I made a list of all the reasons the future ex-President swiftly adopted the Schumer-Pelosi pitch this week.
– I immediately struck Crisis of Conscience and Enlightened Self-Interest but did retain Unenlightened Self-Interest as a possibility.
– He needed funding in place for Harvey and Irma.
– Payback to Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan for paying him back.
– Recognition of the consequences of his DACA position after the protesters hit the streets, combined with knowing that this Congress won’t pass a savings bill without Democratic support.
– His reputation. He don’t know much about history, we know, but he knows about public sentiment. He wants better poll numbers, and a petting session with the opposition might drive his disapproval rating down. He doesn’t want a lasting reputation of incompetence or of being the most backward-facing chief executive in our history.
– It’s not about Russia.
Likely he put the squeeze on his Congressional leaders to bring the divided party together by weaponizing the Democrats with a big basket of year-end budget issues, DACA among them.
Who knew that running the free world could be so complicated?
This may be too much credit for him, or maybe this is the first bold move in a game of three-dimensional chess. If so, who’s his tutor?
The GOP rift has been the Bane of Boehner and looms as the Ruin of Ryan. The House can only pass draconian bills if the Speaker has room to bargain with a more moderate Senate. If not, Congress can realign by bringing a handful of moderates together with united Democrats. This is political heresy, but for Trump, politics is a means to an end.
Maybe we will finally reach common ground on DACA, tax reform and health care. Or maybe this is an aberration. He may retreat to his base. Follow your Twitter account for the latest change of course.
It’s no time to break out the hats and hooters naturally. It’s a very good time to press issues that will deliver broader acceptance to a besieged President.
Evan Sarzin is the author of Hard Bop Piano and Bud Powell published by Gerard & Sarzin Music Publishing. He writes and publishes Revolted Colonies (http://revoltedcolonies.com).