WHAT WOULD A TRUMP PRESIDENCY LOOK LIKE ?

          Now that Donald Trump continues to surge in the polls, it is time to consider the unthinkable.  His candidacy may actually be with us for the long haul, through the primaries and beyond.  Democrats are certainly hoping this is the case.  With the Clinton e-mail debacle, the Trump campaign soaks up a great deal of media attention until all Clinton investigations are completed by the end of the year.  Democrats are delighted that Trump forces more mainstream republican candidates to spend valuable financial resources and political capital to appease conservatives, more than they would like this early in the primaries.

          But what if Trump is not an apparition?  What if by March or April, all of the most conservative candidates throw their support behind him and he wins the republican nomination? What if his continued appeal as an outsider garnishes enough democratic and independent support to pull off a general election upset? What would a Trump presidency look like?

           In listening to Trump’s pressers and stump speech several thoughts come to mind.  First, the “art of the deal” way of doing business does not prepare him for the infighting among cabinet members, partisan party politics or diplomacy.  He is now top dog at Trump Inc. with no one above him on the organization chart.  He is able to make decisions based on past experience and intuition, with little input and no committees.  This is the opposite of governing a complex nation in a pluralistic society.

          Second Trump does not understand the importance of being politically correct and in fact boasts about his lack of discernment.  As President, every word uttered by Trump would be dissected and analyzed. Shooting from the hip would not serve the Presidency or the nation well. His term in office would require a second full time press secretary to explain and walk back from his gaffes and confusing remarks.

          Lastly, Trump seems more adept at reacting to problems then in developing a vision for the future. He is able to forcefully explain what he is against, who is an idiot and where mistakes were made.  He is unable to articulate what a Trump presidency would look like or what it would accomplish.  Without a well defined game plan it would be difficult for him to hold together the political coalition that got him elected.

          In short, the very factors that are serving Trump well during these early primary months would be his undoing as President.  A warning to the growing number of Trump supporters.  Be careful what you wish (vote) for.