vote was making its mark.

Middle America

In 2016 the marginalized of Middle America put their faith and trust in Trump to make a difference.  They wanted someone to bring back the past. To a time they believed was better. A time when the neighborhood was white. A time when everyone said, “Merry Christmas”. A time when foreign terrorists were unheard of in America. A time when factories and mines worked 24-7. A time when wages were good and the future was expected to be better for their kids. A time when home ownership was the norm. The disregard for those basic concerns were most certainly a reason in Hillary Clinton’s election loss in four crucial rust belt states. Yet, here we are 2 years later and it seems Trump is at the crossroads, having proved to most Americans that there definitely is someone more corrupt and criminal than Hillary Clinton.

Why Trump Has Lost America’s Trust

It is not unfair to say that we have little faith in politicians. Self interest, and the drive to do anything to hold on to power is not an admirable quality. Yet where does Trump sit?  His erratic behavior suggests that he doesn’t care on that count. He appears to have no real convictions or beliefs and is quite happy to “knock” reasonable policy on the head if it doesn’t suit him. Hardly the way to get Americans to have any faith in the current administration or promote long-term trust in the government.

The Truth-O-Meter

Throw in the fact that he is constantly caught in out right lies and misrepresentations. His vicious attacks on the press, with his references to “fake news”.  His attacks on the Mueller probe, an authorized DOJ investigation. All the deranged and unhinged Tweets are disturbing to many. The Washington Post has a running tally of Trump lies. The acid trip of lies has now surpassed 6500 and growing at about 10 new ones a day. This is a major reason trust goes south. Trump continues to be erratic, chaotic, angry, and reckless. His tempestuous presidency is creating an unparalleled staff turnover.

Firings, Resignations, and Reassignment

According to the Business Insider website,“ the first year of President Donald Trump’s White House has seen more firings, resignations, and reassignment of top staffers than any other first-year administration in modern history. His Cabinet turnover exceeds that of any other administration in the last 100 years”.

Twitter Rage

Nothing erodes trust in Government more than internal chaos, which leads to inefficiency through disruption. To prove he is Chief-Disrupter and Chaos-Creator, Trump is going all in for a government shutdown over funding for “his” border wall. This is all done amid a string of outrageous daily Twitter attacks by Trump in reaction to anyone who dares to bring him to task. The “noble” response of saying nothing or “don’t give them oxygen”, is something Donald Trump is incapable of.

Does Trump Have a Future?

So where does this leave Donald Trump now, 2 years into his administration? Personally, I think he will be a “one trick pony” who garnered the protest vote because Hillary Clinton was seen as the most “joyless candidate in presidential history”. That she was too much a politician, that all her responses were scripted, with little emotion. And biggest negative of all was her refusal to demand we “lock him up”! However, the playing field has changed and it’s only a shrinking Republican Party that trust him more than the mainstream media.

A Growing Cloud

There is no question that the administration, apart from Trump, know that things are grim and growing grimmer by the day.  The midterm elections allowed the Democrats to take control of the House of Representatives, spelling an upcoming nightmare for Trump and all his insiders.  Trump to this point does not seem to understand the precarious position his presidency is in. Although Republicans still have control of the Senate, their ability to help Trump do anything significant will be put off until 2020. If chaos and buffoonery have been hallmarks of the first two years I can hardly wait to see the unfolding drama as the United States will once again gear up for the next presidential election, nearly two years away. Never too soon to start campaigning.

Subpoena Power

The fact that the Democrats now control all the House Committees, means that Trump will be placed under far greater scrutiny for previous indiscretions. Does Trump have a future?  The answer is yes but not as President. He was like the Emperor with new clothes but they really don’t fit. As a President, he played a businessman who  managed to destroy most remaining public trust in Government through corruption and criminality. Perhaps that should be his epitaph when he eventually becomes yesterday’s man.

 

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