September 14, 2020

I invite Trump supporters to make the argument for his reelection based on his actual achievements.

For the purposes of this post, please refrain from making any arguments about Trump's rhetoric, personality, behavior, or how he makes you feel.

Help me make a list of Trump's achievements — stated in a neutral, factual way. These should be real-world achievements of the sort that a more normal-seeming President could have made. No bullshit (or "malarky").

298 comments:

1 – 200 of 298   Newer›   Newest»
AllenS said...

I hope this qualifies, but for # 1 accomplishment, he beat Crooked Hillary Clinton.

mesquito said...

He didn’t promise to close Gitmo, and he didn’t!

Jupiter said...

Better King Log than King Stork.

dd said...

First Step Act

dd said...

Confronting Iran: Killing General. Rolling Back Iran Nuclear Deal.

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He stopped air travel from China at a time when his opponents called that action xenophobic and racist.

Rick said...

Taking a step toward sanity in Title IX.

Robert G. said...

Revoking net neutrality

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He brokered a step toward peace in the Balkans.

Gusty Winds said...

No New Wars
NAFTA replaced by USMCA
ISIS defeated
Exiting Paris Climate Accord
Exiting Obama’s Iran Deal
Taking on China With Tariffs
Stepped across 38 Parallel
Pre-COVID ass kicking economy
Prison sentencing reform
Killing Soleimani instead of starting a war with IRAN
Not getting involved in Syria no-fly zone
Balls to tell Europe to pay up of NATO
Survived a coup (Russia Hoax)
Taking on the Deep State
Taking on the Press
Protecting the 2nd Amendment
Tax Cuts
Taking on Pharmaceutical Companies
And much more….

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

OK,
Renegotiating NAFTA.
Massive deregulation
Tax cuts
Winding down Afghanistan war, Iraq war
Job growth pre-pandemic, especially for people left out of the labor market during Obama admin.
Middle East peace progress, UAE/Bahrain recognizing Israel

AlbertAnonymous said...

Tax cuts

PM said...

Two words:
Stock
Market

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He broke the decades long Arab/Israeli peace process log jam doubling the number of Arab states at peace. There are good prospects for more to follow.

CapitalistRoader said...

He won the fight against federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies illegally trying to force him from office.

This is a huge accomplishment, something no other president has had to do, and his victory probably allowed us to keep our republic for another few years.

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He has beefed up Polish defense at Putin’s displeasure.

Anne in Rockwall, TX said...

From whitehouse.gov

Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
We have created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since my election.
Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than THREE DECADES.
Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent.
New unemployment claims recently hit a 49-year low.
Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
African-American unemployment has recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
Hispanic-American unemployment is at the lowest rate ever recorded.
Asian-American unemployment recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
Women’s unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years.
Youth unemployment has recently hit the lowest rate in nearly half a century.
Lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for Americans without a high school diploma.
Under my Administration, veterans’ unemployment recently reached its lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
Almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election.
The Pledge to America’s Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans. We are committed to VOCATIONAL education.
95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future—the highest ever.
Retail sales surged last month, up another 6 percent over last year.
Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. After tax cuts, over $300 billion poured back in to the U.S. in the first quarter alone.
As a result of our tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.
Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.
Opened ANWR and approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
Record number of regulations eliminated.
Enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.
Obamacare individual mandate penalty GONE.
My Administration is providing more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.
Last month, the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And thanks to our efforts, many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.
We reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs—saving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.
Signed Right-To-Try legislation.
Secured $6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
We have reduced high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent during my first year in office.
Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
Increased our coal exports by 60 percent; U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high.
United States is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord.
Cancelled the illegal, anti-coal, so-called Clean Power Plan.
Secured record $700 billion in military funding; $716 billion next year.
NATO allies are spending $69 billion more on defense since 2016.
Process has begun to make the Space Force the 6th branch of the Armed Forces.
Confirmed more circuit court judges than any other new administration.
Confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran Deal.
Moved U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
Protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban, upheld by Supreme Court.

Dan in Philly said...

Off the top of my head, ended wars, invigorated the economy, strong and active response to Covid (china flight ban, very involved when we thought the medical facilities would be overrun), supreme court and regional court justices, reached out to China and North Korea in attempts to improve relationships, brokered peace relations in the mideast, lowered taxes, reversed as much of Obamacare as congress allowed, renegotiated NAFTA, ended Paris accord.

I'm sure if I spent a few minutes actually researching I could come up with a few hundred more. So could you.

Anne in Rockwall, TX said...

Part 2
Issued Executive Order to keep open Guantanamo Bay.
Concluded a historic U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal to replace NAFTA. And negotiations with Canada are underway as we speak.
Reached a breakthrough agreement with the E.U. to increase U.S. exports.
Imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum to protect our national security.
Imposed tariffs on China in response to China’s forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
Improved vetting and screening for refugees, and switched focus to overseas resettlement.
We have begun BUILDING THE WALL. Republicans want STRONG BORDERS and NO CRIME. Democrats want OPEN BORDERS which equals MASSIVE CRIME.

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He eliminated the SALT deduction making only the rich pay more.

alan markus said...

One achievement is not doing whatever was predicted would befall our nation if he was elected. I was going to propose that Drago get to work on "DragosList.com: Democratical Prediction Fails Version 2016". Things like the market collapse, young girls getting their p***ies grabbed, Blacks being put back in chains, Jews getting roasted in ovens, World War III, America being the world's laughingstock, etc.

Bitter Clinger said...

1. Hillary Clinton is not president.
2. Hillary Clinton likely will never be president.
3. Gorsuch.
4. Kavanaugh.
5. Mainstream media's credibility as unbiased source of news is destroyed.
6. 325 miles of wall built on the Mexican border. That's 325 miles more than any other President would have built.
7. USMCA replacing NAFTA.
8. Tariffs on Chinese goods.
9. U.S. and U.K. will not use Huawei for 5G. Huawei increasingly closed out of sensitive contracts among U.S. and allies.

This is a start. I'm sure others will add much more, but really numbers 1-5 are the most important.

rehajm said...

Start here...

rhhardin said...

Removing regulations preventing businesses from making mutually advantageous deals.

Mutually adventageous means that the national wealth goes up, and it did.

Abdul Abulbul Amir said...

He has prohibited the federal government spending money on critical race theory “training.”

Betsy Wuebker said...

Any of the “normal” Presidents in my lifetime were unable to achieve the sort of normalization that Trump brokered between the governments of Israel, UAE, Bahrain and Serbia, yet these agreements may have the most significant geopolitical effect. Secondarily, the fact that Serbian President Vacic appears to have shut the spigot of Putin’s input completely off with improvements in the Kosovo relationship is a huge development.

OSU '92 said...

1. Killed Soulemani
2. Lowest unemployment rate in 50 Years, including African Americans.
3. Israeli Middle East Peace deals
4. Kosovo - Bosnia Peace deal
4. Illegal immigration slowed considerably
5. Two originalist Supreme Court justices
6. Re-negotiated NAFTA and China trade deal
7. Record S&P 500 and NASDAQ

Those are off the top of my head.

Mike Sylwester said...

Trump has exposed the House's Democrats as obstinately refusing to cooperate on any legislation.

rwnutjob said...

Deleted 22 regulations to every one promulgated.
Federal income tax reduction
Put defensive missiles back into Poland
Sent troops to Lithuania
CO2 reduced more than any of the Paris signatories due to Fracking reducing the cost of natural gas while taking Russian customers
Bombed Russian airbase in Syria
defeated ISIS
Moved embassy to Jerusalem while bringing peace to the Middle East
By no means complete

Fernandinande said...

The official White House list of accomplishments* doesn't mention the two I think are the most important, namely exposing the MSM's partisanship and general dishonesty, and, to a lesser extent the illegal spying and phony legal paperwork etc. by the "intelligence community/deep statists" ... "to a lesser extent" because the MSM barely covers it.

* boring stuff like low unemployment, and the US "is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957" which may or may not be actual accomplishments by Trump.

SteveSc said...

Judges

Nichevo said...

Good to see you playing your part, Ann. It seems that a couple of days ago the mainstream media decided to process this question, and they have digested the food already for you. "Thinking skills, fact-checked."

I prefer not to swallow already-digested food, or even prechewed, but your mileage may vary. Here is what came up in the Google search on my phone. So are you waiting to tee off? I'll leave it to others to caddy for you.

...

Top stories

The New York Times
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3 days ago · Don't ask me why, but I've spent the past week fact-checking a list of Donald Trump's accomplishments, as compiled by one of his ...
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Trump Administration Accomplishments | The White House
Trump Administration Accomplishments. Share: Almost 4 million jobs created since election. More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our ...
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Jul 24, 2020 · Fact Sheet: Trump Administration Accomplishments to Empower ... deemed ineligible to be on a heart transplant wait list because of his disability.
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To date, the administration of President Donald Trump has taken significant ... for essential support" in its list of personnel and entities deemed "essential" for ...
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The Accomplishments of President Trump. IGNITING A HISTORIC ECONOMIC BOOM: President Trump's pro- growth policies are unleashing economic growth and ...
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Ron Winkleheimer said...

i'm just cutting and pasting from Noor Bin Ladin's Letter To America. I suggest you read the whole thing.

"Domestically, he removed handicapping regulations to American economic growth; rebuilt a depleted military; brought back manufacturing and revamped dying industries by renegotiating trade deals and cutting taxes; achieved energy independence; curbed immigration - all of which contributed to setting record unemployment rates. He also saved your tax payer dollars by withdrawing from corrupt international organizations and agreements. Remarkably, he tackled neglected issues such as human trafficking and unjust incarceration; defunded Planned Parenthood; took care of your disregarded veterans; lowered prescription drug prices. All these undertakings prove just how much he values the lives and wellbeing of ALL Americans.

By strengthening America from within, President Trump bolstered his plans when it comes to foreign policy, and thanks to his vision and tactical use of diplomatic avenues, has made the world a much safer place since taking office. To name a few achievements: he stood up to China, kept us out of new wars, made Europe comply with their NATO requirements, solidified ties with Israel, overturned the disastrous Iran deal, obliterated ISIS, took down other key terrorists, and facilitated a historic peace deal between Israel and the UAE. His administration has also made Christian persecution worldwide a top priority with the State Department instituting the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the first of its kind."

ESM said...

Appointed lots of solid, conservative Article III judges.

Gave the military free rein to destroy ISIS. And ISIS was destroyed.

Took out al-Baghdadi.

Cut corporate taxes from 35% to 21%, which spurred stock market rally.

Cut regulations, which spurred stock market rally and continued employment growth despite low levels of unemployment.

Cracked down on illegal immigration, which decreased the unemployment rate for unskilled workers and increased wage growth same.

Built new parts of border wall, which will drastically reduce illegal immigration and human trafficking.

