Following the shocking (to some) victory by Donald Trump on Tuesday, we asked our “Political Insiders” and readers what they thought the future held for Trump’s America.
As you might expect, our Republican panelists were pretty enthusiastic about whether a Trump presidency would be good for the country, Utah, and their families.
As you might expect, the Democrats who participated felt less favorable about a Donald Trump led government as did our readers.
You can see the results below. Anonymous comments from our respondents follow.
Selected anonymous comments:
“The office of the presidency is stronger than the person occupying the oval office. America will survive any president because of our system of checks and balance.”
“Donald Trump will fundamentally alter the shape and size of the federal government, leaving it unequipped to deal with problems like climate change, financial turmoil, and international tension. Donald Trump will take us to war and inspire large-scale terrorist attacks. Donald Trump will gut financial regulation, allowing banks and investors to gamble with my mortgage. Donald Trump will give credence to hate and bigotry, and our streets and schools will be more dangerous for it.”
“Yes. He’s got four years. If not, then vote him out.”
“Trump has a lot to do to prove he was worth electing. After running such a divisive campaign, he has a lot of wounds to heal. Many people have doubts he can do just that.”
“I will judge him by what he does, not by what he has said. But if he does what he says I’m very, VERY concerned. A year from now we will know if more deregulation, lowering corporate taxes and other things on the agenda will lead to more job growth like the Republicans claim, or lead to the kind of legal chicanery that led to the recession.”
“It’s impossible to know what to think. It may be the rhetoric was to get elected, or it may be what’s intended. It is a bad thing to undo all health care without replacement, and human rights to marry and a bunch of other things.”
“I anticipate that he will continue being divisive and under-informed. While he has strong, vocal supporters, I think he was elected on an anti-Hillary sentiment more than pro-Trump. I hope the Republican Party can find better leaders than the establishment clones or moral crusaders who ran in the primary against Trump. Someone who is independent of the PAC’s and lobbyists like Trump, but a decent human being.”
“Trump and Clinton were terrible candidates. I hope Trump will do well and surprise most of us as the US needs it.”
“4,000 appointments not made by big government Democrats.”
“As a white, Christian, Republican-leaning, male the Democrats and those in charge for the last eight years have made it clear how much they hate me and my traditional family. So yes a return to normalcy and not being attacked by the left every day will be very good for my family.”
“I didn’t vote for either Trump or Clinton but secretly hoped Trump would win because anyone: the dog catcher, Mafia Don, ISIS terrorist would be better than Clinton. Let’s see who President Trump really is. I believe that what we saw was what he needed to show to get the job done. Most likely, he will be far more moderate than expected and able to govern with dignity and decorum.”
“I think Donald Trump surrounds himself with very smart people and loves America and will do a wonderful job as president. I have great faith in him.”
“President-Elect Trump is going to need to put the best cabinet and team of advisors ever in the history of this republic. These advisors will need to at least seem to the electorate, to be able to give him (Pres. Trump) an even and balanced look at his options before decisions are made. He will also need to listen to them (his advisors) and show the people of the United States as well as the world that he is willing to seriously deliberate before he makes decisions. He has to build a lot of bridges. I don’t mean that he should pander, but he must build relationships with sincere concern and aforethought. It will be essential for President Trump to prove to the American people that he is worthy to be President, not simply because he won the election, but by winning our respect. If he can’t accomplish this, the next four years will seem to take forever.”
“Since being president is far different from being a candidate, there is at least a chance that we will see something other than bluff and bluster from President Trump. The key is whether he has the will and ability to choose strong cabinet members. We’ll just have to see what happens.”
“My vote for Trump was all about the Supreme Court.”
“I want to come around and support our President-elect. I can’t get past the pain his election rightfully brings to sexual assault victims, who must see someone who bragged about committing sexual assault elected to our nation’s highest office. I can’t get past the pain that his, and his current spouse’s, decades-long support for the pornography industry, and what that means for my son’s daughters and my desires to teach them healthy things about body image and objectification.”
