The Trump Effect and the Media’s Response

Dogs Bark in the Night

By Gil Gutknecht

A dog barks in the night, but the caravan rolls on.
Old Persian Proverb

Sometimes we have remind ourselves that he has only been our President since noon January 20th. The Trump effect on our economy began shortly after the long-faced anchors announced what almost everyone else already knew, he won. Most of the overpaid Wall Street experts loudly predicted economic collapse and stock futures promptly dropped 600 points. They were wrong. To her credit, Maria Bartiromo stood against the pack and suggested that this might be the best buying opportunity in a generation. She was right.

Even the stodgy scribes at the Wall Street Journal (who are convinced he's wrong about illegal labor and defending American trade interests) continue to try to talk down the Trump effect. Experts of every stripe growl that a President, much less a President-Elect, cannot jawbone American CEO’s concerning decisions about where to locate plants and invest capital. It is unseemly, counter productive and (God forbid) even too nationalistic. Perhaps. But, the results so far suggest that once again, the experts are wrong.

I seem to recall the hyena chorus of laughter when candidate Trump suggested that Apple start producing iPhones right here in the United States. It doesn't seem so funny now, does it?

The critics say that 5,000 jobs here or a $1 billion plant there are largely symbolic. Maybe so. But, they represent both a trend and a new way of thinking. They also represent hope to millions of forgotten Americans. Gone are the days when our President would simply shrug his shoulders when Big Business shipped thousands of jobs off shore. The new sheriff made that clear ten weeks before he was sworn in. His critics can yap, but most Americans give him fist-pumps.

We are in the very early stages of the Trump effect. He comes into the Presidency with several huge advantages. First, he is fearless. Second, his midnight Tweets notwithstanding, he doesn't really care what his critics say. And finally, he remains grossly underestimated. You combine these factors with the tough negotiating skills he has honed for decades and you have a powerful force striding onto the world stage. The Trump effect will be felt worldwide for decades to come.

Imagine the powerful economic impact of a trillion dollars being repatriated and invested here in the United States. Imagine an American economy with some of the government shackles and taxes removed. Imagine releasing our economy's animal instincts by simply allowing pipelines and other infrastructure projects to be permitted and actually get built. No pun intended, this is not a pipe dream. It is part and parcel of the Trump effect and it used to be an important part of the American Dream.

The Trump effect is being felt world-wide. Our trading partners are already expressing a willingness to renegotiate some of our trade agreements. From Mexico to NATO, world leaders are awakening to the awareness that the free ride at our expense is over. The pampered pooches at the United Nations will come to understand that biting our ankles and expecting us to simply smile and pay their bar tab will soon be a fond memory. And if they've been paying attention, radical Islamic terrorists now know that the new commander in chief has abandoned the amorphous term, War on Terror. He has clearly identified the real enemy and he plans to destroy them.

I suspect the packs of jackals on the Left will continue to prance and howl. The angry marches, demonstrations and looting are about all they have to contribute. The panting press will breathlessly report and justify their every grievance. The barking and yapping may grow louder and even more shrill. But let there be no doubt, the Trump caravan rolls on.

Gil Gutknecht is a former six term Congressman (R) from Minnesota. He now advises several companies on communications and government relations. He lives with his wife Mary in Rochester, MN.