The Case Against Trump

2016 Trump

It feels like just yesterday when, at the Republican debates in 2016, Donald Trump dropped this gem when referring to the establishment’s sweetheart, Jeb Bush: “we needed tickets [and] we couldn’t get them…you know who has the tickets? [His] Donors, special interests, [and] the people that are putting up the money…the reason they’re not loving me is [because] I don’t want their money. I’m going to do the right thing for the American public. I don’t want their money, I don’t need their money, and I’m the only one up here who can say that.” And with that assertion, ladies and gentlemen, a star was born.

Conservatives finally had someone who talked like the rest of them (rather than the typical political language every candidate uses) who discussed real issues like illegal immigration, the over-bloated bureaucracy, and the rampant corruption embedded within the “system.” The phrase “drain the swamp” used to be commonplace in Trump’s speeches back in the day. Now ask yourself: when was the last time Trump emphasized the need to drain the swamp?

Compared to 2016, the 2024 Trump seems to have lower energy, a softer tone, and hasn’t really brought forth any new ideas besides “no tax on tips” and a suspicious admiration for crypto. Sure, Trump is getting older so lower energy is expected, but one area of criticism that cannot be excused is who he has surrounded himself with.

He has completely shunned loyalists like Paul Dans, Russell Vought, and Kevin Roberts and their creation Project 2025, which is a conglomeration of real conservative policies and not the watered-down agendas Trump is pushing for after surrounding himself with former “Never Trumpers” like Chris Lacivita, Susie Wiles, and JD Vance. Trump usually explains that he wasn’t able to achieve his policy goals during his presidency due to his lackluster appointments, but the company he’s keeping around him now doesn’t exactly make true conservatives optimistic about the upcoming appointments.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

While Trump has always been more socially liberal than your typical conservative, he seems to have grown extra soft on all of the rampant degeneracy that is plaguing our society. Sure, he has said that he will implement policies to prevent men participating in women’s sports and to halt children learning about sexual identities in school (which is all good and well), but is that it Donald?

Trump needs to put up a bigger fight against the cultural subversion that has infested Western society, as issues like abortion, transgenderism, and the overall gayification (for lack of a better term) of society has been pushed relentlessly by progressives. And yes, while the 2022 Dobbs case was a major win for conservatives, it’s really the only win in the last several decades, as the progressive train had been steamrolling through the country.

Border(line) Inflation

The only two issues that Trump seems to be talking about nowadays is the border and inflation. As a sentient and rational person, I agree that those two problems have tormented the country since Joe Biden has taken office in early 2021. Cumulative inflation has surpassed 20% and conservative estimates of illegal immigrants let in are in the low eight figure range.

But even with an issue like inflation, he seems to be a bit out of touch and unrealistic with his goals. When first harping on inflation in 2022, annual inflation rates were hovering around 7-8% and needed fixing ASAP, but last month’s CPI print came in below 3%. Will Trump be able to implement policies that either reduce inflation to a nonsignificant number (sub 1.5% let’s say) or even possibly bring about a reduction in price levels without triggering the potential negative effects of deflation? Maybe, but probably not.

More specifically with the “affordable housing crisis” that every politician loves discussing, the idea that Trump will somehow cut interest rates (thereby reducing mortgage rates) while also making housing more affordable is confusing at best. The housing market still saw HPA (home price appreciation) somehow after 30 year fixed rates rising from below 3% in mid 2021 to roughly 7.5% in a move that would theoretically slow the market down. Therefore, as rates are expected to move downwards over the next 12-18 months, HPA is expected to rise at significant rate due to the pent up demand of buyers not wanting to buy in a tough interest rate environment.

All that to say Trump may be making promises that he may not be able to keep. The ability to magically make housing more affordable without drastic negative consequences is something that is out of the scope of powers of the president. Trump’s best bet is to reduce the regulations levied on homebuilders, as, in 2021, the National Association of Home Builders published that regulation accounts for $93,870 of the average new home price. Given the growth of the size of government under Biden, that number has most likely only grown since being published.

Trump > Kamala

With all of that off of my chest, yes, I am still obviously voting for Donald J. Trump. His characteristic traits of being tough, brutally honest, mentally strong, and patriotic is what this country needs. Additionally, his emphasis of prioritizing American citizens, shunning globalist influences, maintaining American growth through keeping jobs domestic, and negotiating with other world leaders to ensure global peace makes his candidacy exponentially more attractive than Harris/Walz.

With that being said, Trump is not hitting his potential ceiling and this is extraordinarily important given that this race will be extremely tight. The propaganda machine is going into overdrive to prop up the most unpopular Vice President in history, so Trump cannot afford to be lackadaisical or try to ride out the momentum post-assassination attempt. He needs to tap back into his original roots, surround himself with real conservatives, and prioritize the needs of everyday Americans over everything else.

Thanks for reading and until next time.