2017: A Few Predictions On The National Front
Thinking Things Over.... | By Jerry E. Clark
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January 3, 2017 -
I survived the holiday period, just as you obviously did. Overall, it was quite festive.
I got to watch grandchildren grow up a bit more and have fun. I got to watch two of our former children performing their parental duties in a first class manner. So, it was a fine scene.
I've been following our Twitter-in-chief, president-elect Trump, as he begins to negotiate the new governmental landscape he'll soon more formally face. Some of his tweets seem random, but I may give him a bit more credit than that. After all, this is a guy who beat many rivals - one who had more than a billion dollars at her disposal plus a huge amount of volunteers and other organizations (including about 95% of the media) behind her.
I like to write columns like this because I know that at least 85% of my readers will find at least 50% of my predictions full of dog doodie. That's fine. I'll go ahead anyway and face the light of history, since every online column has an eternal life.
So, here goes:
1. Donald Trump and the GOP will proceed to repeal ObamaCare (the so-called "Affordable Care Act.") They will replace it with a system, at least in part, of health savings accounts, strong incentives for prevention, huge amounts of new health care insurance competition and strong curbs on medical tort abuse. The system will, however, not be cheaper for the national budget, only for individuals and families, who will still face significant obligations, but NOT mandates from the IRS.
2. The corporate income tax rate will be dropped to 15% and the capital gains tax rate will drop to about 15% - both of which will give the nation a huge economic boost. The rate of tax on repatriated corporate profits abroad will end up about 10-15% from the current 35% and tens of billions will flow back into U. S. banks, other financial institutions and financial instruments. This will form the basis for one of the most massive increases in GDP in the nation's history.
3. The Trump administration WILL move quickly to deport thousands of illegal immigrant felons or will imprison them. The administration also will pick a fight with the governments of several major U. S. cities and will use every tool in the book, including the withholding of funds via grants, etc. to get cooperation on illegal immigration. Lawsuits will fly in all directions. The cities will lose for the most part, there nearly always being one or two exceptions in such fights.
4. The Trump administration will move to support Britain and its Brexit (the exit of Britain from the European Union) in a big way, inking numerous trade deals with it and assisting in in defense, other trade deals and much more. The relationship with Britain will soar as never before.
5. The Trump administration will increasingly be at odds with the EU...not just on trade, but on defense issues, especially the funding of the security measures involving a counter to Russian influence. The Europeans will pay up eventually.
6. The Trump administration will move aggressively against a growing North Korean military threat and will attempt to enlist China to curb its power, its path to a deliverable intercontinental nuke and much more. The young North Korean leader will be killed or will simply disappear and will be replaced with a far less aggressive leader leading to more freedom.
7. Donald Trump's tax returns release will greatly embarrass him with the left since he'll have paid virtually no income taxes in many years. But on the conservative side, there might even be some praise. There may be a move to restrict some tax deductions as a result of this situation, which wouldn't be too surprising.
8. The Trump administration will negotiate a tougher deal to relax sanctions on Cuba which will lead to a standoff with Castro. Having had a small taste of more freedom however, the Cuban people and some of its leaders will push hard for far more freedom.
9. Japan will re-militarize in an effort to curb the threat from North Korea. This will cause international concern. The current Philippine leader Duerto will either resign or be deposed, due to his admitting to murder in a previous position.
10. Labor demonstrations will break out against moves by the Trump administration to curb the NLRB, reverse overtime rules imposed by an Obama executive order and restrict union organizing rules.
11. The Keystone pipeline project and at least one other pipeline project will get the go-ahead by the Trump administration.
12. The Trump administration will move to reverse almost all of the Obama executive orders involving the environment, the EPA and other agencies, including the banning of oil drilling in several areas.
13. The Trump administration will move to promote paid parental leave legislation which will irritate conservatives in Congress.
14. The Trump administration will call for a summit with both Russia and China (separately) in an attempt to get relations on the right track.
15. The Trump administration will order the GSA to get rid of unused or vacant federal buildings in an attempt to both curb huge costs and increase revenue from those sales. And, a hiring freeze will be implemented to curb the rising cost of federal government payroll, benefits and long term retirement costs.
Well, now...that's my first 15 predictions for the year. I'll have a few more in coming columns.
I'd be happy to receive some of YOUR predictions! Just email me at editor@alleghanyjournal.com.
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