The partial government shutdown is about the enter its fourth week, and yet President Trump is no closer to getting his border wall funded. His supporters may be cheering on his willingness to fight Democrats, but what they should really be demanding more of are actual victories.
At the heart of Trump’s rise to the top of a crowded Republican field in 2016 was the belief among his supporters that he would fight for their priorities, that he wouldn’t be hindered by political correctness, and that he’d be willing to smash opponents.
A willingness to go to war for what you believe in is an important asset for a political leader, but what’s ultimately important is figuring out how to work within the system actually to achieve tangible policy goals.
There are far too many conservatives, unfortunately, who have for too long placed more emphasis on the fighting than the winning. A perfect example is on healthcare.
During the Obama administration, ambitious Republicans could gain a following by demonstrating that they were willing to do anything in the name of opposing Obamacare. But conservatives had no interest in pressuring Republicans into doing the more difficult work of hashing out differences and coalescing around an alternative so that they would be in a position to follow through on pledges to “repeal and replace” once they gained power.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is a perfect embodiment of this conservative obsession with fighting rather than winning. In 2013, he achieved rock star status among conservatives for leading the charge to defund Obamacare that also led to a government shutdown. It was a battle that Republicans had no chance of winning because at the time Democrats controlled the Senate and there was no way that Majority Leader Harry Reid was going to pass — and former President Barack Obama was going to sign — a bill that would unravel the biggest accomplishment of their political careers.
However, Cruz’s star faded over the course of a brutal primary with Trump, who convinced supporters that he’d be even tougher on Democrats. Heading into 2017, Cruz was among the few Senate Republicans working diligently to try to forge a compromise on legislation to replace Obamacare. Yet his quiet hard work tangibly to advance free market ideas was largely ignored by conservatives.
Another case is former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. He’s probably done more to advance conservative policy than any other Republican at the state level, particularly when it comes to union reform and worker freedom. He was tough in the face of unceasing protests and challenges in a state that had been considered blue before he was elected. But he wasn’t just willing to pick a fight. He also did the hard work of negotiating legislation that could secure enough votes and survive legal challenges.
He was a bust as a presidential candidate. This can’t simply be chalked up to him not being ready for the big stage or a result of some of his fumbles when venturing into foreign policy. Clearly, Trump wasn’t elected for his detailed knowledge and nuanced understanding of geopolitics. Ultimately, Walker was viewed as too boring, and his significant accomplishments were discounted as his quiet Wisconsin manner was no match for Trump’s bombast.
Trump, of course, boasted about how people would get tired of winning when he became president. And he certainly has taken actions at the administrative level to advance conservative priorities. But on many of the biggest issues he’s taken on, his fighting words have not produced many lasting victories.
His tough words to China have rattled markets and have created headwinds to an otherwise strong economy, but he has no great deal to show for it.
During the first two years of his presidency, Trump’s party controlled both chambers of Congress, yet he has a dearth of legislative accomplishments to show for it. He wasn’t able to get Obamacare repealed. He wasn’t able to get his wall built. His tax cut was the lone big accomplishment, though it can hardly be seen as a major display of political finesse to get Republicans to agree to cut taxes. Furthermore, given his lack of attention actually to restraining spending, it remains to be seen how long the tax law will prove sustainable.
A competent president who had the ability to focus and the knowledge of how to get things done within a legislative context, rather than as a CEO, could have gotten a border wall funded long ago. The time to draw a line in the sand was when his party controlled Congress and was susceptible to pressure from his base of supporters, not when the House is run by a party whose base is demanding total resistance.
Trump’s strategy of animating a group of passionate and loyal supporters got him elected to the presidency, but his disinterest in persuading others as president has hindered his ability to advance his agenda.
When the dust clears on the Trump era, there will be a lot of soul searching to be done by conservatives. But near the top of the list should be a rethinking of how much emphasis is placed on symbolic fights over tangible victories.
