I would not go so far as to say that Donald Trump is a Libertarian, but he is arguably the most Libertarian President in almost century.
If we go back to the 2016 General Election campaign, and the days shortly after, Never Trumpers and establishment Republicans were claiming that Trump was not a true Conservative, and that his presidency would bring with it big government liberalism deals with congressional Democrats and that he would collapse and cripple the U.S. economy.
The only thing they were right about is that Donald Trump is not a Conservative. He is also not a Liberal, Progressive, or Libertarian. Trump is Trump. He is not an ideologue.
Yet, he has been the most Libertarian President in recent history which, from my point of view, makes him likely to become the greatest President in my lifetime, especially if he wins a second term.
Trump, along with his team of advisors, managed to create a list of accomplishments that should cause self-righteous and self-important establishment Republicans and conservatives to hang their heads in shame.
Now, I can’t say that I agree with Trump on everything. Yet, on the key issues, like rolling back federal power and regulatory reform, appointing strict constitutionalist judges, and rethinking the role of the U.S. on the world stage, Trump is setting the standard for all future Republican presidents, both Libertarian and Conservative.
Donald Trump has cut more regulations than any other President in history, erasing hundreds of suffocating government rules, and saving our economy over $0.5 Billion a year.
On international agreements, from the Paris climate treaty to various so-called free-trade agreements, Donald Trump has put America first. On international trade, these agreements were not anything close to free-trade and only worked to encourage employers to move outside the United States.
Trump has also effectively balanced the idea the America cannot and should not be the world’s police force while at the same time not leaving a power vacuum that would encourage bad actors like Russa, China, Iran, and North Korea to feel emboldened.
Another major impact is in the lessening of executive power and forcing Congress to actually do their job. Trump has worked to nullify DACA, the Iran agreement, Obamacare subsidies and a total of 14 late Obama-era rules.
The fact is that Congress does not like to get its hands dirty or to be held accountable for their actions. They pass laws with lofty goals and poll-tested titles, but with language that give regulatory agencies the power to spend money and to write and enforce the actual rules and regulations.
It is just easier for establishment Republicans to complain about the bureaucracy or for Democrats to claim government needs more power than to actually rewrite and/or eliminate the problems that they have created.
Yet, maybe the achievement which will have the greatest staying power is his long list of strict constitutionalists as judicial appointments. This was the main reason that many Republicans and independents voted for him, and he has come through for them with flying colors.
Yes, Donald Trump is not a Libertarian.But, he also never claimed to be. Yet, the fact remains that Trump’s first term is a big improvement over what we have seen over the last few decades.
What do you think America?
Timothy Alexander 