I do not think Donald Trump was ever a serious sportsman when he was a younger boy. But I am equally sure that he definitely did play baseball when he was young; it is part and parcel of American culture; just like ice cream, apple pie, and motherhood. And mind you, in those days they all always played by the rules.
Today, as president he can redefine all rules, but he needs to learn some discipline. He seems to think he can make new rules at his own whim or fancy. But as he is quickly finding out, while that is okay in the small firm structure of the business sector where he is also an owner, it may not be so in the President of the United States (Potus) appointment; that role is always greater and bigger than one person’s shoes.
Therefore this is my three senses and policy analysis of his Potus role to date - he has recorded two strikes, and by the third, he will have to go; at least, under baseball rules. Unless he is never really wanted to be Potus but remain only an entertainer.
My Malaysiakini subscriber-readers have asked why I bother to write columns about Donald Trump and his antics of governance in the US.
My reason is simple; the USA is still the only bastion of our ideal of a modern democracy. If Malaysia is keen to model and grow our still immature democracy; we have to continue learning from their false or wrong assumptions or beliefs, and daily mistakes.
Therefore, this is my third column about Donald Trump; the new Potus. The earlier ones are here and here.
In this column I want to argue that, while Trump may understand material aspects of cement and land deals, he may have miscalculated his business experience and the entertainment industry. Public policy for him is not about “playing a role or politics”, but rather assuming a significant and meaningful role-assumption; as Potus, with all its authority and power.
Public policy is good governance and jurisprudence of public places and spaces; never only about the geographic limits or material dimensions of such a limited reality. Even if it is America First; Americans have to lead by example of life and testimony. Otherwise; please do not claim to be leaders in the world; no one will follow.
I will therefore argue that Trump has almost zero knowledge about politics or policies of real-politics in a modern democracy. Policies can never be reduced to mere bottomline costs of execution versus benefits; merely in terms of planning assumptions and projections.
Strike 1: Executive Order of Muslim Ban
My oldest grandson is now two-and-a-half years old. For a year-and-a-half, he had the privilege of being the only 4th generation Malaysian but has now already been reduced to becoming an existential third generation grandchild in Malaysia while still a 4th generation American.
Citizenship always defines nationality in the modern world. Therefore, while it was reported originally that the 911 terrorists were mainly Saudi Arabians; what was not publicly stated were how many of them were American nationals?
This past week another British national decided to become a modern extremist and killing himself and others deploying a rented vehicle. Such modern bigots do exist and we all need to seek to understand why they end up committing suicide and taking so many others with themselves. Why such hopelessness? Or is it really their only hope?
Leadership like Donald Trump’s “is carelessly nurturing more bigotry”, as compared to the two lady leaders who rule in Europe. Trump’s obvious bigotry has been overruled by two sets of courts, and it appears he has still not learnt his lesson. Bigotry is a rose others can smell even if camouflaged by any other proxy smell.
Therefore, I say Strike 1, according to American baseball rules; a game I have never played and do not plan to for now; as it may be too late for me.
Strike 2: Repeal and replace Obamacare
Republican silliness and Trump’s policy immaturity in the White House became obvious to any policy-maker in Malaysia when the speaker of the US Congress chose to not table their “so-called and repeal ad replace proposal, regardless of what it is called today”. It could not succeed after two days of tough negotiations; even if based on the “Potus’ art of his deal tactics”.
They claimed that their “repeal and replace bill” would have been tabled on the 7th anniversary of the Obamacare Bill. All noise but little action.
The truth is that such flimsy and petty attitudes or nostalgia have no place in national or public life. Of what importance is it, and to whom really, if the so-called alternative bill was in fact approved on the 7th anniversary of the Obama Bill? Obama will not care, but all the rest of us will; if 24 million Americans lose their healthcare benefits.
Political egomaniacs cannot govern any country any more in this day and age. We are in the age of the Internet-connected-media-driven world of real time information, disinformation and misinformation. Even ‘mis- or dis-’ information cannot be deployed without being found out any more.
After all real politics of governance is not anything like “the entertainment world of Trumpism”. Even the ex-governor of California is never good enough for such; in that worldview.
Policy-making is not entertainment
I worked as a policy-framer in the Administrative and Diplomatic Service of Malaysia called the PTD Service for about 32 years. The job is mainly administrative and becomes policy only by the papers we write or frame for ministers as our bosses.
I worked with one of the best ministers one could work with; Minister Rafidah Aziz, who happened to also be my Universiti Malaya lecturer in first year economics. When I realised that “policy-making was being driven in the wrong direction” after my Industrial Master Plan 2 (IMP2) work, I made a specific complaint to Minister Rafidah.
She then advised me not to fight with the Umno-driven direction of our nation-state. She advised that if I was really serious about it, I should go outside the public service and take on the government of the day. By the grace of God and help of one good friend, I was administratively reposted to the National Information Technology Council (NITC) after the IMP2 became official government policy.
Premised upon my limited but excellent work experience at the International Trade and Industry Ministry, and Minister Rafidah’s “jangan main peranan, tetapi memikul tanggongjawab”; I learnt the following and the same is now my advice to Potus.
- Policy-making is not entertainment; it affect lives and real lives matter;
- Never ‘play a role;’ always assume one;
- Deploy rational analytical models for analysis and undertake 360 degree sensitivity analysis;
- Describe the problem, explain key factors, evaluate real problem, and prescribe requisite solutions;
- Forget the past policy mistakes; learn from them, and use them as steps to walk up the hill.
Only then can one use negotiation skills which one could have learnt from any other field of life.
I rest my case.
KJ JOHN, PhD, was in public service for 32 years having served as a researcher, trainer, and policy adviser to the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the National IT Council (NITC) of the government of Malaysia. The views expressed here are his personal views and not those of any institution he is involved with. Write to him at [email protected] with any feedback or views.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
