Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
One of the world’s richest men, Bill Gates, has two unique insights about the richest person ever to win the presidency, Donald Trump.
Mr. Gates astutely observes Mr. Trump was not elected “for specific policies” but for his “kind of leadership.” The tech icon also believes Mr. Trump has a message reminiscent of President John F. Kennedy.
Mr. Gates made his observations in an interview with Business Insider.
The two leaders have talked on the telephone and later met at Trump Tower to discuss Mr. Gates’ initiative on clean energy and climate change.
Mr. Gates said he had “a lot of fascination” with the “new directions” of the country under the Trump Administration.
“… in the same way that President Kennedy talked about the space mission and got the country behind that — I think that whether it’s education or stopping epidemics, other health breakthroughs, finishing polio, and in this energy space — there can be a very upbeat message that his administration is going to organize things, get rid of regulation barriers, and have American leadership through innovation be on of the things that he gets behind,” he explained.
Mr. Gates also told CNBC “there can be a very upbeat message” in the Trump Administration. But on trade he won’t want to get into a tariff “tit for tat” with China.
“You know, a lot of his message has been about things where he sees things not as good as he’d like,” Mr. Gates also told Business Insider.
Indeed, Mr. Trump has to deal with the world as it finds it, not as his opponents think it should be.
To accomplish his feats in business negotiations, Mr. Trump traditionally has taken a hard position – then he’s been able to pull his opponents closer to his philosophical positions.
He’s now using his patented negotiating style in foreign policy.
Even if it upsets people – foreign policy experts, Democrats and Chinese leaders – he doesn’t hesitate to talk with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen or comment on China’s currency manipulations.
New direction
Why? He knows America needs a true reset – a new direction.
The U.S. has promoted free trade, democratic values and nation-building for decades. It worked for a while. But it hasn’t in recent decades whether it’s been in the Middle East, through NAFTA or allowing China to participate in the World Trade Organization.
Yes, America has failed in spreading democratic values, free-market ideals and in nation-building.
Hence, Mr. Gates astutely observed many Americans want Mr. Trump’s leadership style. They’re sick and tired of the oppressive burdens from the failed promises of globalization and unregulated immigration.
An entitlement attitude has swept America. Federal data shows 7 million men – aged 25 to 54 – aren’t participating in the workforce and it isn’t always because of a lack of job openings.
Actually, we’re also seeing the attitude change in other countries from the UK in departing from the EU via Brexit, and the recent Italian elections. Unemployment in Europe, especially with Millennials, has skyrocketed.
Religious radicalism
Religious radicalism is a growing worldwide issue. Spreading from the Middle East, it’s led to terrorism in the EU and the U.S.
Mr. Trump is aware that China doesn’t want to engage in true free trade. China has been manipulating its currency, stealing or extorting intellectual capital of foreign investors, and has been building up its military for dubious reasons.
Since the presidency of Jimmy Carter and in the decades since, the U.S. has been committed to a “One China” policy regarding Taiwan and China has been unchallenged as it’s become increasingly aggressive.
President Obama has been equally weak in this regard. He’s also been mistaken in his approach to the Philippines. He had the ill-advised temerity to lecture President Rodrigo Duterte on how he handles the drug epidemic.
So there’s little wonder Presidents Duterte and Tsai Ing-wen have reached out to Mr. Trump.
Undaunted in order to rescue American economic and security interests, Mr. Trump knows China’s compulsive behavior in violating norms in international commerce isn’t likely to improve without the U.S. taking a brave new approach.
This is in line with his approach on illegal immigration to protect America. He will enforce our southern border and impose “extreme vetting” to screen out immigrants who are hostile to traditional American values.
Mr. Gates is right. Many Americans want Mr. Trump’s “kind of leadership.”
From the Coach’s Corner, here relevant public-policy articles:
Analysis: Trump’s Vision to Fix Trade Deficit, Create Jobs — Donald Trump acts positively: Americans are tired of the reign of politically correct terror, the movement for income redistribution, and the massive loss of good-paying jobs.
2 Democrat Presidents Provide Lessons for Obama in Terrorism — Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, both Democrats, won wide respect for their handling of monster threats to America. Plus, both presidents did not hesitate to identify the enemies, call them out on their lies, and to take decisive action. Why President Obama’s political correctness threatens America’s free-enterprise system.
7 Capitalism Principles for Economic Growth, Prosperity — Employers are discouraged from hiring largely because of uncertainty created by public policies. That includes uncertainty – created by ObamaCare – in costs and taxes.
5 Attributes of Leadership Are Needed Now — With all the dysfunction in the economy and the debate over healthcare, Seattle Consultant Terry Corbell calls for leadership. He says the late President Ford, whom he covered as a journalist, leaves a remarkable legacy of leadership with healthy attributes for businesspeople and public officials to emulate.
“When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
-Ronald Reagan
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