Does that make me a glass-half-empty person? Actually, no, I am an engineer by profession. I don’t think the glass is half empty or half full. Engineers believe the glass needs to be re-engineered.
And so it is with government. Many viewed the Obama years optimistically, perhaps an equal number view them pessimistically. Apparently, enough people viewed Obama’s legacy with pessimism and voted for Donald Trump. Trump vowed to “drain the swamp” in Washington DC, and that note struck a resounding chord with voters who were fed up with politicians and government intrusion into their lives.
While Trump goes about filling key positions, we see a lot of criticism from the left and some praise from conservatives --yep, pessimism v/s optimism. But this time it is reversed. The left and far-left leaning cities are perhaps beyond pessimistic, while those in Middle America finally have something to be optimistic about.
If the stock market is any indication, optimism for the new administration is well in order. After all, The Donald did vow to bring manufacturing back to this country, cut the red tape for startups, and remove the onerous taxes and regulations imposed on businesses. That means more opportunity for new business and more private sector jobs.
What a breath of fresh air! Had Clinton won, there would undoubtedly have been a continuation of Obama policies that saw the slowest recovery from a recession ever. There would have been more regulations, restrictions, and taxes on businesses, thereby resulting in more manufacturers leaving the country in an effort to be competitive and fewer private sector jobs. The traditional big-government response would have been to pour more tax dollars into make-work projects to artificially reduce the unemployment numbers. Since we are pretty much maxed out on our borrowing, the only way to pay for those make-work projects would be increased taxes.
Well, there you have it, optimism versus pessimism. Donald Trump has given us the hope and optimism that the glass will be filled, while Hillary Clinton gave us the doubt and pessimism that the glass was being drained much faster than it would ever be filled.
So now, Mr. President-elect, it’s time to show your hand.
So far, most of the Trump selections for key government positions have been Washington insiders and politicians, and a few of the better Generals also made the cut. The big question could well be, how does this drain the swamp?
Frankly, I had expected Trump to tap the managerial dynamic of the private sector more than he has. I do applaud his addition of proven military men for some key positions, though. It is high time for our military to be represented by people who know the trade.
I am optimistic, though. I fully expect to soon see lobbyists circling the drain as the swamp begins to dry up. We already hear the cries of professional politicians and lobbyists in Washington as they scramble to remain afloat in the swamp. Maybe the glass is only half full after all.
