Up till now the Trump Presidency has been more spectacle than politics to the average person taking a mild interest, from anywhere across the world. But now the serious business of government is at hand and soon will be in full swing. There is good news for the Travel Ban II, which seems to be regarded as reasonable by the majority and which has survived a Federal Court request, to the very judge who banned the last one, to do the same again. He refused at least until a case can be made. There is mixed news for the Obamacare replacement (Trumpcare?) because it is harassed from two sides. The liberal tendency led by the Democrats oppose it because it is retrograde and leaves millions potentially without cover, while conservative Republicans are against it because it does not go far enough to destroy the fabric of Obama’s legacy project. With that political line up the new plan is not going anywhere.
This will be a test of Trump’s much vaunted deal making skills. If he manages to navigate a healthcare system which is fairer, cheaper but still delivers cover to the millions previously, before Obamacare, without protection, he will be set fair for a full two terms. But if the plan withdraws cover from millions of lower paid blue collar workers who either have to pay more than they can afford, or go without, his Presidency will founder at the end of his first term. Because those very people voted for Trump and if they turn away he cannot win. Meanwhile a lot of political capital has been wasted on the obsession with so called fake news and the spats which result. Rasmussen,which in January had his approval rating at 59%, was yesterday showing 48%. Something must be done about that.