Sentencing reform - First Step Act.

Repealed Obama's Title IX idiocy.

Repealed Obama's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule idiocy.

Faciliated new oil/gas drilling, new pipelines, and fracking.

Broke the logjam in Middle East by moving US Embassy to Jerusalem, freezing out Palestinians, and building alliances based on opposition to Iran.

Reimposed brutal economic sanctions on Iran.

Took out General Soleimani, who was uniquely effective at spreading Iranian influence and undercutting peace in the Middle East.

Created Space Force and aggressively refurbished the military.

Broke the ice with North Korea, which tamped down dangerous tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Finally took an aggressive stance on trade with China, which has put China back on its heels.

Actually did pretty well with the pandemic, despite the media narrative. Hard to imagine a Democratic President would have cut through red tape as quickly to increase testing capacity, PPE production, or vaccine/therapy development.

Finally driven the mainstream media to drop all pretense of objectivity.

Sternhammer said...

1. Greatly reduced illegal immigration over the southern border. The wall didn't really do much, but Trump found he could threaten AMLO with closing the border to trade, and that got AMLO to solve the problem for us. Great improvisation.

2. Lower illegal immigration in turn lead to the best economy ever for low wage black folks. Lowest black unemployment ever, highest black wage growth ever. He redistributed money from business owners to low wage employees, without having the federal govt take a cut.

3. He kept his promise to the right on judicial appointments. This is big for me. Every Republican president in my lifetime has promised this, and then betrayed us. I don't think Trump himself is actually against abortion, or cares about constitutional originalism. But he made that deal with us, and he kept it.

4. Kept us out of new wars. Tried to get us out of some of the existing ones, with modest success so far.

5. Reduced public trust in the media. The mainstream media, from NYT to NPR to the networks, to Wapo and the Journal news pages, are pure lying propaganda. Trump has shown their lies, and taught the public to distrust them even more than they already did.

6. Pushing to allow the US govt to push on pharma prices, like every other government in the world. This undermines the corrupt deal the Obama admin made with the drug companies.

how's that for a start?

Francisco D said...

Off the top of my head:

1. Huge increase in working class jobs

2. Stock market boom

3. Stability in foreign policy re: the Mideast

4. Lower gas prices

5. Uncovering fake "conservatives" (more a byproduct than intentional, but very important).

Sally327 said...

Your blog your rules but I am amused at your demand that commenters avoid any remarks about how Trump makes someone feel when you are the one who pines for a boring President. Isn't that about your feelings? As in...normal-seeming?

Trump hasn't invaded anywhere new or started any new wars. I value that achievement.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Off the top of my head:
Improvements to the VA system
Decreases in prescription prices
Deregulation
Lower Taxes
War vs ISIS
Drawdowns on US forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria
Peace process in Mid-East
Embassy to Jerusalem
Peace process with Kosovo
Increase in fracking - achieving energy independence, which was bad for Russia and also helped with MidEast peace
Selling AT weapons to Ukraine
Sanctions vs Russia
USMCA vs NAFTA
China trade deals
Decrease in tension on Korean peninsula
Increase in military spending
Increase in spending from NATO coutnries
Sanctions vs Iran
Backing out of Iran nuke deal
Hitting Iranian supported terrorist organizations/leadership
Strengthening ties with India
Increased cooperation with WestPac/SoPac nations, as a counter to China
Sentencing reform
Increased investment in inner cities
Working with HBCUs
Reform in university sexual assault policies
Increases in deportation of aliens

PHenry said...

Trump reduced regulatory burdens and taxes resulting in an economic recovery of the sort the Democrats have been declaring impossible and a thing of the past for decades. That included the lowest unemployment numbers for minorities in the country's history. ( The fact that a virus and the left's tactic of never letting a crisis go to waste put a damper on that economy only increases the argument that we need Trump to pull us back up.)
He has directed the 'war on Terror' so well that ISIS is defeated and the top terrorist leaders have been killed. Terror worldwide is reduced.
But for me, the most important achievement is how completely he has exposed the media, deep state, and democrats for the corrupt anti constitutional cabal they are. Few were aware of the extent of the attack from within that was ongoing and supported by most of one of the two major parties and about a quarter of the other.
I could go on about judges, justices, rule of law, but I will leave that to others.

Robert Edick said...

Judicial appointments.

tim maguire said...

1) Standing up to China. China is a modern day Nazi Germany and without Trump, we would still be helping them threaten the world and their own people.

2) Pre-COVID-19, strong economic recovery whose tide lifted all boats, rich and poor, white and minority alike.

3) Prison reform that, while incomplete, is the first step the government has made in my lifetime to reduce the draconian sentences that have been hollowing out minority communities at great cost to taxpayers.

4) Judicial appointments that are remaking the Federal judiciary in a more restrained image that (hopefully) respects the separation of powers and will make justice less of a crap shoot.

5) Respect for Federalism, allowing states to run themselves and reducing the power of the executive branch. (Claims that Trump acts as a dictator are a joke made by ignorant people--he is the only president in the modern era to actually reduce the power of the executive.)

6) Rolling back burdensome regulation, helping the economy, including standing up to the environmental lobby and its half-baked climate schemes.

7) Rolling back the Title IX over-reach in our universities, including the guarantee of due process in disciplinary hearings.

8) Forcing the international community to uphold its commitments (i.e., NATO) and renegotiating trade deals that work against American interests.

9) Middle East peace.

10) Reduce the power of Russia, Islamic terrorism, and other destabilizing forces through support for fracking, moving NATO forces from Germany to Poland, and taking a hard line against Iran.

11) Hard to quantify (so maybe this doesn't count under your rules), but Trump is bringing common sense and respect for the real world back to Washington.

MarKT said...

The president has achieved historic peace agreements.

Relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates have been normalized. This is the first peace deal involving Israel in 25 years. This agreement was followed by another peace agreement between Israel and Bahrain, and it is now possible that other Arab nations will follow and recognize the state of Israel.

He also brokered an economic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, ending 21 years of conflict. In addition to this, Serbia agreed to move their embassy to Jerusalem and Kosovo officially recognized Israel.

These are no small things. It is unprecedented.

R C Belaire said...

1) He defeated Hillary (isn't that enough for one man?)
2) Was criticized for calling out China; now, pretty-much vindicated.
3) Removed US support for the Paris Climate Accords, or whatever they are called.
4) Supports fracking and US energy independence.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

He has not gotten us into a war and deescalated the areas of the world in which we were engaged in conflict when he took office. He forced the NATO partners to start paying more of their share. His trade policies put the spotlight back on the American worker and the high cost in jobs that more globalist trade strategies have brought about. Trump is unabashedly patriotic and fully supports law and order. He stopped the apology tour. Trump got us out of the idiotic Paris Accord. Obviously, more recently he led the Middle East in obtaining what looks to be a solid agreement that could develop into a more peaceful region. Trump's combatativeness with the corrupt media brought them out in the open where everyone but people who are too emotionally damaged or weak to be intellectually honest (Democrats and candy-ass others) about media objectivity can clearly see the media bias. That's enough for now.

Freder Frederson said...

This should be interesting.

tim maguire said...

These should be real-world achievements of the sort that a more normal-seeming President could have made.

Oh, wait. I somehow glided over this. Much of what Trump's done a more normal-seeming president could not have done. While I don't like his bombastic style either, it was necessary to overcome the institutional obstacles that decades of "more normal-seeming presidents" allowed to build up around the oval office.

dar said...

Biggest Achievment - keeping democrats out of power

Greg The Class Traitor said...

1: Actually moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, rather than promising to do it while campaigning and reneging once in office

2: Restored sanctions on Iran, ending the Obama deal which would have guaranteed that Iran got nuclear weapons

3: After 72 years, the UAE and Bahrain have established diplomatic relations with Israel. This is entirely due to President Trump's diplomatic efforts, and the success is because he rejected the "experts'" ideas

4: Pre Covid he gave the US excellent economic growth, that, in a reversal from economic patterns under all Presidents since the 1970s, actually gave significant real wage increases to the non-college credentialed.
They are Americans, too, and have just as much a right to be able to achieve a good life as does everyone else

5: Negotiated a better NAFTA, and better trade deals with China. Agin, in contradiction of everything "the experts" said could be done

6: Has presided over a significant deregulation effort, which is one of the reasons why the US economy has been doing such a good job growing

7: Unlike President "pen and phone" Obama, President Trump has actually repeated the law, the Constitution, Federalism, and the limits on his office,

dar said...

Biggest achievement - Keeping democrats out of power

Harsh Pencil said...

1. Judges
2. Reducing regulations.
3. Foreign Policy. No new wars. Reducing footprint overseas. Getting allies closer to not freeloading.

TreeJoe said...

Trump Successes:

- Major middle east progress including the forestalling of iran's regional/global terror campaign by the assasination of Soleimani, the bombing of Syria airfields early on, the Israel/UAE/Bahrain normalization
- Far fewer actual "boots on the ground" than in any presidency in last 40 years - a global reduction in American military combat presence
- A significant push in the right direction of NATO member military contribution....perhaps a success-in-progess vs. a clear cut success
- Significant gains in national manufacturing and income gains across bottom quartiles and minorities (pre-COVID)
- Record unemployment (pre-COVID)
- USMCA replacing NAFTA
- Far better corporate tax rates benchmarked against global competition
- Removal of obamacare individual mandate
- Focus and success in regulatory rule elimination
- Criminal justice reform particularly impactful to minority communities
- SPACE FORCE
- Isolation of Iran
- Decoupling from China including massive tariffs and penalties for IP theft

That's a sampling.

Failures of Trump Administration:

- Trump and admin have failed to communicate effectively the corruption they have uncovered in the justice/FBI/CIA/Intel community.
- Trump specifically has failed to establish himself as a leader in the public eye. His tweeting and communication, while effective, has hurt him tremendously too. He has so many unforced errors it hurts my brain, so many things he didn't need to re-tweet that have hurt him, etc.
- Trump has completely failed to lead on the science during COVID-19. He has personally called into question the integrity of lead scientists, institutions, research, etc.
- Trump spent way too much energy failing to build a wall, funding the building of a wall, or producing an effective US side southern immigration strategy. He did however get Mexico to do alot more.

I'll stop there for now.

Dave Begley said...

Wall partially built. Taxes lowered. Conservative judges. USMCA. Tough on China. Out of Paris Accord. Rebuilt military. Destroyed ISIS. No more foreign wars. NATO allies paying more. Regulations cut. Dynamic economy. Fake News exposed as being totally dishonest. No more open borders. We are no longer the patsy. Brought jobs back to America. Reformed PTAB.

Vance said...

