What Does Trump Stand For?
Can anyone tell the rest of us what this man stands for on domestic and foreign policy? Does he have any ideology at all? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
The position of candidates on basic policy issues is often a moving target, especially between the primaries and the general election. The fact that candidates from both parties move from the middle of their own party’s ideology to the center of the nation’s is also a given. In this Presidential cycle, however, one candidate, Donald Trump, is all over the place.
It’s true, that Harris has given up some of her previous positions on fracking, Medicare for all and a few other areas. She didn’t give a satisfactory rationale during the CNN interview with Dana Bash for the changes, but at least she is beginning to outline her basic ideological positions and adding details along the way. She is moving in a straight line.
Trump, on the other hand, seems to be simply testing the waters on policy, like a weather vane, moving left, then right, then back to the center, pissing off his base in one moment, only to come back home to them in the next. He’ll say the Florida six week abortion ban is too short and should be longer, stating that he might vote yes on the Amendment to limit the states ability to interfere in abortions, only to have his position corrected by his campaign. Then after an outcry by his Pro Life base, he comes out the next day saying he’ll vote no on the amendment. See Megan Kelly Video
Trump’s pie in the sky campaign promises are not policy statements at all, but more wishful thinking, fantasies and some delusional opining with absolutely no detail. When asked by a town hall participant as to how he will make the cost of living more affordable, Trump rambles on going off on one tangent after another telling one lie after another about energy, bacon and the continuing saga of election denialism, but of course, never answers the question for the young man.
He’s said he’ll bring down energy prices by 50 percent, lower interest rates, lower utility prices, drop inflation in half and bring peace to the world. Unless he is the 2nd coming of Christ, it’s just not apparent how he will do this.
He condemns Obamacare, while offering no replacement plan, just as he did in 2016. He now states that we need immigrants. He wants to pay for all IVF treatments, but doesn’t say how he’ll pay for it. Trump’s policy stances are akin to a Vegas Buffet. Everything you desire, he will provide.
Trump is now a compass pointing in every direction simultaneously as he attempts to appeal to every facet of the electorate at the same time, rapidly changing direction, moving, reversing, back and forth as the press and his voters try to keep up. He can’t be pinned down as his stance changes from day to day and even hour to hour.
His foreign policy is equally elusive with only the, “Peace Through Strength” echo. He says he’ll bring peace to Ukraine, but at what cost? He’s repeatedly stated that Hamas would have never attacked Israel under his watch. He’s condemned NATO with the same tired, “We won’t defend you if you don’t pay” threat, telling Russia to do whatever the hell it wants to those members who haven’t anteed up. About the only part of his foreign policy that has been steady has been his support for Israel and Netanyahu as he and Bibe, as his friends call him, are kindred spirits trying to stay out of jail.
He’s never been definitive on Taiwan, but certainly cozies up to Xi as well as the other autocrats, Putin, Orban, Kim and others. He admires the fierce toughness of the dictators. His BFF in the Philippines, Duarte, lost his election, but Trump vocally praised his killing of drug dealers. This video is a little cheeky, but you get the point. Trump loves a strongman.
So where does Trump stand on Domestic or Foreign policy? Wait a day and watch another rally speech as it will change. Come back the next day and it changes again. He’s doing nothing to appeal to the Nikki Haley voters and his campaign’s outreach is nowhere to be seen with few offices in the battleground states where he’s simply appealing to a base that he’s already locked up.
At the same time, Kamala is moving steadily to shore up her policy stances in each area as she works to define herself in the eyes of the voters who did not really know her prior to the great debate that changed the course of history. She and Walz are chipping away at the edges with swing voters, women, non college educated white men, black, Latinos, and, of course, the under 30s.
The debate on the 10th may shed some light on Trump’s positions, but maybe not.
He stands for any policy that will get him elected other than that he stands only for what benefits himself.
You do, of course, know what he stands for. He stands for himself. His only seeming interest in domestic or foreign issues depends on whether any domestic or foreign person said he was wonderful. Issues? He doesn't know, and he doesn't care.