As a result to his election victory #Donald Trump once again saw sales of his 1987 best seller “The Art of the Deal” climb the best seller list. The book was appropriate for a businessman facing customers for his products but it is inadequate for the realities of the Oval Office. As the week begins we must wonder if the President may have to write new chapters for the book.
The Capitol
Facing customers is easy; the businessman has to provide a package that will persuade the potential buyer to pay money for his products. This may take the form of bonuses, discounts or exchanges that will make the buyer feel he has come out ahead while the businessman makes as much money as possible.
Political deals are much more subtle and the discounts and exchanges may not be sufficient in themselves to persuade Senators and Congressmen to approve proposed legislation.
This week the Capitol will be in the process of examining, debating and eventually deciding whether or not to approve the various orders and the proposed budget signed by the Oval Office. These deliberations will look at their costs, the feasibility and ultimately the politicians will vote on their approval or defeat.
The biggest hurdles facing President Trump will not be the opposition Democrats, but his own Republican colleagues.
The true battle
The very public debates on issues such as the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, the increased military spending, the construction of the border wall with Mexico and whether or not to approve the massive cuts in the budget to offset the increases in military spending will be a bitter battle between the Oval Office and the Capitol.
The real battle will not be whether or not the President will be able to keep the promises that he made during the presidential campaign. The upcoming conflict will be whether or not the GOP Senators and Congressmen are willing to stake their political careers on a President that many of them have openly criticized.
Town halls
These politicians are the ones that will have to explain to their constituents the loss of services and their incapacity to afford the increase of health insurance premiums that will be the result from the repeal of the ACA.
The heated town hall meetings around the country have made headlines and also forced some of the Congressmen and Senators to avoid attending these meetings.
But ultimately the hesitant Republicans will be forced to take the bull by the horns and face their electors.
While in November the midterms seemed far away, the very public protests to the proposals have forced the GOP to understand that the midterms are only next year. With a single seat majority in the Senate and ever spreading national dissent against the GOP and its President the Party risks losing the house majorities.
Battle
This is the true battle that the Oval Office faces in the future to all its proposals and Donald Trump will be forced to see that deals or discounts mean nothing to those who risk losing their political careers.
The loss of a Senate majority will also put at risk the capacity of the GOP to appoint what they consider suitable Justices to the Supreme Court in the future.
Thus the President will face the ire of Party leaders who will not want to put at risk their hopes of setting a new conservative agenda for the country.
Donald Trump may well find that his book of how to make a deal is not sufficient for him to fight against the political reality that he never understood or respected but which will now decide the real future of his Presidency.
The true test for any person is in his or her capacity to react to challenges and even to change over time as they face new realities. The country is now waiting to see whether or not the businessman will change and thus whether or not he will finally become a real politician.
