This was also published on Amerika.org previously.
Politics is like martial arts. Each style of politician has his own set of strengths and weaknesses, just like a martial artist does. In order to win the fight it is necessary to adapt the style to the situation. Because each style has its own flaws it is therefor necessary to be trained in more than one style.
The campaign was not a traditional political contest. Rather it was a brutal slugfest Kumite, like in the movie Bloodsport. With the Clinton mafia graft machine on one side, and an awesome superhero corporate patriot tycoon extraordinaire on the other it was an extended no holds barred match, which took many side casualties along the way.
The full on brawns and brains direct balls out left-right-left-right straight punch attack that worked for Trump during the campaign so effectively has served him poorly as president. During the election he was known to counter-punch. In fact, Trump was respectful to Clinton until she went low in the election first, at which point he suggested he was ‘taking his gloves off’, and he decided to ‘hit her in the pussy’ (just kidding). That strategy allowed him to see what attacks were going to be thrown at him and then to knock their lights out. It got to where Hilary feinted even. That’s how psyched out he had her.
Since the election Trump went in guns blazing for conservative causes. He initiated the Muslim travel ban off the bat. That faced BS but resolute left wing judicial activist denial so far. He should get more credit for having pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement, the Supreme Court appointment, handling of the floods, and the debt ceiling extension.
But he is not getting any credit , and that’s because by punching first on so many issues and swinging for the fence he hasn’t gotten as much done as if he had shadowed the opponent at first and then wore them down incrementally, or gotten what he could from the opposition before antagonizing them.
Here is how a counter punch strategy would have worked better. The Dems want an infrastructure bill and a corporate earnings repatriation bill, which both would be good for conservatives too. Trump knows infrastructure and about corporate finance and taxation better than anyone.
That should have been the first thing passed. Think of this like you are in a fight and are a good ground fighter. Your opponent wants you to fight on the ground. Go to the ground then. This happens in the UFC where a good grappler like BJ Penn refuses in his older years to take opponents like Diaz down to the ground, because he is making wrong assumptions about his opponent. He ends up losing a fight he could have won.
Trump also should have counter-punched on the Muslim travel ban rather than having initiated. Since the election there have been many opportune times to have initiated the travel ban. For instance, just this week some terrorist asshole ran people over in NYC. Had Trump waited to impose the travel ban for the right moment, the leftist stay of appeal would have had less sympathizers. This is a little bit like jiu-jitsu where you don’t use force against force. That’s not efficient. Sometimes you let them advance while you get off to the side or the back where you can apply a choke. The opponent must think they are winning, or they will not risk anything. When they get arrogant, that’s when you hit them. It worked with the Clintons, it can work with the Dems and the Deep State too.
Trump also jumped the gun with the Comey /Deep state/FBI conflict. By firing Comey at the advice of his lousy advisors like Jared Kushner he stepped into a Democrat ambush. Had Trump been a more patient fighter public outrage over the abuses of power by the FBI would have led to Congressional investigations of Comey rather than special counsel investigation of the pres. Some of these strategic problems were created when instead of picking his most ardent supporters like Giuliani, Christie, Stone, Kudlow, Gingrich, etc – he appointed inexperienced and later cling-ons such Priebus and the like. He needs to focus on being a patient fighter.
At this point Trump needs to understand that the government is like mafia and he is in a virtual Best of the Best (part two) competition where Wayne Newton says “Rules? What rules? There are no rules?? Ha Ha Ha!” When you go into this type of tournament it doesn’t matter who you ‘like’. It matters who is experienced and who kicks liberal ass with professional subtlety. Gingrich has always been a proven fighter. Christie is an asshole, yet will lift a toll bridge on the opposition and resort to the dirtiest of fighting tactics, and that’s good in my view. Gingrich and Christie were prosecutors. They know the swamp traps to avoid. And Stone is like a covert sniper from Uncommon Valor. Kudlow has the economic balls to live or die with supply side ad stand by Trump through thick or thin. He is the Die Hard economist, and needs to be in the cabinet.
Its time to assemble the martial arts team. Use a combination of political jiu jitsu (soft fighting where we wait for opportunities – for maximum efficiency) and dirty boxing counterfighting. The goal should be to incrementally and opportunistically wear down our political opponents. This is not a ten second bar-fight. It is the first term of an eight year reign of victory.