NEWS AND OPINION:
President Trump has released a rousing proclamation for Labor Day that reveals his admiration for the nation’s workforce. The declaration is no short sound bite. This proclamation is nine paragraphs long and includes some strategic references to Mr. Trump’s productive labor policies.
“On Labor Day, we celebrate the American worker: the bulwark of our national prosperity and the cornerstone of our national greatness. Since taking office, my administration has sought to restore the obligation of loyalty and allegiance that this nation’s government owes to its workers. In all economic decisions, we believe in our sovereign obligation to defend and protect our country’s workforce, and to seek its economic interests above that of any other country. America’s workers pay our taxes, support our values, serve in our military, raise our children, protect our Constitution, and build our communities. They deserve, in return, the unwavering fidelity of their government,” Mr. Trump noted in his statement.
“Guided by this obligation, my administration has taken historic action to advance prosperity for the American worker: cutting their taxes, eliminating regulations that threaten their jobs, unleashing American energy that powers their lives, restoring American manufacturing, and ending the transfer of wealth out of our country through disastrous trade deals that gutted our industries and our national strength. The result of our pro-America economic policies have been extraordinary: currently, in America, there are a record 162 million people working; initial claims for jobless benefits are at their lowest in half a century; and the unemployment rate of 3.9 percent is historically low,” the president said.
He also reviewed immigration policies that benefit U.S. workers, the new National Council for the American Worker, job-training programs and helpful international-trade negotiations. Mr. Trump also gave a shoutout to unions, advising that the “White House door is always open” to labor organizations and their leaders.
“The dedication, resolve, and pride of the American worker built the greatest country in the history of the world — the envy of nations and the pride of countless millions — and now, we are bringing to life the next great chapter in the history of this magnificent Republic,” the president concluded in his proclamation.
’WHY TRUMP SURVIVES’
Perhaps some journalists believe that if they write the same story over and over, it will come true. That appears to be the case of the “Trump will fail” narrative which has been in place now since President Trump launched his campaign for president June 16, 2015 — over three years ago.
“The litany has been repeated so often that it’s easy to recite: The walls are closing in on Donald Trump, person X or Y or Z is going to bring him down, it’s only a matter of time before he is caught or exposed or loses his base of support and driven from public life. The phrases sound out from our cable channels. We see them in newspaper headlines and in our Twitter timelines. This time Trump has gone too far. The end is near. What is forgotten is that the president has operated in this atmosphere of emergency and crisis and imminent doom since he announced his campaign. No matter how dire the outcry, he moves on. His political standing remains stable,” writes Matthew Continetti, editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon.
Despite press distractions, plus the drama of ongoing legal challenges, Mr. Trump’s approval ratings have not much changed, Mr. Continetti says, citing the influence of a healthy economy plus record-breaking gains in employment, the GDP and the stock market.
“Trump deserves some credit. His pro-business attitude stirs the bulls’ animal spirits. His deregulatory and tax policies contribute to growth,” Mr. Continetti says, noting that negative coverage of Mr. Trump “paradoxically works to his advantage” by prompting his protective fans to up their support.
“Trump survives not only because of the economy but also because of his opposition. He benefits from media bias as well as the lack of a credible Democratic alternative. If Democrats are associated with socialism, abolishing ICE, and single-payer health care, Trump lives to fight another day,” Mr. Continetti observes.
“Nor do Democrats understand that American populism is not simply economic. It is cultural. It has long been associated with traditional values and practices, an unreconstructed patriotism, and support for law and order. No matter how well Democratic proposals might test, the party will not succeed at the national level unless it addresses and mollifies the social concerns of the white working class. Maybe one day they will. Change the economy, the news business, or the Democratic Party, and the president’s in trouble. Until then, Trump will be Trump. And will live to fight another day,” Mr. Continetti concludes.
40% OFF AT THE TRUMP STORE
Pining for, say, a MAGA hat? Just so you know, President Trump’s campaign organization is offering 40 percent off everything in its online store Monday — that includes all apparel, signs, gifts, bumper stickers and other fare.
Just use the code word JOBS at check-out. Find the store under the “Shop” heading at DonaldJTrump.com.
FILM FOR A JUSTICE
Just in time for the start of Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh? Maybe. CNN will hold the television premiere Monday of “RBG,” a documentary film that has been playing in theaters for weeks now and chronicles the “singular legal legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice, and multigenerational pop culture icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
The cable news channel will broadcast the film starting at 9 a.m. EDT on Monday; a companion podcast features a host of CNN personalities including Poppy Harlow and Jeffrey Toobin, along with Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, and Eugene Scalia, son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
The broadcast will also be available to stream live on AppleTV, Roku and other providers, and CNN will rebroadcast it on Sept. 9.
POLL DU JOUR
• 34 percent of Americans say Congress should be controlled by Republicans; 79 percent of Republicans, 26 percent of independents and 3 percent of Democrats agree; 39 percent of men and 29 percent of women also agree.
• 33 percent overall say Congress should be controlled by Democrats; 5 percent of Republicans, 20 percent of independents and 76 percent of Democrats agree; 32 percent of men and 34 percent of women also agree.
• 21 percent overall have “no preference” as to who controls Congress; 8 percent of Republicans, 40 percent of independents and 7 percent of Democrats agree; 18 percent of men and 24 percent of women also agree.
• 12 percent overall say Congress should be “divided between both parties”; 7 percent of Republicans, 14 percent of independents and 14 percent of Democrats agree; 11 percent of men and 13 percent of women also agree.
Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 26-28.
• Have a pleasant and productive Labor Day, and thanks for reading Inside the Beltway.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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