Leubsdorf: Undoing the New Deal

Mostly, the president seemed focused on replaying and embellishing his victory in last November’s election, proclaiming “America is back.” He devoted more of the record-long, 100-minute speech to hot-button political issues and patriotic jingoism than to his legislative agenda, other than a plea for more tax cuts.

In an exaggeration that was stunning even by Trump standards, he declared “it has been stated by many” that his start has been “the most successful in the history of our nation.” He said only George Washington’s was comparable, ignoring the period most historians regard as the most dynamic presidential beginning, the 100 days in which Roosevelt issued 99 executive orders and, with Congress, enacted 77 laws to tackle the depression he inherited.

Besides its immediate impact, Roosevelt’s New Deal set the example for future presidents to expand the federal government’s role in stimulating the economy, regulating business, providing services and aiding the jobless. His underlying theory was that the Great Depression showed that individual Americans need help from the federal government, and the country’s well-being requires greater regulation of private enterprise.

During Roosevelt’s presidency, a Republican minority unsuccessfully resisted his proposals as beyond the federal government’s constitutional role. Ever since, GOP presidents — notably Ronald Reagan — sought in varied ways to cut back the expansive federal role.

Most were minimally successful, at best slowing government’s growth. The president who caused the biggest recent cutback in the bureaucracy — and the last to balance the budget — was a Democrat, Bill Clinton. His administration implemented a gradual reduction through attrition and buyouts that cut 377,000 federal jobs in seven years.

By contrast, Trump is using a campaign ostensibly against “unelected bureaucrats” to slash programs. Abroad, he is backing away from a commitment to free trade and the Western alliance, which also dates back to Roosevelt’s presidency.

Through billionaire supporter Elon Musk’s extra-governmental “Department of Government Efficiency,” Trump has cut or suspended agriculture climate control projects, education programs, medical research, disaster relief, public health guidance, veterans’ health benefits, and programs regulating the environment and business, enforcing equal opportunity and other civil rights, and helping individual veterans and taxpayers.

Republican lawmakers have not yet confronted the legislation needed to codify Musk’s reductions, make permanent Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, and add his new 2024 campaign proposals to end taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits. These will almost certainly require sharp cuts in Medicaid, which provides health care coverage for millions of Americans, cuts that Trump says he opposes but did not mention. First, however, Congress needs to extend government funding by March 14 — or face the first shutdown since Trump was last in office.

A major complication is that the Democrats want language to ensure he will spend the funds being appropriated — rather than unilaterally withhold them. Republicans oppose that but will likely need Democratic votes to keep the government open, given their narrow majorities.

Though Trump has so far governed mainly by presidential fiat, Congress can ratify, revise or prevent what he is doing. The outcome will not only determine the GOP’s short-term fate — but also Trump’s long-term impact.