Law, Policy and Trump

Law, Policy and Trump

One of the problems some of us have as we write on current affairs is the Trump factor. Most people I talk to do not like him. Or perhaps ,better said, many of them ‘hate’ him. This then colours their view of his policies . This includes how these people view immigration, for example.

Many very reasonable people would under ‘normal’ circumstances view illegality as wrong . But now under Trump the many illegal immigrants entering the US is somehow seen as OK and that illegality in immigration should take a back seat to other more social considerations. Many cities in the US have policies welcoming illegal immigrants , especially in California. Of course, people who adhere to this approach ignore the many thousands of illegal acts committed every day that remain illegal and for which punishment is dispensed without the same social or other considerations. Ever since societies have formed law makers have grappled with the concept that all laws must be equally applied ; otherwise the equality sought in law making per se becomes compromised . And what then?

Is it alright for some law breakers to be treated less harshly then other law breakers depending on the law that has been broken? Can a society continue to prosper democratically in such a condition?

In other areas of policy things can become really muddled’.

Take trade.

Almost everyone who studies world affairs would advocate that free trade is a good thing.

However, things become ‘interesting ‘when one begins to define the idea as we apply it to real life situations . China, for example, has not had as open an economy as say the US . The CEO Magazine rankings and the World Bank study of ease of doing business confirm this as do many other reliable studies. But in the age of Trump and how he is disliked his trade policies that attempt to re balance an unfair relationship ( nurtured by many of his predecessors and other western countries) is seen as disastrous.

A third area of policy is in the Iran relationship. Trump is harshly criticized for leaving the cozy agreement on nuclear weapons although it only delays Iran’s nuclear program; this sees the west co-operate with the the world’s chief sponsor of terrorism as it spreads its tentacles in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen and publicly seeking the destruction of Israel. Most western countries are willing to overlook all this in the quest of economic interests in this rogue state and likely their dislike of Trump.

These are three examples whose sober discussion become entangled in emotion and personal dislike and likely in the long run undermine a rational approach to important law and international policy leading to less open societies not less of them. Freedom House has documented that the last thirteen years have seen a decline in the level of democracy world wide. Something is wrong and perhaps rational discussion of major issues could be one of the causes.