Cutting regulations. Didn’t he say that any new regulation must be accompanied with 2 old ones being repealed?
2 various peace deals.
3. Standing up for religious freedom. I don’t know Trumps personal feelings but he has stood up for religious freedom unlike Obama.
4. The great clarification. Who supports America and who supports statism has been revealed.

Just a few to start.

mockturtle said...

1. Ended NAFTA
2. Increased energy independence
3. Increased employment [prior to the pandemic]
4. Built at least part of the wall
5. Forced NATO to pay more of their share
6. Stopped international travel when the pandemic broke out]
7. Moved US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem
8. Decreased taxes
9. Decreased regulations
10. MOST IMPORTANT: LOVES AMERICA!!!

tim in vermont said...

- Way before the virus Trump made the first moves to decouple our economy from the ChiComs.
- His deal with Mexico to intercept migrants has limited illegal immigration, which then forced employers to pay black and Hispanic *Americans* higher wages.
-He has wound down wars that many in the country, who all back Biden now because of it, don’t want wound down.
-He has worked hard to bring black support back to its natural home in the Republican Party. It remains to be seen how that works out.
-He has, unlike just about all past presidents, started zero new wars.

That’s enough for me right there.

Dave Begley said...

ESM.

You must have ESP with me. Great list.

Added. No more critical race theory training. Stopped the move to destroy the suburbs as noted by Paul Mirengoff at Power Line.

Limited blogger said...

Timeline of Accomplishments

MeatPopscicle1234 said...

* Is fighting big pharma to reduce prescription drug prices
* Slashed economy killing regulations
* Reduced taxes on middle-class
* Creation of "Opportunity Zones" to promote investment in low-income communities
* Replaced NAFTA with USMCA
* Forced an economic confrontation with China to stop bleeding billions every year
* Has gone after child pornography and sex trafficking, arresting thousands
* Until Covid, oversaw the greatest economic revival since the post WW2 boom
* Is forcing hospitals to disclose the cost of services so healthcare consumers can make more informed decisions and save money
* Has fought to improve the VA and hold it accountable for its abysmal failures
* Championed and signed the "First Step" act and other justice system reforms, including the “Ready to Work Initiative”
* Is getting the wall built
* Making our "allies" pay more of their fair share for global defense
* Championed and increased funding for school choice and education / vocational training for low-income / minorities.
* Issued an Executive Order prohibiting the U.S. government from discriminating against Christians or punishing expressions of faith.
* Made N.Korea much less belligerent
* Brought peace / normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and other gulf Arab nations
* Helped broker peace / normalized relations between Bosnia / Kosovo
* Nixed our involvement in TPP
* Nixed Common Core
* Has forced corporations to repatriate TRILLIONS of $$$ from overseas back to the US due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
* Welfare reform
* Has overseen the dismantling of ISIS and the killing of dangerous terrorists like Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi
* Reform of FDA and Medicare
* Signed "Right to Try" legislation
* Has championed energy independence and made the USA a net natural gas exporter
* Withdrew the USA from the Paris climate-accords.
* Gorsuch and Kavanaugh
* Moved US embassy to Jerusalem
* The most pro-life / pro-Christian President since Reagan
* Has pulled us almost completely out of Iraq / Afghanistan and has resisted the Deep State / MIC efforts to push us into more wars (Iran, Syria)
* Has drastically improved our immigration / border security and made America safer by actually opposing our enemies instead of financing them
* Has almost single-handedly, by acting as a lightning rod, exposed the breadth and depth of corruption within our Government, Media, Military and Education systems. He has also exposed the incestuous relationship our leaders have with anti-American foreign powers like China and Iran.

I could go on for for a hundred more lines, but I think you get the point...

meep said...

I assume others will mention his foreign policy accomplishments (esp given the recent peace deals), and I don't consider legislation really his accomplishments.

One thing I keep an eye on are regulations, and there has been a lot of activity there, specifically in rescinding some federal regs:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/waynecrews/2020/06/29/how-donald-trump-has-cut-regulationbut-also-added-it/#48554d4f30d3

As the link says, it's a mixed bag, but some of the critique is on assuming tossed-off comments that have gone nowhere are relevant. They really have undone some regs, a lot of which had duplicated state level laws and regs

tastid212 said...

Foreign policy: Lowering troop levels in foreign hot spots; no new wars; confronting Iran and building multiparty alliances to contain Iran; encouraging Arab states and Israel to begin normalizing relations (and coincidentally marginalizing the Palestinian state, which IMO will do more to advance their sustainable independence in the long run than constant appeasement); confronting the communist movements that control Cuba and Venezuela. Reworking trade relationships that were not helpful to the US. Beginning to get some US allies to do their fair share in defense matters. Helping build economic relationships between hostile cultures in the Balkans. Above all, re-orienting the US relationship with China, a regime that has been overtly but quietly hostile to the US. Beginning to encourage other Asian states to reassess their economic and political relationships with China as well. The opening to North Korea has not achieved anything yet, but is worth the effort.

Domestic: Achieving economic vibrancy - after 8 years of an anti-business administration - through tax reform and deregulation, resulting in higher growth and employment in almost every sector. Taking the first steps toward criminal justice reform. Taking the first steps toward gaining control of US borders. Appointing a large number of qualified judges to federal courts.

Just about every single one of the above efforts has been actively opposed, sabotaged or undercut by the leadership of the Democratic Party. Trump has managed all of the above despite the active, hostile resistance of long-time employees of federal agencies and the other major political party.

deepelemblues said...

Diplomatic wins in the Middle East
Shoring up Asian alliances
Finally getting the US to treat China for what it is
Taking a chainsaw to the federal regulations book
Federal judges
Tax cuts

CJinPA said...

Strong economy (before the pandemic)
Tax cuts
Regulations reduced
Withdrawal of troops from several locations
Fewer terrorist attacks
Reduced illegal immigration
Improved trade deals
Serbia-Kosovo & Mideast Peace deals
Restored due process on college campuses
Ended Obama Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing plan to federalize local zoning
Improved relations with N. Korea
Partial Border Wall construction

tim in vermont said...

"Revoking net neutrality”

Not only did he revoke it, but he did so in a way where we all didn’t die!

Birkel said...

Trump spoke out against 24 year olds raping 14 year olds and the legalization of same in California.

You won gay marriage.
Scalia and the rest of us warned about pedophilia.
We were called names.
Althouse was wrong.
We were right.

rehajm said...

...and for those who loathe finance...all those economic achievements, those things Trump accomplished via tax and regulatory changes mean improved standards of living for humanity, including minorities. That is the real accomplishment, especially coming off a previous administration that decreed economic malaise was normal.

Xmas said...

Slapped NATO members to get them to meet their financial obligations.

It was mostly effective.



tommyesq said...

- Greatly reduced federal regulations, leading to a booming economy (which even CNN recently acknowledged - https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/24/opinions/trumps-greatest-accomplishment-deregulation-schultz/index.html).

- Brokered peace deals between Israel and UAE/Bahrain, even after moving the embassy to Jerusalem, which was expected by many to be a provocation to the Arab world (and for which he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize).

- Brokered the beginnings of a peace deal between Serbia and Croatia (for which he was nominated for a second time for the Nobel Peace Prize).

- Withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord.

- Nomination and seating of a large number of federal judges, in cooperation with Senate and Congressional Republicans.

- Negotiated a replacement for NAFTA that even Joe Biden agrees is an improvement.

- Spurred considerable growth in the economy (at least pre-COVID), leading to more Americans in the work force than ever before and historically low unemployment rates for women, blacks, hispanics, people without college degrees, youth, etc.

- creation of the Space Force.

- overhaul of the tax code.

- criminal justice reform.

- defeat of ISIS.

You may not like or agree with these (and this is by no means a complete list), but they are actual Presidential accomplishments that justify his getting my vote.


Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I’d vote for him on all the hypocrisy and Deep State machinations he has exposed. This is part of his magical ability to induce his opponents to reveal their worst traits and act them out. See Hollywood, State Dept., pro sports, journalism, Democrat party, Blue States, cities run by commie progressives, the Pentagon, higher ed and Teacher Unions for additional details.

ark said...

His campaign has a list at promiseskept.com

Milo Minderbinder said...

What on earth is a more "normal-seeming" president? God help us if we settle for "normal-seeming."

First, Trump halted the march of globalism in the U.S. simply by defeating Clinton.
Second, Trump appointed an AG who is investigating the largest scandal in American history, the 3rd-world appropriation of national intelligence and investigatory agencies to spy on political opponents.

gilbar said...

President Trump has broken a 39 year stretch of American Presidents either starting a war, or bringing the United States into a international armed conflict

Todd said...

Not that difficult:

- Before China flu, lowest unemployment rates for EVERY group, black, Hispanics, women, etc.
- Israel/Jerusalem/US embassy
- Federal judges
- SCOTUS judges
- Out of Paris Climate agreement
- Dept of Ed, Secretary DeVos
- Israel/MidEast peace initiatives
- Serbia-Kosovo peace initiatives
- exposed FBI/CIA malfeasance (a la Muller report, targeted at him)
- slashed burdensome regulations

I am sure there are more I am overlooking.

tommyesq said...

Freder Frederson said...
This should be interesting.

Only if you look at these lists objectively and with an open mind. Otherwise, we will get no interesting commentary from you.

Birkel said...

Ending the H1-B foreign visa abuses.
American companies should not deflate domestic wages by buying cheap foreign labor to work here.

The Wall is half built, btw.
Ann Coulter blew a gasket but she has proven wrong.

Ceciliahere said...

Building wall between Mexico and U.S., Banned visas for immigrants who would take American workers’ jobs. Got rid of the Obamacare “mandate”. Disbanded ISIS and killed Bagdadi, Solemeini, and another POS terrorist leader (can’t remember name). Moved capital of Israel to Jerusalem. Brought manufacturing jobs back to USA. Fired Jim Comey!!! And proved the Russia Hoax To be a Deep State manufactured hit job. Exposed all the rotten FBI and “intelligence” traitors involved in FISA, etc. Exposed how Obama and his minions spied on his Administration proving that Obama is an enemy of the State. Reduced unemployment (before plague) for all segments of population. Reduced taxes. Forced European countries to pay more for NATO. Withdrew from corrupt WHO. Just signed E.O. To lower prescription drugs for Americans. Is decreasing number of troops from Europe, and Iraq, Afghanistan. Brokered Middle East Peace Agreement and nominated of Nobel Peace Prize. Too many more accomplishments to list. I have an appt. to go to.

Birkel said...

US carbon emissions have decreased, unlike the countries that stayed in the Paris Accords and Kyoto Protocols.

It's dumb leftist talking point bull shit, but maybe it convinces some leftist idiots.

Bay Area Guy said...

