The Economist (May 18)
“Since Donald Trump took office in January last year, America’s economy has continued to be the envy of the rich world. In 2025, while Britain, France and Japan eked out annual GDP growth of 1%, give or take, and Germany all but stood still, American output grew by 2.1%.” That growth could have been far more impressive. The Economist calculates that without the drag created by “fitful presidential policymaking,” the U.S. “might be rocketing ahead at nearly 5% annualised growth.”
Tags: 2025, 5%, Drag, Economy, Envy, Fitful, France, GDP growth, Germany, Japan, Policymaking, Rich world, Trump, U.S., UK
New Yorker (August 17)
“Since last November, many business leaders, and even the representatives of some labor groups, have cooperated with Trump on the grounds that he is the duly elected President, and they want their voices heard in the White House’s policymaking process. But, in terms of reputational risk and personal moral calculus, the price of accommodating Trump” has increased dramatically. Trump now occupies a place in the political firmament where it is becoming almost as risky for corporate chieftains to associate with him as it is for them to distance themselves.”
Tags: Accommodating, Business leaders, Cooperated, Distance, Labor, Moral calculus, Policymaking, Reputational risk, Trump
Washington Post (June 22)
“Trump will never get anything done” and the reason “goes beyond the usual factors that bedevil any new president — overpromising on the pace of action, underpreparing for the challenges of office, trouble in staffing up…. Trump’s failure to get key agenda items to the starting line reflects more fundamental problems in policymaking—problems that will persist even after this administration is fully staffed and acclimated.”
Tags: Administration, Agenda items, Failure, Fully staffed, New, Overpromising, Policymaking, President, Trump, Underpreparing
