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In Our View: Does He Mean What he Says?

Trump’s rhetoric suggests policies that would be damaging to Northwest

The Columbian
Published: November 15, 2016, 6:03am

What will a Donald Trump presidency look like for Washington? As numerous pollsters and pundits learned last week, the future often is unpredictable. But as we gaze into our crystal ball, we see many policies espoused by the president-elect that will be damaging to this part of the country.

For starters, Trump’s campaign rhetoric made it clear that he is opposed to international trade agreements. That includes the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership, an accord between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries that includes provisions regarding tariffs, environmental regulations, and labor standards. With Washington being the most trade-dependent state in the country, we believe the TPP would further open foreign markets and further enhance Washington’s economy; this view is not universal, with many residents, particularly labor unions, opposing the trade accord.

Trump’s isolationist economic policy seems predicated upon an philosophy that stretches credulity: A belief that the United States can bring back manufacturing jobs that have been lost. What is mentioned not frequently enough is that many of those jobs no longer exist, having been replaced by increased automation and improved efficiency, and that no specific economic policy can make them return.

Trump’s philosophy (it should be noted that Hillary Clinton also has spoken against the TPP) appealed to a large percentage of his constituency, tapping into the frustration of blue-collar workers who feel they are receiving an ever-shrinking share of the pie. But suggesting that shrinking the pie is the best way to appease those workers flies in the face of logic. Rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and a policy of economic isolationism will be particularly damaging to Washington. Trump and his supporters are longing for a 1950s economy while being loathe to acknowledge that the world is a much different place these days. Then again, as noted, you never know.

Meanwhile, there are other policies supported by Trump that will have an impact upon Washington state. One is reflected in his statement that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by China. This claim might have appealed to middle America, where environmental concerns often are greeted with disdain, but it is anathema to many Washingtonians. The depth of Trump’s beliefs on this subject is driven home by the fact that Sarah Palin has been mentioned as a possible selection for secretary of the interior or energy secretary. Palin’s desire to throw environmental policy back to the Stone Age should disqualify her, as should her inability to string together a coherent sentence.

Trump also has promised to scuttle the Affordable Care Act. Unlike most states, Washington has demonstrated an ability to provide health care for its most vulnerable citizens. From the late 1980s until 2014, when it gave way to Obamacare, the state’s Basic Health Plan proved an effective and efficient way to provide for residents.

And Trump has hinted at a more interventionist military, saying, “I know more about ISIS than the generals do.” We will quickly dismiss that statement as narcissistic hyperbole, but a more active military would impact thousands of Washington families, particularly those connected with Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma.

It will take time to decipher between empty promises and deep conviction when it comes to a Donald Trump presidency. On many levels his rhetoric would appear to embrace policies harmful to Washington — but you never know.

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