1. No new wars
2. Peace agreements Israel & UAE; Israel & Bahrain.
3. Strong on illegal immigration
4. Tax cuts
5. Deregulation
6. Low unemployment (3.5%) - until viral pandemic.
7. Supports police and is supported by police.
8. Great federal judges.
9. Great Attorney General (Barr) after terrible AG (Sessions).
10. Renegotiate NAFTA.
11. Thwarted the Russian hoax.
12. Thwarted the Ukraine impeachment hoax.
13. Reasonable response to viral pandemic (banning flights from China in Feb)
14. Decouple China supply chains. (work in process)
15. Opposes Antifa
16. Opposes BLM
17. Opposes Pelosi
18. His Democrat opponents suck.

Bilwick said...

For me his main achievement is slowing down the advance of statism. I see that advance as almost inevitable, but I'm hoping I'll be dead before we've march completely down to Road to Serfdom.

Imagine Hillary as president after the Parkland shooting. Queen Cacklepants probably would have had storm troopers kicking in doors, confiscating privately owned firearms from peaceful citizens wholesale; and I was worried Trump might cave and do likewise. But he resisted the Hive and held fast to the 2nd Amendment. Now we have gun-grabbing BJ Harris running for veep. Save us, Trump--save us!

wild chicken said...

Slowed down immigration. Local Mexican and Chinese restaurants forced to hire local!

Also I hear USMCA is da bomb. Even Biden says so.

And lots of federal judges, from the list as promised.

Managed to overall expose China's sharp practices, which were just being whitewashed before. I mean I didn't want to think about it either, but he forced them into view.

Kept us out of war, so far...it's always nerve wracking when your guy's in office, because who knows what'll come up next. Handling situations in real time etc.










tommyesq said...

Now do a similar post asking people to list Biden's achievements over his 47 years of public service.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

The two biggest for me:

Highest levels of employment among minorites ever.

Increase in wages for the lowest earners.

I can't wait to see the list of Biden's accomplishments

Ceciliahere said...

Building wall between Mexico and U.S., Banned visas for immigrants who would take American workers’ jobs. Got rid of the Obamacare “mandate”. Disbanded ISIS and killed Bagdadi, Solemeini, and another POS terrorist leader (can’t remember name). Moved capital of Israel to Jerusalem. Brought manufacturing jobs back to USA. Fired Jim Comey!!! And proved the Russia Hoax To be a Deep State manufactured hit job. Exposed all the rotten FBI and “intelligence” traitors involved in FISA, etc. Exposed how Obama and his minions spied on his Administration proving that Obama is an enemy of the State. Reduced unemployment (before plague) for all segments of population. Reduced taxes. Forced European countries to pay more for NATO. Withdrew from corrupt WHO. Just signed E.O. To lower prescription drugs for Americans. Is decreasing number of troops from Europe, and Iraq, Afghanistan. Brokered Middle East Peace Agreement and nominated of Nobel Peace Prize. Too many more accomplishments to list. I have an appt. to go to.

Bilwick said...

"That is the real accomplishment, especially coming off a previous administration that decreed economic malaise was normal." Economic malaise is normal in statist economies, so it's understandable that Red Diaper Barry would have seen it as normal.

Paul said...

Looks like a bunch of people have a better list of Trump's accomplishments than I can even think of!!! Good.

Now where is Biden's?

Kevin said...

Energy independence

Drastic cuts in CO2 emissions, despite pulling out of Paris Accords

NATO members paying more of their share

Rebuilt the military (weapons + 3 pay raises?)

Trade deals with Korea & China + USMCA

Russian sanctions / Iranian sanctions / Chinese sanctions / Venezuelan sanctions / North Korean sanctions

Stopped Huawei from building America's 5G with Chinese chips

Stopped the violence in Kenosha

Now working with Chicago and other cities to stop violence: Operation Something...

Got our hostages released -- so many at RNC!

Got huge numbers of ventilators and PPE built.

Set up hospitals in NYC at Javitz Center and USNS Comfort

Shipped a lot of stuff to Puerto Rico, which was kept from the people -- called out local government on it.

Major disasters handled without major screwups. I'm looking at you GWB!

Middle East and Serbian/Kosovo peace deals

Launched the Space Force

Stopped the caravans from Central America

Got Mexico to keep asylum seekers out of US

Wince said...

Partial list, off the top of my head, in no particular order:

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. Improved balance of payments. Lowered strategic interests in hostile regions. Weakened adversarial hostile regimes (e.g., Iran, Russia).

ECONOMICS. Tax reform. Regulatory relief. Manufacturing and supply chain emphasis. Broke through historic low employment resistance levels for all races.

TRADE. Changed conception of gains from trade. Utilized bi-lateral tariffs as tools of negotiation rather than broad protectionism. Renegotiated existing trade deals.

CHINA. Recognition of threat in midst of DC insider sell-out.

NATO. Strengthened alliance by making other members

IRAN. Pulled out of nuke deal. Sanctions. Restraint on drones yet smoked terrorist mastermind responsible for hundreds of US military deaths. Supporting internal regime-change rather than Green Revolution betrayal and regime appeasement.

MILITARY. Refocus on long-term threats to strategic interests, not nation building.

PEACE. Successful diplomacy undergirded by strength.

CIVIL RIGHTS. Weathered several coup attempts. Doing more than just about anybody against encroaching statism and cancel culture. Judicial appointees. Law and order stalwart, while advancing police and sentencing reform.

CLIMATE. Pulled out of Paris accords. Rational domestic policies.

IMMIGRATION. Enforcement despite obstruction. Follow through on wall despite opposition.

PANDEMIC. Travel ban. Aid to states. Vaccine. Impetus to reopen.

HEALTH CARE. Pricing reforms: insurance, hospital and pharma.

Quaestor said...

Rotwang's Cabana Boy writes: This should be interesting.

Or would be if Freder had a mind capable of interest.

Kevin said...

Exposed all "conservatives" at major media outlets as fake.

I'm Full of Soup said...

What Gusty Winds posted at 11:06AM.

Great list Gusty!

Francisco D said...

tommyesq said...
Now do a similar post asking people to list Biden's achievements over his 47 years of public service.

Uh. You know. The thing. He did the thing.

doctrev said...

I'm surprised that going after child pornographers didn't rank higher on more lists. Jeffrey Epstein was clearly the paymaster for the Clintons, and Barack Obama studiously avoided the knowledge that even Donald Trump as a private citizen had after 2010. I firmly believe this is a major reason Trump ran for office, and is also the reason that "Lock Her Up!" wasn't followed up on. Why bother with trials when the prosecutors are this crooked?

Anyways, voting for Trump boils down to four major "peacetime" issues for me:

1) An unprecedented long-term pedophile conspiracy used to blackmail major corporate and government figures. (nothing else really comes close)
2) Vastly improved trade that no other politician even attempted, no matter how they lie.
3) Considerable diplomatic progress to build solid and useful alliances in the Middle East and Asia.
4) Respecting the Christian faith, much less working to tear down the insane anti-Christian judiciary regime and its abortion laws.

Conversely, there are also four "wartime" issues:

i) Dealing with absolutely treacherous and insane public health advisors while navigating between the Scylla of national economic shutdown and the Charybdis of coronavirus killing 2 million Americans.
ii) Finding the leadership of the BLM terror movement and bringing them to justice.
iii) Surviving an unprecedented four year legal assault from the corrupt Weissmann team, and revealing that Donald Trump is the most incorruptible politician since Cato.
iv) Extremely successful confrontration of China, to the point Huawei is crippled and the ChiComs have been revealed as the monstrous psychopaths they always have been.

As the war is not over, Donald Trump can't be fairly graded. It is completely ludicrous to think that any other Republican, never mind any Democrat, could have done better.

Wince said...

NATO. Strengthened alliance by making other members... pay up.

Wa St Blogger said...

My guess is you want achievements that can be sued as arguments to convince others to Vote for Trump (and maybe yourself.) Thus I think the arguments about the partisan results (judges and such) are not going to convince a left leaning person. So let's focus on things that might appeal to independents and non hard-core leftists: (with thanks from many other previous posters especially CJinPA and MeatPopscicle1234)

Strong economy (before the pandemic)
Regulations reduced
Withdrawal of troops from several locations
Fewer terrorist attacks
Reduced illegal immigration
Improved trade deals
Serbia-Kosovo & Mideast Peace deals
Restored due process on college campuses
Improved relations with N. Korea
fighting big pharma to reduce prescription drug prices
gone after child pornography and sex trafficking, arresting thousands
forcing hospitals to disclose the cost of services so healthcare consumers can make more informed decisions and save money
fought to improve the VA and hold it accountable for its abysmal failures
Increased energy independence
Forced NATO to pay more of their share
early travel bans at the start of Covid.
Sentencing reform

There might be more, but my time is limited.

effinayright said...

So...Althouse.....wannna tell us if you are now convinced to vote for Trump?

elkh1 said...

Normal-seeming presidents could never have achieved what Trump has achieved: diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab states, economic relations between Kosovo and Serbia. "Normal-seeming" presidents answer to their donors not to the American people, they execute foreign policies designed by forest policy "experts" who would rather protect their own turfs and patrons than get the problems solved.

Trump's trade war with China would have never occurred. Normal-seeming presidents would manage our decline and let China lead in the 21st century. Trump's greatest achievement is rescuing us from normal-seeming self-serving politicians.

cfs said...

Making one of his top priorities to be putting a stop to children being trafficked is enough for me. As I've read stories, almost daily over the past couple of weeks, of children being rescued from horrible conditions, would be enough for me to vote for him. Previous administrations have given this topic lip service, forming committee after committee, much as they have so many other items, but Trump's administration has actually been arresting the criminals and rescuing the children.

gahrie said...

The reality is, Trump has actually accomplished more, and kept more promises than the last five or six presidents put together. He rally is the best president we've had since Reagan.

bagoh20 said...

1) He showed the voting public that a man with actual experience running large organizations a a strong work ethic can get a lot done in a short time.
2) He showed them the advantages of a non-politician in the job.
3) He demonstrated that fighting rather than caving to the press and the Democrats is a viable and successful strategy.

OK, now lets hear about the results of Biden's being in power for our entire adult lives, but
making friends and relatives rich off his office is not admissible.

Birkel said...

Protected the Second Amendment.

mandrewa said...

The most important achievements of the Trump administration from 2016 to 2020. I'll list the issues briefly:

(1) China;

(2) Democracy (or keeping faith with the voters);

(3) the Supreme Court;

and (4) Opposing the left (and this is actually a huge bunch of different issues).

And then to elaborate at little:

(2) It is so common for politicians to say whatever and then not to do it, or not even try to do it, or even to do the opposite. Of course there are things that Trump has not done that he claimed he was going to do. But taken in context, he has fulfilled some of his promises, he has tried hard to do many of the others, and he compares very well to many recent presidents.

