A Lazy Leader
A Lazy Leader
July 6, 2025 | 514 words | Politics
The one thing Donald Trump has always had going for him since he first announced his desire to be President in 2015 was his energy. He presentation may have always been spur of the moment kooky, but there was no denying the man’s drive.
In recent weeks I think I notice that energy starting to wan, as he seems to have put on a little weight and is lumbering a bit more than usual when he walks. His face seems to be showing a few tell-tale signs of aging, as the stress of the office is wont to do. In this case a lack of exercise and the poor diet Mr. Trump is reported to favor obviously doesn’t help.
Ronald Reagan was criticized for taking naps in the afternoon when he was in office. But maybe if you get to be 79 years old as Trump is now, and you are fool hardy enough to try and be leader of the free world, you probably should take a nap each day.
Though it is not Mr. Trump’s physical condition I refer to when I describe him as a lazy leader. It is his demonstrated lack of interest in pursuing policy initiatives with any sort of intellectual discipline, any sort of mental rigor.
As many have noted, during his first term the worst instincts of a political novice were restrained by the Republican establishment, since his surprise win propelled him into uncharted territory. This time around, again as many have noted, he has ascended the throne with what might be described as a mildly maniacal kind of glee. He is calling all the shots, to be sure, but is coming across as a thoroughly unrestrained Yosemite Sam, firing off his six-guns at will, with little rhyme or reason.
Take Mr. Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” that just passed both houses of Congress in record time. It’s being touted as a big win for the President, even though it passed by razor thin margins. And even though it’s also being called incoherent in some quarters, since it is expected to bring in far less revenue than many experts think is necessary, while generating little additional growth and still yielding tax savings for the rich.
It includes a few populist-leaning tax cuts cooked up on the campaign trail, while extending the 2017 cuts and larding in a few more corporate friendly provisions for good measure. To make up for the anticipated loss in revenue that will create massive deficits, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is calling for what amounts to steep budget cuts that will to cause millions of the neediest Americans to lose health insurance and food benefits.
The quick passage has given President Trump an extra spring in his step, just in time for his Fourth of July victory lap appearances. But early polls indicate the electorate is skeptical. Let’s see what happens between now and the mid-terms. My bet is more than a few Trump voters will decide they’ve had enough by then, frustrated by the inherent contradictions and the lazy approach to leadership.
Robert J. Cavanaugh, Jr.
bobcavjr@gmail.com