Donald Trump was idolized by his many supporters as a successful businessman that will use his business acumen to help everyday people. Most that are opposed to Trump look at his 6 formal bankruptcies and multiple businesses that were shut down or heavily underperformed and wonder how this reputation was earned.
Nonetheless, clever self promotion, bombast (oftentimes vulgar), and a popular reality TV series labeling Trump as a strong business leader convinced many that he was some form of genius that truly understands the “Art of the Deal.”
However, there is a very important aspect of Trump’s “art” relating to deals that I think we need to examine when we consider the deal he has been creating for this country.
It is called “Deliver the Goods”. Per Trump, promotion can generate excitement but one must ultimately produce a tangible, quality result to maintain long term credibility.
When promises are made in politics, they set the stage for what ‘goods’ you intend to deliver. The most attractive ‘good’ at the time of Trump’s election was to lower the cost of living for everyday Americans. But thanks to many wrong steps by Trump such as tariffs, tax breaks for the rich, cuts to supportive social programs, and war mongering, inflation has been rising and costs for everyday living are increasing.
The promise to increase manufacturing in the US which was touted as an economic driver has also gone in the opposite direction. There are now almost 80,000 less manufacturing jobs since the end of Biden’s term.
Even the promise to throttle back immigration has hurt the economy due to extreme and overly aggressive tactics. Labor bottlenecks in agriculture, construction, and hospitality are happening. A shrinkage of 2% in the US Gross Domestic Product due to severe migration cuts and aggressive deportations has been calculated by the Dallas Federal Reserve.
Another big promise related to delivering the goods is Trump’s promise of no new wars. You know how that one has gone. He starts a warignoring well known hazards of doing such that have stopped every other administration before namely the shutting down of the waterway that transits 1/5 of global oil plus significant amounts of fertilizer and LNG. At this writing, the US and Iran have a Memorandum of Understanding that supposedly halts the hostilities started by the US and Israel and sets the stage for a deal that is being considered a major humiliation for the US President and the US.
Let’s consider Trump’s artistry in his Iran “excursion.”
• It is estimated that the war has cost the US $113 billion during combat operations with an estimate from the Kennedy School that the ultimate long term cost will reach $1 trillion.
• The surcharge to US consumers’ domestic costs is estimated at $132 billion.
• An estimated 7444 American, Iranian, Lebanese, Israeli people have been killed (of which 7400 are Iranians and Lebanese).
• The US military arsenal has been depleted significantly such that it is estimated that the used armaments will not be replenished until the end of this decade. The US used Tomahawk missiles (at least 1000 of them) at a cost of up to $4 million each to shoot down Iranian drones that cost $20,000 to $50,000 — plus deleted 1/2 of the US stock of a highly advanced antimissile projectile.
• According to the institute for Economics and Peace, the global economy has suffered a cost of $2.2 trillion in GDP.
• What else was accomplished by our artful deal maker?
• An authoritarian Iranian leadership regime considered to be as bad as what existed for the past 47 years remains in place.
• The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz which was fully open before the war will end with the possible addition that Iran may charge fees to ships passing through the Strait.
• Iran can resume selling its oil with full rights to financial and insurance systems.
• Iran’s assets will be unfrozen.
• Hostilities will end in Lebanon as well as against Iran putting the Israeli US partnership into disarray. Further Israeli/Hezbollah attacks may even jeopardize any final agreement.
• A $300 billion fund will be established to rebuild Iran.
• Iran’s nuclear program will be further discussed - not firmly ended.
Trump’s statement that he does “not care about the financial situation” of everyday Americans as long as Iran does not have a nuke means that regular Americans must be the ones to sacrifice. But now he has expressed that the stock market gyrations are driving his decision to agree to the MOU. So, it was ok for everyday Americans to pay a price but not for stock market investors such as our “I love inflation” President. Let’s consider some ramifications that spin out of the Trump “excursion.” Gulf nations now fully recognize their vulnerability to massive economic disruption by Iran. This will now require them to strategically align more with Iran as the US has just demonstrated that it could not stop Iran from causing such disruptions. Consider for example that it will take Qatar years to be back to its full prewar production capacity of LNG. The Gulf nations are definitely rethinking - who’s your daddy!? The European and Asian allies have been learning a hard lesson that the US is an unreliable partner under Trump. After being blindsided by Trump’s attack, it along with threats against Greenland, punitive tariffs, the disparaging of NATO will not be forgotten - likely poisoning the relationship for years to come. After all, the US voter has given the world Trump craziness in 2 elections.
Many artists have shown a maniacal side. The one we have at the head of this country is in 3
that vein and has been allowed to run rampant and wreak havoc to our country and the world. It is time to have a Congress that will get him a new coloring book that makes him stay within the lines of our Constitution and prevent his “feelings” as a basis for starting a war.
W Laurence Doxsey, Retired, Former Director of Office of Sustainability for City of San Antonio, former Environmental Officer for US Department of Housing and Urban Development, former Sustainability Officer for City of Austin, resides outside Medina.
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