(3) Our democracy will fail when enough left-wing judges are put on the Supreme Court. It's the Achilles heel of the United States. It always has been. We are always just a few years away from a government-worshiping authoritarian state where the 'law' is merely an echo of whatever the unthinking hive mind currently believes.

(1) China is a huge threat. Our jobs, our companies, our land, our future, it has all been going to China. We don't seem to have any defenses. There is a $400 billion drain of ownership per year going to China. That is the trade imbalance. Every year the ownership of at least that much of America is being transferred to China.

Our relationship with China is very, very different from our relationship with the world's democracies. Almost nobody understands economics and I don't I really do so either, but I can see that a large centralized authoritarian state that is tolerating a high level of capitalism within its borders can exploit us in a way in which no one else can.

I don't think we have any real defense from this except separation. Now it would all be different if China were a democracy. If China was a democracy then that would mean a massive transfer of wealth from the government of China to the people of China, and that in turn would lead to a rebalancing of the US-China economic relationship, and also for the rest of the world. But it's not happening and we have to face the fact that it's not going to happen any time soon.

Trump is unique in the Western world in trying to substantively change this disastrous relationship. He deserves a huge amount of credit for that.

(4) The left. In a lot of the cultural and ideological battle with the left, Trump hasn't really changed anything. But he is an opposition to many of the worst ideas of the left and although it isn't like you can point to any definite thing he has accomplished, there should a list of all the terrible things that would have happened if he had not been in office.

And we don't know all of that list because fortunately we didn't go down that timeline, but it may have been that we have been, in reality, so blessed.

Scott Gustafson said...

Due to his deregulation push, I can now hit a golf ball into a water hazard here in Florida and not have to worry about the EPA being able to come after me.

rcocean said...

Achievements:

01) booming economy before CV-19 shutdown
02) Tax Cuts
03) E/O on reducing drug prices
04) Peace abroad & reducing tensions with North Korea
05) Renegotiating bad trade deals like NAFTA
06) Building Border wall and securing the border
07) withdrawing troops form Syria and Afghanistan
08) CV-19 shutting off travel from EU and China
09) Conservative Judges
10) Criminal Justice Reform
11) Rebuilding the US Military
12) Tried to bring sanity to our Immigration system
13) Recognizing the Chinese Thread and implementing tariffs to save USA jobs.
14) Getting along with Putin and getting NATO allies to share the burden
15) Defeating ISIS and Killing the Iranian terrorist General

Those I think are positive achievements. Trump could have accomplished a lot more if the Republican house and Senate had treated him with the deference given to every other R president.

rcocean said...

We also have a AG who supports Law and Order, Energy independence, and no Climate Change treaty. Withdrawing from TPP and the Paris Accords.

bagoh20 said...

So the comments list a whole bunch of impressive accomplishments, and let's remember that these were accomplished while under non-stop attacks from the press, the congress, the swamp creatures in D.C. at FBI and Justice, and entire world of celebrity. He did it with no bipartisan support from Congress and no cover from the Press, but in fact just the opposite. Imagine what he could have done if all those Americans also wanted what was best for America.

So, what other President in four or even 8 years accomplished so much?

Bruce Hayden said...

“ 4) Supports fracking and US energy independence”

Surprised how little this was mentioned. This changed us from a large oil customer to a large producer, which I think has had enormous geopolitical effects. It has brought us together with Saudi and Gulf states, together effectively controlling much of the world’s oil supply. This has had the beneficial effect of those peace treaties with Israel, but also a closer relationship with Saudi Arabia. But it has also allowed us to work with them to isolate both Iran and Venezuela. Moreover, we have been able to exert pressure on Russia. Without the fracking, we had military power, and that was about it. With it, we are truly in the driver’s seat, geopolitically, for maybe the first time since Eisenhower. Or maybe Kennedy at the latest (much of whatever power we had left was squandered by LBJ with his horrible, feckless, economic policies, combined with misfighting a war we probably shouldn’t have been involved in the first place).

bagoh20 said...

He gave us Melania to look at. Did you know her name means person of color in the Latin branch of the Klingon language?

rcocean said...

I'm in the middle of a Book on the Bush-II administration, and positive accomplishments from a Conservative perspective were few. Judge Alioto and some other. A well played war on terror, Medicare drug coverage and some tax cuts.

On the other hand: No child left behind, the useless Iraq and Afghanistan wars, no border security, and support for Amnesty. Run-away illegal immigration. Bad trade deals, Harriet Miers, absurd SS Reform", Judge Roberts, a 2008 financial crisis caused by lax regulation and pressuring banks to give loans to those couldn't afford them, signing Campaign finance reform, massive deficits, Katrina, and waffling on Gay Marriage.

Trump is, in many ways, a Republican base reaction to the horrible Bush years.

rcocean said...

I'm in the middle of a Book on the Bush-II administration, and positive accomplishments from a Conservative perspective were few. Judge Alioto and some other. A well played war on terror, Medicare drug coverage and some tax cuts.

On the other hand: No child left behind, the useless Iraq and Afghanistan wars, no border security, and support for Amnesty. Run-away illegal immigration. Bad trade deals, Harriet Miers, absurd SS Reform", Judge Roberts, a 2008 financial crisis caused by lax regulation and pressuring banks to give loans to those couldn't afford them, signing Campaign finance reform, massive deficits, Katrina, and waffling on Gay Marriage.

Trump is, in many ways, a Republican base reaction to the horrible Bush years.

Marshall Rose said...

This comment thread may just break records here....

So much winning!

bagoh20 said...

One of the greatest accomplishments, and one that will last, has been exposing the real motivations, priorities, and depravities of the Press, entrenched government people, and a lot of others we used to respect.

Michael K said...

I agree with Freder. This is very interesting, I can't add much more.

Drago said...

Made LLR-lefty ***** cry.

Like a little girl.

Which is ironic since LLR-lefty ***** hates children. And women. And republican conservatives with strong military records.

Sebastian said...

What everyone else said, plus:

Political accomplishment #1: resisted and beat the Russia collusion and impeachment hoaxes, not giving an inch.

Political accomplishment #2: did not allow himself to be baited into overreacting to leftist violence, showing the destruction is on Dems.

Political accomplishment #3: clarified the stakes, associating basic rule of law and love of country with Trump and the GOP.

Political accomplishment #4: occasionally gave deplorables a sense that someone is fighting on our behalf in the culture war.

bagoh20 said...

He stopped apologizing for America.

hombre said...

Economic recovery, low unemployment, people off welfare, ME peace making, death of Soleimani, tax cuts, drug cost cuts, criminal justice reform, sanity restored to Title IX, renogiated NAFTA, deregulation, exposing China, increase in manufacturing, etc.

The list is very long for those paying attention.

Michael said...

He pulled us out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership....another bad trade deal further destroys the middle class.

rehajm said...

LATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Trump wants in on the Joe Rogan podcast debate, forcing Biden to come out of the basement

D.D. Driver said...

"For me his main achievement is slowing down the advance of statism."


I don't know about this one. A nationwide eviction ban by using the Centers for Disease Control? Anti-statist?

hombre said...

As for the China Virus, there was a time when even Newsome, Gov. Grandma Killer and Fauci admitted he did well. Any truthful time line shows he was well ahead of the Democrats regarding federal policy.

John Marzan said...

His most important contribution to the world: realigning US foreign policy to FINALLY confronting China/CCP

Mary Beth said...

In 2019, Trump announced that his administration was launching a global campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality." It's being spearheaded by Ric Grenell, who was the first openly gay ambassador and later became our first openly gay cabinet member.

Grenell's recent video for the Log Cabin Republicans talks about this.

5M - Eckstine said...

Birkel said...

The Wall is half built, btw.
Ann Coulter blew a gasket but she has proven wrong. (Type of woman you want to avoid. She yelled for the wall, he started building the wall. Half done. She yells at him more.)

Trump - Started Telehealth

Made people look deeper at their political representatives.

BarrySanders20 said...

Freder: Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what has President Trump ever done for us?

Brought peace?

Freder: Oh peace, shut up!

https://youtu.be/Y7tvauOJMHo (starts where Freder's gang plots the kidnapping of FLOTUS/Pilate's wife)

William said...

Professor:

Ask and ye shall receive.

And quite a list it is, too.

Michael said...

He pulled us out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership....another bad trade deal further destroys the middle class.

Drago said...

Has completely reoriented our strategic military posture to a China/Asia confrontation scenario with updated strategies/tactics/weapons from the Deep State/EU Suckup/Pro-Iranian Mullah's Permanent Middle East Nation Building framework that the democratical's and their LLR-lefty lap poodles preferred while selling out US interests.

Has strengthened existing Asia Pacific relationships and created new strategic alliances with increased offensive operations capabilities with Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and many smaller states to increase geo-military pressure on Beijing Boy ARM's Beloved and Heroic ChiCom punks.

The ChiCom's aren't digging their little Spratley Island gambit as positively anymore......

....which makes ARM cry....and me smile.



Lyle Smith said...

1. Foreign policy - bringing the DPRK into the international fold (trying to), peace in the Middle East and Kosovo. Beginning to decouple the US from Xi's CCP China.
2. Economy was rocking before the pandemic.
3. Cut taxes
4. Cut drug prices.
5. Criminal justice reform
6. Didn't totally shut the economy down over Covid which isn't as serious as it was made out to be

Greg The Class Traitor said...

TreeJoe said...
Failures of Trump Administration:
- Trump has completely failed to lead on the science during COVID-19. He has personally called into question the integrity of lead scientists, institutions, research, etc.


The FDA & CDC spent the month of February blocking anyone but the CDC from distributing a Covid test, while the CDC's test was contaminated with Covid, and so useless

How much of the people who died in March and April did so because of the lack of testing caused by the "lead institutions"?

Medical researcher in Seattle had large number of nasal swabs collected from the area. Wanted to test them all for Covid. FDA & CDC refused permission, and attacked the Dr and team when they tried to go ahead anyway.

Lead scientist Fauci spent March and April deliberately lying about the utility of masks.

It is right and proper for President Trump to attack those "scientists" and institutions that failed to do the job we trust them to do.

One of the major failures in our society is that credentialed screwups get a pass far too often. Trump not going along with that is a feature, not a bug.

Drago said...

Bruce Hayden: "Surprised how little this was mentioned. This changed us from a large oil customer to a large producer, which I think has had enormous geopolitical effects. It has brought us together with Saudi and Gulf states, together effectively controlling much of the world’s oil supply. This has had the beneficial effect of those peace treaties with Israel, but also a closer relationship with Saudi Arabia."

Yep.

The democraticals and their LLR-lefty lap poodles are still pissed that their Kashoggi ploy failed so miserably.

