Trump’s impulsivity, Democrat theatrics and media hysteria have helped to create a truly disorienting and disingenuous atmosphere. Those with the best insight into a given situation have shown themselves incapable of delivering information competently and honestly to those of us far removed from it. They play “gotcha” games, trying to blow out each other's candles while their house burns down. And this reckless gamesmanship has infected the one arena where facts matter most: national security.
Democrats scream Russia. Break. General Flynn is out. Break. Nothing incriminating actually found. Break. Who criminally leaked the audio? Break.
Sessions fails to accurately testify about contacts with the Russians. Break. Sessions actually testified accurately. Break. Still recuses himself. Break. Trump loses it. Break.
Trump frantically tweets wiretapping accusations with no evidence. Break. Obama surrogates do not necessarily deny. Break. James Clapper then emphatically denies. Break. James Comey denies. Break.
New York Times prints a Trump wiretapping story. Break. New York Times blames others for Trump’s wiretapping story. Break.
Americans are starved for truth about an area of government where lies have deadly consequences. Indeed, the national security community must have the confidence of the public to function. But on FISA alone, there is no good outcome. Either Trump is lying, or Clapper and Comey are lying. Either Trump was misled or Clapper and Comey were kept in the dark about the wiretap by the Obama administration. Either way, this does not end well.
If the president cannot leave the hysterics to the image-conscious Congress, at least offer double the amount of policy-oriented comments. Americans voted for Trump’s solutions, not his political dexterity.
The president must stick to “Trump-eting” policies that will embolden supporters and force opponents to actually govern. For instance, the infrastructure bill, although not conservative in its spending, looks to have some bipartisan support. It could not only go to help secure America’s fragile electric grid, but that spending would pit big government officials against their “Resist Trump” constituencies.
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The latest immigration order is another bright spot. It is a vast improvement from the first and more credible given that we now know 300 or so refugees are under investigation for possible ties to terrorism. Promoting the Taylor Force Act, which would require the Palestinian Authority to end violence and terrorism against Israeli citizens, would also help unify the Republican Party behind the president and rally a very diverse, pro-Israel community. Defunding the corrupt and tragically inefficient U.N. Palestinian Refugee Department whose renewal comes up for vote in June 2017 would be a great addition.
Not to mention, positive outlooks for border security, military spending and the war on terror.
If there is a deep-state led by Obama cronies, they already have plans on how to respond to accusations, firings or even arrests. Operatives are already training their sights on Republican establishment types who are terrified of the hard left and know the weak-kneed will accommodate at a moment’s notice. Loyalists in Congress already have their talking points. Everyone involved will circle the wagons. Recall that Susan Rice was promoted after Benghazi. Disgraced Democrat operative Robert Kramer from those infamous Veritas videos sat front row for Obama’s farewell address. If the deep-state exists, this is a swamp beast Trump cannot fight 140 characters at a time.
He must and did demand Congress investigate, and then keep moving. Quietly and systemically smoke out the leaks, while shrinking government and shoring up America’s defenses.
President Trump’s greatest asset has been his perseverance. He knew the first one through the wall of the establishment would be the bloodiest. He should know that good policies will be his bandages.
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