The president’s approval ratings are low yet we enjoy great economic news. I cannot recall any other time this has been the case. So, with the economy rolling why are Mr. Trump’s approval ratings suffering?
In part, it’s due to the fact that not all the credit goes to President Donald Trump for our economic growth. Trump’s deregulations and the tax break have indeed helped the stock market and had at least a temporary impact on economic growth. Let’s give him credit there. But not too much credit. A May 2012 report from the Department of the Treasury debunked prior GOP claims that regulations, taxes and the size of government impede the private sector’s economic growth.
The fact is we are nearing a record period of sustained economic growth that began with the Obama administration. Yes, we’d have been happier with higher growth figures, but while Trump claimed our last quarter’s economic growth outpaced any quarter during the prior administration, it would have only ranked fifth against President Barack Obama’s record. The GOP has long decried what it called anemic growth during Obama’s tenure, yet that growth was no worse, or even better, than most economists projected it to be back in 2009. A conservative blog that attempted to denigrate the Obama economic growth record may have actually strengthened the Obama record. It pointed out that the Obama period rate of growth “mirrored exactly” that of the 1930s following the Great Depression. In other words, we did well, considering the major financial crisis Obama inherited.
A bigger factor in the low ratings is that the president has lowered the bar on truth and transparency in government. One fact checking organization claims he has lied over 3,000 times in 466 days. Other fact-checkers offer different but still alarming numbers. But the actual tally is not as relevant as the fact that Trump’s proclivity for lying requires such fact-checking activity. Politicians have certainly been known to spin the truth or even lie but never before have we witnessed such blatant disregard for the truth from any politician not named Joe McCarthy.
Further hurting his approval is that rather than “drain the swamp” he has populated it with numerous swamp creatures, including himself. First off, he failed to divest himself from his business as promised. He has spent more than $30 million in taxpayer dollars traveling to properties he owns. His administration is spending $130,000 monthly on an office in Trump Towers for the military. His son-in-law used his ties to the president to secure foreign investments in exchange for granting visas. Seven of the people holding the 24 cabinet positions have faced accusations of abusing the perks of office. Before being forced out as the EPA head for numerous ethics violations, Scott Pruitt all but destroyed the institution. Tom Price, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funds on private planes. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke is under investigation for three accusations of ethics violations. One political scientist claims these various scandals are related to “incompetence and a sense of privilege.”
Another reason for his low marks is that Trump has managed to lower our standing in the world. If you doubt that just ask our allies and look at international polling. Trump’s attacks on our allies and glowing praise for autocrats is troubling both domestically and globally. It brings to question the president’s commitment to liberal democracy and to the relationships our nation forged to see the end of the Soviet threat and the spread of democracy throughout the world.
Michael Adkins is the former chair of the Hancock County Democratic Party. He lives in Greenfield. Send comments to [email protected].