To refresh your memory, the democratical/deep state/LLR-lefty Kashoggi ploy was an attempt to crush the increasing cooperation of the US/Israel/Arab states in order to support the democraticals passionate desire to make the Iran/Turkey/Russia/Syria alliance dominant over the entire middle east.

Suck on that lefties.

Qwinn said...

"Trump is, in many ways, a Republican base reaction to the horrible Bush years."

I agree... as well as a reaction to being handed McCain and Romney as the successors, who (hard as it is to believe) would almost certainly have been far worse.

Jon in WNC said...

1. Education - Restored sanity to the investigation process of campus rape accusations. More support for school choice, unfriendly to teacher's unions.
2. Mid-East Peace deals. Rejection of the Palestinian lies.
3. Richard Grennell and tangible, positive actions for gays and lesbians.
4. Demonstrates utter contempt for "Woke-ism" and the associated evil it has brought to this country.
5. Showing appropriate restraint in dealing with riots in places like Portland.
6. Troop reductions and avoiding international conflicts.
7. Calling out China consistently.


daskol said...

He fights.

Ice Nine said...

Two notable Trump achievements:

1) He certifiably managed to not collude with Russia, like Obama and the Democrats did.

2) He certifiably managed to not be involved in chicanery in Ukraine, like Biden did.

Quaestor said...

What items were on Obama's accomplishments list in 2012? Except for garnering an accomplishment-free Nobel Peace Prize, I can't think of many. If fact, Obama's entire curriculum vitae up to 2012 was singularly accomplishment-free for someone destined for the White House. He attended several elite universities without leaving a verified academic record in his wake; he was president of the Harvard Law Review without publishing a single article; after obtaining a Havard law degree he did nothing notable with it -- no clerking for the appellate bench, no notable litigations, no articles or commentary published in any bar association journal.

After joining the Senate Obama rarely even voted, which could be taken as an accomplishment of sorts, especially given the tendency of Democrats toward legislative mischief. There was a book published with his byline, but the real authorship is a matter of controversy. He did defeat Hillary Clinton for the 2008 nomination and survived -- that's a notable fact whether it's Obama's accomplishment or one belonging to an attentive bodyguard. To his unalloyed credit, Obama did authorize the SEAL Team Six assault on Bin Ladin's Abbottabad hideout, something Joe Biden advised against. My list peters out at this point. I'd hate to be asked to write 200,000 words on the Obama presidency. I think I'd end up on the short end of that contract.

Leland said...

Justice Reform: Passed the largest change in federal laws that greatly revamped the US federal governments "war on drugs" that disproportionally impacted poor and minority by imposing harsh federal sentencing on relatively minor non-violent crime. This reduced incarceration levels particularly amongst non-violent criminals and provided better guidance for states wishing to decriminalize drug laws, particularly related to intoxicants like marijuana. All this was done, while Republicans controlled both sides of Congress and two years before low level Democrat politicians claimed protests against excessive law enforcement was the cause for violent protests in the United States.

Trade: Replaced the NAFTA trade with USMCA which brought manufacturing jobs back into the United States decreasing unemployment across the board, but most importantly bringing more jobs to minorities than ever before.

Energy: Got rid of the Biden/Obama sanctions against US energy production allowing the US to achieve Energy Independence, reducing our reliance on Middle East energy production and thus reducing our strategic interest there, and allowing the US to become a net exporter of energy fuel thus improving our economy and again bringing more jobs.

Taxation: Pushed through a major change in our tax structure that simplified the tax code for all Americans and got rid of most deductions that the rich used to pay less taxes, and some states used to pay less taxes at the federal level.

Healthcare: Got rid of the individual mandate used to force healthy people, mostly younger and with less income, pay for the healthcare of mostly older and richer people.

Peace: With the exception of killing Iran's biggest negotiator and money man for international terrorism, which nearly started a war; Trump has provided the US military the means to end international conflicts on favorable terms, so that we can get out of nation building. Changed US strategic interests, so that there is less need for international involvement in the affairs of others. Recognized Israel's capitol. Helped to broker peace in the Middle East and in Europe.

Pandemic: Was the first government official to recognize the threat of the global pandemic and take action to reduce its spread. Upon taking appropriate action at the federal level, recognized the utility of our federalism and restraints to power which allowed individual states and municipalities to take the appropriate and acceptable actions for their constituents. Where some of the local leaders transgressed human rights, Trump directed to DOJ to ensure rights protected by our constitution are protected. This has lead to a substantial recovery of the US economy in an otherwise horrific economic crisis.

I'm ignoring things that happened under the Trump Administration, but not necessarily an intent or singularly attributable to the Trump Administration, such as:
Return of human spaces flight from US based launch sites and reduction in green house gas emissions in the US; yet those things happened well into Trump's first term in office.

However, my favorite Trump accomplishment is providing more transparency and openness to the media over his predecessor. Trump holds direct press conferences with the media as he walks to Marine One. The media is allowed to photograph the President, rather than be provided White House approved photographs. There is more diversity of thought in the press room than in the past administration. And when certain portions of the media collude to hide actions by the Administration; Trump reaches out directly to constituents via Twitter and other means available to him.

Jon in WNC said...

1. Education - Restored sanity to the investigation process of campus rape accusations. More support for school choice, unfriendly to teacher's unions.
2. Mid-East Peace deals. Rejection of the Palestinian lies.
3. Richard Grennell and tangible, positive actions for gays and lesbians.
4. Demonstrates utter contempt for "Woke-ism" and the associated evil it has brought to this country.
5. Showing appropriate restraint in dealing with riots in places like Portland.
6. Troop reductions and avoiding international conflicts.
7. Calling out China consistently.
8. Soleimani is burning in hell.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

“ 4) Supports fracking and US energy independence”

And yes, this IS something that's part of the job of the President. President Trump opened up Federal lands to fracking, and got Federal road-blocks out of the way. it's not just that good things happened on his watch (all the fracking that happened while Obama was President was despite his actions, not because of them), it that' President Trump worked to make it easier for the good things to happen.

The same is true of the economic growth that happened in the first 3 years of his Admin. The Obama economy was heading towards a recession, and an Obama-Hillary economy would have gone there. Instead President Trump partially got the boot of the Federal Gov't off the neck of the economy, and thus we got the good economy, lower unemployment, and higher wages for the working class.

jg said...

banned critical race theory in fed agencies and threatens it elsewhere by threat of withholding federal $

Quaestor said...

What items were on Obama's accomplishments list in 2012? Except for garnering an accomplishment-free Nobel Peace Prize, I can't think of many. If fact, Obama's entire curriculum vitae up to 2012 was singularly accomplishment-free for someone destined for the White House. He attended several elite universities without leaving a verified academic record in his wake; he was president of the Harvard Law Review without publishing a single article; after obtaining a Havard law degree he did nothing notable with it -- no clerking for the appellate bench, no notable litigations, no articles or commentary published in any bar association journal.

After joining the Senate Obama rarely even voted, which could be taken as an accomplishment of sorts, especially given the tendency of Democrats toward legislative mischief. There was a book published with his byline, but the real authorship is a matter of controversy. He did defeat Hillary Clinton for the 2008 nomination and survived -- that's a notable fact whether it's Obama's accomplishment or one belonging to an attentive bodyguard. To his unalloyed credit, Obama did authorize the SEAL Team Six assault on Bin Ladin's Abbottabad hideout, something Joe Biden advised against. My list peters out at this point. I'd hate to be asked to write 200,000 words on the Obama presidency. I think I'd end up on the short end of that contract.

Drago said...

rcocean: "Trump is, in many ways, a Republican base reaction to the horrible Bush years."

The Trump presidency is completely a reaction to the horrible democratical/LLR-lefty alliance that coopted the Reagan revolution and was the primary power in the republican party since that time.

Reagan should have gone with his gut and selected Kemp over Bush. But who could have guessed what a bunch of complete and utter backstabbing cowards the LLR's in the republican party were?

I mean, backstabbers yes. But to such an extent that the first thing W does when he takes office is hand the education bill over to Ted Kennedy to write?

And all leading up to the republican party nominating 2 candidates in a row, McCain and Romney, who both despise the republican base and love the democraticals......but then that leading to Trump.

Who continues to survive an onslaught the likes of which has never before been seen in the annals of history from every establishment institution, group, and nation from across the globe.

Amazing.

Swede said...

Magic Wanded the economy to heights unforeseen.
Supreme Court appointments.
Many other judicial appointments
ISIS, what ISIS?
Made Iran cry by killing their favorite terrorist.
Critical Race Theory? Get the fuck outta here!
Made the Democrats anti-police, anti-economy, anti-science, pro-rioting, pro-burning, pro-looting, pro-murder.
Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. No, wait, nominated TWICE for a Nobel Peace Prize. For actual accomplishments.
And he did all of this, ALL OF IT, against the backdrop of the most vicious press ever.

Martin said...

Trump's biggest achievement was to keep Hillary R. Clinton and Jeb Bush out of the White House, which prevented them from doing more of what we endured in the previous 16 years of maladministration.

And if he wins in 2020, keeping Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris out will be its equal.

There are some positive accomplishments (improve NAFTA, get NATO to take its responsibilities more seriously, stand up to China on trade issues, withdraw some terribe Obama rules and guidances and working on others, diplomatic progress in the ME and Balkans, stomp on ISIS...), and there might have been more if the entire bipartian establishment wasn't out to destroy him the whole time--but to me that is not really the point. I write as one who was was never a big Trump fan, but was motivated to prevent a disaster. Trump was the vehicle for that.

I would turn the question around--what are Joseph R. Biden's accomplishments that demonstrate he would be a very good President? He was in Congress from 1972 to early 2009, was Vice President for 8 years, and has had almost 4 years in the public eye since then. There ought to be plenty.

CJ said...

Foreign Policy: No new wars started (itself alone making him the best President of the last 30 years), North Korea situation defused (they're not lobbing missiles any more), reduced troop deployments, improved relations with Japan and India, facilitated accord between Israel and Emirates/Bahrain, and have you noticed Muslim-related terrorist attacks are way way down?

Trade Policy: Abolished globalist trade accords written entirely by corporate lobbyists. Stopped the importation of Chinese-made goods that were re-labeled as made in Mexico or Canada (doing a favor to workers in those countries, too). Made a real start on bringing industrial jobs back to the USA.

Energy Policy: Nullified anti-energy Obama regulations and made the USA self-sufficient in oil and gas, a development with all kinds of economic and foreign policy benefits. Got out of insane Paris Accords.

Immigration: Much real progress in spite of ferocious opposition. Mexican border situation much improved, with Mexicans doing something about caravans of "refugees". Lowest immigration levels in a long long time, admittedly largely due to closing of US consulates during Covid pandemic. Made a good start on bringing down the insane numbers of visa workers.

Health: Actually did something about pharma pricing, instead of letting pharma and health insurance lobbyists write all the legislation. Shocking. Also got out of the corrupt incompetent Chinese-controlled WHO.

