Mistakes and Miscalculations

This evening's news is not to count Donald Trump out from recovering from "mistakes and miscalculations." The story is from CNN.

The trouble with the story is the premise about Trump having overcome adversity in the past to live to fight and cheat again. While many Presidents have had rough spots and troubles that they had to overcome, only a few have been caught while engaged in criminal behavior.

As a journalist and analyst, I am not in the business of forgiving illegalities of any kind from the President or any other public servant. While in government, representatives are the standard bearers for the rule of law. If politicians compromise that, then the system is doomed.

What has the public witnessed unequivocally from Donald Trump that should preclude his being President?

• Trump defrauded students of Trump University.
• Trump used funds from a nonprofit organization to pay for his private enterprise activities.
• Trump has failed to come clean in complying with the Emolument Statute.
• Trump committed Misprision of Fraud in covering for Michael Flynn.
• Trump created and issued Executive Orders banning immigration that have three times been struck down by the courts for their being illegally and maliciously motivated to discriminate by religion.
• Trump lied when he said that he had the Obamacare replacement legislation ready as soon as Tim Price was approved as HHS Director.
• Trump continues to use Mar-a-Lago, his private club as a gate for giving access by wealthy members and to dodge transparency.
• Trump lied when he said that he had no business with Russians.
• Trump violated nepotism laws by hiring members of his family to serve on his staff.
• Trump made false allegations against former President Obama that were slanderous and a violation of the law.

A President who does those things among other alleged crimes including rape and sexual assault should hold no position in public office.

CNN got this story analysis wrong.

Don't count President Trump out just yet

By Julian Zelizer
Updated 5:53 PM ET, Sat April 1, 2017 

(CNN)It would be a big mistake to count President Trump out too soon. Although he has experienced a difficult two months, it is important to remember that other presidents have survived incredibly rocky starts and gone on to enjoy two-terms. 

Without question, President Trump has been making an enormous number of serious mistakes and miscalculations. He has allowed his political capital to go out the window with sloppily crafted executive orders banning refugees, by badly mishandling the negotiations over repealing the Affordable Care Act, and by making almost no progress on the legislative front." 

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/31/opinions/dont-count-trump-out-zelizer/index.html

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