The Art of the Deal is Playing Out in Wall Funding Fight

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Promoted from the diaries by streiff. Promotion does not imply endorsement.
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As this (not really a) Federal Government shutdown continues, we are all enjoying ringside seats as The Art of the Deal plays out right in front of us. What is truly amazing, is that two years into the Trump Administration, folks can’t seem to understand that although on the one hand, President Trump is different than any other (non) politician they’ve ever encountered, on the other, he’s published a “user guide,” that should make understanding him, fairly easy—The Art of the Deal.

As discussions about border security continue, its easy to see Trump running his own playbook. The following are quotes from his book and President Trump’s current actions demonstrating them.

“My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward. I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get what I’m after.”

A border wall, along with other aspects of fixing our broken immigration system, was a key pillar of Trump’s successful presidential campaign, and a vocal campaign slogan-“Build. The.  Wall!! He hasn’t stopped pushing this since he came down the escalator.

On the Press and other critics:

“The other people I don’t take too seriously are the critics—except when they stand in the way of my projects. In my opinion, they mostly write to impress each other, and they’re just as swayed by fashions as anyone else. One week it’s spare glass towers they are praising to the skies. The next week, they’ve rediscovered old, and they’re celebrating detail and ornamentation.”

“The point is that if you are a little different, or a little outrageous, or if you do things that are bold or controversial, the press is going to write about you.”

As we’ve noticed, President Trump is happy to engage with his critics. Best case, he might convince a few; Worst case, the discussion is taking place in public—directly in front of the voters—and what drives the legacy media nuts, bypassing them to take his case right to the voters. And if he has to rhetorically slap a few impertinent reporters around, well, that’s just entertainment.

The next three are specific to President Trump’s Situation Room meeting yesterday, with Speaker Pelosi & Leader Schumer.

“The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you’re dead.”

Although he has continued to press his case for the Wall, Trump has also shown flexibility by offering sweeteners to the Democrats such as DACA. He’s doing it in such a deft manner, that he’s not being perceived as weak, rather he’s setting Pelosi, et al up as the obstructionists.

“Leverage: don’t make deals without it.”

And the third, is possibly his best quote. When Schumer told President Trump to open the government THEN they would discuss border security, they were obviously trying to roll him like the Democrats did to Ronaldus Magnus back in the day. Trump’s was having none of it. He well understood that the minute the government was fully funded, any leverage he had in this issue, would disappear. Which brings us to the next quote.

“Know when to walk away from the table.”

When Trump asked Pelosi, in words to the effect of, “If I open the government right away, will you fund the wall?” and Pelosi replied, “No.” President Trump then said, “Bye Bye,” and—walked away. Schumer and Pelosi have no idea how,to handle this “new kind of Republican,” who doesn’t just roll over for them.

In his book, Trump, contrary to the standard leftist meme that he is some sort of con man, says this:

“You can’t con people, at least not for long. You can create excitement, you can do wonderful promotion and get all kinds of press, and you can throw in a little hyperbole. But if you don’t deliver the goods, people will eventually catch on.”

President Trump knows that his path to reelection, along with a vibrant economy, is to have at least some portions of the wall complete and a good bit under construction by 2020. He has to “deliver the goods.” And he likely will.

And finally, a shades of Newt Gingrich’s “happy warrior” philosophy…“And if it can’t be fun, what’s the point?”

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