There's more, but these are the biggies.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, does exposing the Democrats as the party of haters and rioters and lawlessness and wholesale corruption count? I mean, the Democrats are who they are and what they are, but without Trump would it be so obvious for all to see?

Tomcc said...

Bruce Hayden @ 12:13 beat me to it. Energy independence by way of fracking has been an underappreciated benefit to our overall well being and sovereignty. During the debates Mr. Biden said two things that convinced me that I had to vote for Mr. Trump: "Global warming is an existential crisis" and "we need to ban fracking".
The countries that hold most of the known oil and gas reserves are basically inimical to our society and culture. For the life of me, I cannot understand Germany's pursuit of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline!

mockturtle said...

I can't believe I forgot SCOTUS appointments!

JMW Turner said...

Trump and his family reminds me of the Laocoon and his sons, wrestling with the snakes of the deep state, but he has changed the direction that the Federal courts will rule in the foreseeable future with his court appointments, and, of course, made historical breakthroughs in brokering peace in the middle east.

J Melcher said...

I think the media fails to credit Trump for setting important precedents about following the law. Congress passed a law to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Most administrations ignored that law. Trump complied. Congress passed a law requiring the Executive Branch regulatory agencies to submit new regs to Congress for review. Most administrations ignored THAT law, too. Trump complied. Congress has long ago passed immigration laws -- that have been so ignored that previous administrations decided it was unfair, unkind, and ineffective to "adjudicate" that law. Trump at least tried to enforce the law AND force Congress to make changes if they wanted. Congress refused, and the courts say it's disruptive to make changes too fast -- but Trump is one trying to get a sane policy done in the constitutionally correct fashion. Congress objected to presidential behavior -- and Trump forced the House and Senate to follow the law and constitution via impeachment. He didn't cave or resign or apologize, he followed the process. On judges, most administrations (and congressional committees) have left positions vacant trying to appease (or replace) particular 'blue slip' holding congress-critters. Trump and his GOP allies just sends in nominations and the GOP schedules a vote, just as the constitution requires. AND Trump won in 2016 and may win again in 2020 by following the rules according to the Electoral College process. By doing so he exposed his opponents general disposition to reject, oppose, ignore, or despise the Constitution.

Trump -- whatever his personal belief -- behaves as a Constitutionalist and rule follower. THAT is his accomplishment.

Birkel said...

JUST MINUTES AGO:
Banning products from China made by slave labor


That was the Trump Administration.
Obama/Biden want slave labor products from China.

This was an easy one.

tommyesq said...

The Wall is half built, btw.

For some people, the wall is half-built, while for other, less optimistic people, it sadly remains half-unbuilt.

NYC JournoList said...

All of the above, and ...

Inspired the media to check presidential power instead of enabling it.

bagoh20 said...

Although I would never have voted for Obama (no experience and a dedicated leftist), Trump showed me how totally inadequate and even dangerous both McCain and Romney would have been to our future. They would have brought most of the same mistakes, and the Republicans would have been blamed for decades. No way either one of them would have done any of the things listed in this long list of accomplishments, and they would not have done the China or European travel bans which almost inevitably would have produced a worse pandemic and response.

No other person of either party would have done even 25% of what Trump has accomplished. I voted for him with very little optimism, but he has blown me away. I voted against Reagan the first time too. I learned a lot from both men in office.

rcocean said...

One of the greatest accomplishments, and one that will last, has been exposing the real motivations, priorities, and depravities of the Press, entrenched government people, and a lot of others we used to respect.

Yep. He caused all the "fake Cons" to drop their masks. No one on the Right will ever listen to: Kristol, Rubin, Boot, Will, Goldberg, Williams, French, etc. again. The whole gang at National Review, the Dispatch, and The Bulwark have shown whose side they are really on - and its not our side. And the same is true of the Bush Family, Mitt Romney, Kasich, Lindsey Graham, glenn Beck, Rubio, Ryan, Sasse, and some others.

All those years of Conservative Inc./Moderate Republican telling us: "we can't be purists" "we need to be pragmatic" "the most important thing is to beat the Democrats". And then when Trump came, they either supported the Democrats or stayed home! See, Trump wasn't pure enough. Hilarious.

ellie said...

His biggest achievement, in my mind, is that he made me feel like I wasnt isolated in my political beliefs and gave me back the sense of hope in myfellow countrymen I needed. I believe in America again, in its greatness, and I want it to succeed for my myself and my children.

ellie said...

His biggest achievement, in my mind, is that he made me feel like I wasnt isolated in my political beliefs and gave me back the sense of hope in myfellow countrymen I needed. I believe in America again, in its greatness, and I want it to succeed for my myself and my children.

Andrew said...

There are already almost 150 comments, and they cover all the bases. I'll just add one thing.

Trump's presidency has been an "apocalypse" in the best sense of the word: an "unveiling." He has exposed the corruption that has existed in the government, the political establishment, the media, academia, and other institutions for decades. There's no pretense anymore. The ugly rot has been exposed for all who have eyes to see. He has accomplished this in part by confrontation, as when he takes on "fake news." But he has also offered himself as a target, drawing these adversaries out of hiding. It's like the "fly trap" justification for the war in Iraq applied on the domestic front. If Trump wins again, this process will continue. If he loses, there may never again be a chance to return this country to a healthy condition.

Jon Burack said...

For me, the obvious one is his rejection of Obama's appeasement of Iran and his work in facilitating the emerging Israel-Sunni Arab entente (Israel-UAE-Bahrain-Kosovo and growing). For now it is based on self-interest, not a deep change of heart. But in fact, self-interest is more solid and dependable and is the only thing in the end that will move the Arab world away from its deep and SELF-destructive anti-Semitic sentiments. The indifference of the press and the Democrats is due to their isolationism, which is in fact far more self-absorbed and deep-set than Trump's by a long shot.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

I am only going to list, for the most part, things dozens of people have listed already, but these seem to me the most important:

Starting no new wars; drawing down troop levels from existing ones; essentially obliterating ISIS; the killings of al-Baghdadi and Soleimani; the first new Middle East peace agreements in a quarter century, with more almost certainly to follow; moving the US Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, and persuading Serbia to do the same; the Serbia-Kosovo economic deal; the general approach to Middle Eastern politics, pro-Israel (good) and pro-Saudi (lousy, but better than Iran, which was the previous admin's choice). Also, the ditching of the TPP and the reworking of NAFTA. Also, everything to do with China, from the Uighers (yes, I know what was alleged to have been said, but Trump has brought attention to the Uigher situation in ways the previous admin never dreamed of) to HK to Huawei to the travel ban, which has general retrospective approval now, but was ewwww-nasty-racist-xenophobic when announced. Also, getting the rest of NATO to approximate paying for its own defense. Oh, and putting and keeping the pressure on Maduro. I can't quite see Obama or Biden doing that, can you?

Federal and SCOTUS judgeships; massive decreases in regulation; making Title IX-required sexual harassment/assault prosecutions vaguely resemble a fair process; in general, urging Americans not to defer reflexively to "experts." Experts can, and do, constantly disagree among themselves; it is silly for the government to pick one expert, dismiss the rest, and expect the entire public to follow its lead willy-nilly.

This is of a piece with the "draining of the swamp," which is of course a lot harder than he imagined it would be, but at least now much of the public can see the point, which is that there is nothing special about a "career civil servant" except that s/he gets to guide policy whoever is in power. The reason Trump has had such appalling turnover in his Cabinet is that no one could quite believe that any President would ask for advice and then not always take it. But that's why it's "advice" and not "direction." This (not the Tweets, which I freely admit are obnoxious and cheap, not to mention ill-spelled) is IMO the primary reason that Trump is not a "normal" President, and the one reason he really is sorely needed.

[continued]

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

[continued from previous]

Not backing down to BLM/antifa/whatever they call themselves next week, or to people looking to "cancel" anyone and everyone just small enough to be really hurt by it. This is a big one, and of course it isn't all Trump, but what remains of the independent media is following him.

And speaking of the "independent media" reminds me of the other huge accomplishment, which is finally getting the mainstream media to drop literally all pretense of objectivity, and systematically calling them out on it. That the WaPo, the NYT, the SF Chron, the Big Three networks, CNN, NPR, &c. will fight furiously against any Republican President (or Presidential candidate, for that matter) has been clear at least since the 70s, but this time they've forgotten themselves so far as to ignore all of the above utterly, and sit, frothing-mouthed, in perpetual attack mode from the day after the 2016 election to the present.

They are very belatedly waking up to the fact that eventually the public will notice this, which is all to the good. As a fact, the public has noticed it, which is why each attack works less and less well: People simply discount everything they hear on the telly and the radio, or read in the daily fishwrap. This is styled by the old "gatekeepers" as people "cocooning" with their "alternative facts," as though the vast media apparatus arrayed on the other side weren't its own cocoon, as though the ritual anti-Trump genuflection prefacing any statement about anything at all weren't itself evidence of listening only to "certified-comfortable" ideas.

Howard said...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right; I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

Jim Gust said...

Although many people have mentioned the tax cuts, I don't think anyone mentioned the CORPORATE TAX REFORM included in the 2017 TCJA.

The USA was an outlier with the highest corporate tax rate by far in the entire world. It was damaging our economic growth. Democrats knew this and discussed lowering it during the Obama years. They could not come to an agreement, which contributed to Hillary's loss.

In addition to the highest rate, the US system put a huge 35% tax penalty on multinational companies repatriating their foreign profits back in to the USA. As a practical matter, what that meant was that all foreign profits had to be reinvested overseas to avoid the tax penalty. It was effectively a huge and unregulated outsourced foreign aid program. Ever wonder why so many Apple products are made in Asia? Couple this tax policy with cheaper labor and the next thing you know the supply chains all are over there. Apple had to reinvest their substantial foreign profits in foreign countries.

This all changed in 2017 with TCJA. It is the structure of the corporate tax reform that helped power the stock market and boost American labor. Elimination of the SALT deduction to get the rich to pay more was just icing on the cake.

MadisonMan said...

I would say de-escalation of overseas conflicts in which the USA is entangled. In other words -- bringing soldiers home. That's #1 with me. The USA is not quite so involved overseas.
Additions: Middle East peace initiatives that appear at present to be have traction. Isolating Iran now that Valerie Jarrett is out of the WH.

Chris of Rights said...

I want to expand on one that others have mentioned in part: tax cuts.

Not just tax cuts, but corporate tax cuts. This is important not only because he did it, but also because his opponent has already vowed to reverse this, which is objectively stupid.

We had the highest corporate tax rate in the world. He knocked 15 points off of it. It's still way to high, but it's at least competitive with other countries now.

Anyone with a basic understanding of math and economics can tell you that a high corporate tax rate is bad for the country, bad for the economy and bad for the citizens.