“Even if Trump ends up making good decisions, which is doubtful, his erratic behavior will lead to a constant state of anxiety and fear. That is not the state of mind that will lead to a strong economy or stable political scene, both of which our country desperately needs.”
“A total repeal of the ACA would cause my family members to lose health care coverage. My two college-age sons are on our insurance. And pre-existing conditions would become a barrier again.”
“Trump may slow/stop/reverse the trend toward cultural domination by self-appointed elites. If he does, that will be a good thing. If he leaves policy to a Republican Congress, that will be a good thing. If he makes war on Republicans who opposed him, he will destroy the Republican Party. That will be a bad thing, but it could lead to the formation of a better successor party, and that will be a good thing.”
“Donald Trump is morally bankrupt and a liar. But it’s not like the alternative was much better.”
“I don’t think Trump can handle the truth nor speak it. I don’t see how someone can effectively lead who will say anything, deny everything, and blame all but himself when things go south. I hope I’m wrong.”
“Trump is pretty middle of the road for a modern day candidate. He is not focused on pushing an agenda. I think he is a big tent, meat and potatoes, ‘it’s the economy stupid’ kind of person. If his focus is on creating jobs and improving the economy, then we all win!”
“Making us great again is a tall order that can’t be done with small hands.”
“If Trump is willing to work with Republicans in Congress, we may be able to actually move forward. Let’s hope they don’t fight among themselves and waste the opportunity the voters have presented them. If they do, the pendulum will swing back dramatically in two years.”
“Not everyone agrees with the conservative agenda of current Republicans.”
“Trump and his pack of useless Republicans will give us exactly what the useless Democrats gave us—more government, more debt, and less freedom.”
“Handing a blank check, and especially to someone as unstable as Trump, is always a scary. This means there will be fewer checks to the government. Hopefully, they use their new power wisely.”
“The deficit always increases under Republicans due to unwarranted tax cuts and getting involved in unnecessary wars.”
“Party over principles. Not a good start but I can hope that will change.”
“GOP unification is dependent on the President-elect playing ball. I can see Congress having a tough time with a Trump administration. I predict the honeymoon ends within the first 100 days.”
“There will be a lot of buyer’s remorse.”
“I think the Republican party is right now like the dog who chases cars and finally catches one- they don’t have a clue what to do with it. Their entire focus for the past eight years has been obstructing whatever President Obama wanted. They have not had an original and well-developed proposal in years. Now they have to remember how to make actual policy, assuming they ever knew how.”
“In 4 years, with the Republican Congress, Trump can reverse 50 years of progress.”
“I want to say yes, but for as much as folks like power in DC, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they overreach, alienate half the country, and lose it–and so we swing back and forth. I do believe that it is possible that a Trump presidency may invigorate the strength and legitimacy of the Legislative branch as a check on the Executive branch–something that the federal government has been lacking for a long time now as Congress sees its role as defending or attacking the president along partisan lines in a stalemate. Perhaps Congress will act a little more like a check on the president as a co-equal branch than just a series of pro and con sound bites.”
“One party in power becomes oligarchs under party leadership. Too little debate. Too little regard for people outside the echo chamber.”
“It will allow President Trump to get a Supreme Court Justice through the process before the midterm politicking begins. He has a real chance to set an agenda and get some things accomplished. Remember everyone these things go in cycles. We had a ‘permanent Republican majority’ in 2002 only to be replaced with a new Super-Majority of Democrats in 2008 that was going to last for generations. Call me crazy, but I think the big winners in the 2018 midterms will be a few independents not beholden to any party including possibly one from Utah.”
“Big losers will be FOX News. Who are they going to blame everything on?”
“There is really no system for checks and balances. With that said the Republicans will either implode within themselves or they will try to work with Democrats to accomplish certain things. It remains to be seen.”
“They will unite over Obamacare but will find little other common ground. Remember, Trump was a Democrat not long ago, the Freedom Caucus is strong, and Congress will be watching him closely.”
