Markos posited that Democrats should not work with Trump at all, and I recall being a little torn about that. Several pointed out that if there were areas to help the nation and work with Trump Democrats had an obligation to do so. This counter sentiment was based upon the idea that there might be areas where we could find agreement with Trump — infrastructure development or the end of free trade policies. Well, we have had a couple of weeks to see how things are shaping up with the incoming Trump Administration. And I’m feeling grateful that Trump is proving the optimists wrong. We should not cooperate at all with Trump. Period.
Let’s take a look at that infrastructure development “plan.” Trump is handing out tax credits to private companies to build toll roads. That is essentially it so far.
Companies can take tax credits and not build anything or provide one job. I’ve seen this done before. RJR-Nabisco promised to build a factory in Wake County, NC. They were given a state tax credit for this, and years later, nothing. A Democrat in the state legislature proposed eliminating this tax credit, and every probusiness Republican and Democrat opposed it.
Also, the tax credits go to private business for make infrastructure for their own profits. It will do nothing for all the important infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt. Things like water systems for one. Everyone remembers Flint, Michigan. Correct?
So Trump’s plan will be tax credits. Republicans will gut any of the federal spending on projects that are essential because they just do not believe in infrastructure development anymore. They have had decades to do this themselves under Reagan, H.W. Bush, and W. But nothing.
So why should Democrats sign on to a tax credit plan that will produce no new jobs? Scratch area of agreement number one for Democrats to cooperate with Trump. But what about negotiating new trade deals? That’s a possibility, but trade deals do not happen overnight. And we have enough free trade Democrats still lurking in the weeds, and I do not think they will embrace anything that does not enrich their corporate donors.
And I think that might be it for areas of cooperation.
Unless Democrats think that tax cuts to the wealthy are a great idea. They have caved before on this, but we are two for two on that “tax cuts stimulate the economy” bullshit. And it didn’t.
Maybe Democrats will eliminate the ACA and Medicare and Medicaid? Some so called Democrats might go for this. We still have Blue Dogs and conservadems that would go for this if they had plenty of cover and company. But even most Democrats know those are political suicide missions.
Maybe Democrats will go for charter schools and dismantling public schools? Call this the Rahm Emanuel/Andrew Cuomo caucus. I have my doubts they are a majority of Democrats, but you never know. Besides, I do not recall Hillary Clinton voters wanting public schools eliminated.
What about helping out the fossil fuel industry? This is the Joe Manchin wing of the party. He and a few others will sign on to anything that appears to help the dying coal industry, but why should progressives be for more pollution? And Florida is going underwater, so I am not sure that people like Nelson of Florida will be a big fan of his state being the New Atlantis.
Building that wall along the southern border will be a big winner with Latinos. You know how Democrats have based most of our future electoral hopes on this demographic. I do not think it would be very bright to turn around and join Trump in building a wall against Mexico.
I think you see the pattern here.
And Trump’s cabinets picks are good signals that he is not prepared to work with Democrats on anything. Trump is picking the nuts and inexperienced to fill his cabinet. The nuts will alienate anyone, and the inexperienced will turn out like W.’s incompetent crew. Remember when W. placed all those same types in rebuilding Iraq after the war? They made a bad situation a catastrophe.
If you were a Democrat, would you want the taint of disaster on you? Ask Hillary Clinton and John Kerry how that Iraq War vote went for them. No, I think that the time for cooperation with Trump has already passed, and I am grateful that he is making it easy to oppose him.