The first thing you must understand is this: corporations don't pay taxes.

Taxes are just an additional expense that must be considered. And like any expense, it is paid for in one of three ways. I will put them in the order that most studies have shown to be the "beneficiaries" of higher corporate tax rates.
1) Corporations pass their taxes on to their employees in terms of lower wages or reduced benefits.
2) Corporations pass their taxes on to their customers in terms of increased costs for their products and services.
3) Corporations pass their taxes on to their shareholders in terms of reduced dividends.

Of the three, the first is by far the most predominant.

Every one of the three has a negative impact on the economy.

In fact, if it were possible to do, the only good corporate tax rate is zero. Of course, then everyone would incorporate themselves in order to not pay any taxes. So, you'd have to craft the laws properly. But getting closer to zero should be the goal of everyone. Any politician who wants to raise the corporate tax rate, ever, should be immediately disqualified from running for office. There are only two reasons I can see that anyone would ever want to do so: a) idiocy, b) being under the employ of a foreign power and actively trying to destroy America.

narciso said...

the palestinians, hamas, al aqsa would call him a catastrophe, a nakbah,

hstad said...

https://www.whitehouse.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/

Just saying said...

Energy independence. Israeli UAE peace accord. USMCA instead of NAFTA.

J. Farmer said...

Trumpism Accomplishments:

Immigration: The changes to the asylum rules that keeps asylum seekers out of the US why their cases are processed. The travel ban. Some progress on a wall. Stephen Miller still has a job.

Trade: Pulling out of TPP. Some minor improvements in the NAFTA renegotiation.

Foreign policy: Ending the foolish policy of opposing Assad and ISIS in Syria, and made eliminating ISIS the goal, which was achieved. Resisted efforts to escalate US-Russia tension over Ukraine. India.

Trumpism Failures:

Immigration: Relied almost exclusively on executive authority, which can easily be undone by subsequent administrations. Said at a SOTU that he wants immigrants to come in the "largest numbers ever." Repeated big business lie that we "need the people." Opposed Jeff Sessions' reelection to the Senate.

Trade: The Phase One deal with China kicked the can down the road and perversely made US exporters even more dependent on China.

Foreign policy: Deepening US military involvement in the Middle East, especially by indulging MBS, stationing troops in Saudi Arabia, and maintaining troops in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Pulling out of the JCPOA and reimposing sanctions on Iran. Fucking up the opening to North Korea and trying to derail South Korea's rapprochement.

wendybar said...

I can't wait until he leaves office in 2025 and spills all the beans on what the corrupt in Government have been doing to us all these years. It will be a blockbuster book making millions more than any before it in history!!

Joe Smith said...

Dropping out of Paris Climate Accord.

Killing Iran nuke deal.

Killing NAFTA.

Pre-virus (that nobody could have stopped), the best economy in my lifetime.

Post-virus, the only person who can bring the economy back.

Massive cutting of regulations.

Supreme Court judges (not conservative enough but better than a Dem's pick).

Taking a hard line on China.

Making the U.S. a net exporter of energy.

Wiping out ISIS (what O said couldn't be done).

No new wars...bringing troops home.

Space Force!

A lot more peace in the Middle East.

Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem as huge 'fuck you' to the entire world.

Strong support of police.

Rebuilding a worn-out military.

How much time have you got?

There isn't a Democrat alive who could/would have done a single thing on the above list...

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

Dang, I forgot fracking! Also one I haven't seen mentioned here yet: The Music Modernization Act of 2018, which makes it much easier for digital audio services to track royalties, streamers to stop getting hit with bogus copyright suits every 30 seconds, &c. It didn't make any buzz to speak of (passed Congress essentially unanimously) but it's significant.

Drago said...

Forced the replacement of Althouse "professional" Moby LLR-lefty ***** with Moby Single A Minor Leaguer, The Poor Man's LLR-lefty ***** gadfly.

as if.... said...

Wow. Now let's do Obama's list of accomplishments...

NCMoss said...

When it looked like Christine Blasey Ford and the media were about to be successful in derailing Brett Kavanaugh's nomination, Trump stood up for him; I would vote for him just for that.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

getting out of the disastrous Iran deal.

Francisco D said...

This is a fascinating thread.

Although I have supported Trump's actions, I had forgotten about how much his administration has accomplished despite unprecedented coup attempts from the Deep State with obvious Corporate Media collusion.

stever said...

@as if

yep --waiting

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

before wuhan chi com virus hit right on time, our economy was soaring.

Leora said...

Advancing peace in the Middle East
Convincing allies to pay more for their own defense and to increase their capabilities
Removing regulatory burdens on businesses
Reform of the tax code to make it easier to comply and more business friendly
Appointing judges who believe in the law as written instead of the law as what seems right to me.
Clean up of superfund sites
Improving border control
Improving administration of federally funded public housing

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

1:31 Chris of rights..

that!

Michael K said...

Howard is going all lizzie on us. How about "A man's reach should exceed his grasp."

Voice of Reason is now a whisper said...

84% reduction in frequency of incidents of unarmed African Americans killed by police. ( First 41 months of Trump administration compared to last 31 months Of Obama’s administration)

Voice of Reason is now a whisper said...

84% reduction in frequency of incidents of unarmed African Americans killed by police. ( First 41 months of Trump administration compared to last 31 months Of Obama’s administration)

WisRich said...

Eliminated Clean Waters ACT which was on of the biggest power grabs by the Federal Bureaucracy.

Birkel said...

Literally JUST BANNED SLAVE LABOR PRODUCTS from China!

Today.
Within the last hour.

Anybody who thinks USMCA is only marginally better than NAFTA knows fuck-all about either.

pacwest said...

Interesting request considering the source. Althouse can easily look up the 218 or 256 or whatever successes of the Trump admin. Whatever she's looking for it isn't an internet list.

As someone pointed out above he has stayed mostly within the bounds of executive power as laid out in the Constitution. It's something he rarely gets credit for, even among his base. The legeslative branch, chickenshits that they are, has been more than willing to cede their powers in recent decades. Although Trump doesn't have a perfect record on this it does buck the trend. But once he is gone the chikenshits will be back out in full force. Not a list of physical accomplishments, but something I was suprised by.

Robert Cook said...

"Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem as huge 'fuck you' to the entire world."


Yes, because it is always a good thing when the President of the USA does something in order to deliver a "huge 'fuck you" to the entire world." That's real statesmanship...to idiots.

Jupiter said...

On more than one occasion, called a spade a spade.

America’s Politico said...

Trump three accomplishments:

1. More POCs and women to run for Congress.
2. More reporters hired at NYT, WashPost, MSNBC, and CNN.
3. More GOP to become Democrats.

These are the reasons why he will lose in 2020.

J. Farmer said...

Reading through others' lists makes me think of a similar question

What were the best and worst parts of your Titanic trip?

The best: luxury stateroom, accommodating staff, great dinner, wonderful conversation, beautiful ocean views.

The worst: the boat sank, and we died.

Drago said...

Farmer: "Opposed Jeff Sessions' reelection to the Senate."

Sessions was unable to complete his work in allowing the deep state to frame and remove Trump so its important he be given a second chance.

Unknown said...

I read an article in Politco about President Trump's EPA director, Scott Pruitt and another EPA person, a banker named Kelly who worked with the famous pollution activist Lois Gibbs to get her ideas and input to clean up 54 Superfund sites. Lois is quoted extensively in the article as at first not wanting anything to do with them, but soon realized they were serious and capable of getting things done. In the article, Lois described her left eco warriors who refused to communicate or work with them. It reported the greatly increased number of Superfund site cleanups than President Obama's administration accomplished. I was somewhat surprised that I had not heard any thing about it. I hope you find this useful in compiling your list of accomplishments by the Trump administration. Thank you!

bagoh20 said...

Farmer, Your "Trumpism Failures" amount to nothing more that the status quo he has yet to fix. In that regard there are dozens and dozens more, as with any President. They are even more argument for his reelection. It will take someone who can accomplished all he has in four to even have any hope of getting those done in eight. Biden sure won't.

Drago said...

Howard: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."

Like it was only yesterday.....

mmmm mmmmm mmmm obama.....

Those were such Howard's Heroes Heady Days, eh Howard?



Bruce Gee said...

Great comments and lists.
I would amplify a bit by just saying Trump spoke for millions of Americans who were suffering under the bizarre, wound-inflicting leadership of Mr. Obama. As a small business person, I noticed almost immediately a new optimism about the country as soon as he was elected. It was rejuvenating. Clearly the massive crowds he draws reflect how many people ached for a spokesman and leader who represented them.

Tomcc said...

I also find myself pondering our various relationships with the PRC and how those will be affected by the next administration. Once again, advantage Trump (IMO). I truly don't know what Mr. Biden's policies are, or would be, but his statements about China seem more conciliatory than I prefer.

mikee said...

He fired Sally Yates.
He fired LtCol Alexander Vindman.
These hadn't been mentioned yet, but are notable achievements, from a self-preservation viewpoint.

Past Tense said...

Trump has shown that he is Churchillian in two major ways: Belief in himself; Indifference to the army of enemies arrayed against him.
(I'm currently reading a book on Churchill and the similarities are amazing.)

Past Tense said...

Trump has shown that he is Churchillian in two major ways: Belief in himself; Indifference to the army of enemies arrayed against him.
(I'm currently reading a book on Churchill and the similarities are amazing.)

Drago said...

You know, I would not have thought simple lists of facts would cause a hardened combat vet like Howard to weep.

But then again you never really know someone, do you?

Robert Cook said...

"Killing Soleimani instead of starting a war with IRAN."

It's not as if there was an either/or choice that had to be made. We have (and had) no reason to start a war with Iran. (Not that that stopped us in Afghanistan or Iraq.)

"Low unemployment (3.5%)"

A bullshit statistic. Even it was accurate--which I don't believe--the unemployment rate doesn't really indicate how many people are actually working at a given time, and it doesn't reveal how many of those who are working are making good salaries, with job security, benefits, "pensions" (defined compensation plans) and paths to career growth, as opposed to those languishing in jobs paying paltry hourly wages, with few or no benefits, how many are working temp jobs, part time jobs, "independent contractor" jobs, all of which lack any benefits or job security at all.

"Rebuilding a worn out military."

What does this mean? Throwing billions more dollars at an unnecessary money pit, to no apparent productive purpose other than enriching the corrupt arms merchants and associated parasites in and out of government?

"Criminal justice reform."

What did he do? What has changed?

Taking on the Deep State."

What did he do? What has changed?

The mishmash of alleged "accomplishments" to be found in the posts above, of which I note only a few, are mere wishes, claims made with little of substance to show for them. Ralph Nader provides the truth about Trump's fabled "accomplishments" here.

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