Democratic Donald has returned

What’s next for the new Democrat in the White House? Will Donald Trump propose expansion of social programs, cuts to defense and announce his intention to support a government health care program that would provide universal coverage for all under the government’s supervision with a single-payer system? And then perhaps he’ll make public his intention to appoint Barack Obama to the U.S. Supreme Court.

What’s got Republican leaders flummoxed is that Trump this week made a deal with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling and pass a spending bill while tying those actions to hurricane relief. Trump spoke cordially of his pact with “Chuck and Nancy,” meaning Sen. Charles Shumer, the Senate Democratic leader, and Nancy Pelosi, the House leader of Democrats. Republican leaders were also at the meeting, but Trump told reporters about the deal aboard Air Force One without mentioning Sen. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Reports had McConnell and Ryan surprised, but apparently resigned to Trump’s sudden deal-making.

Trump, a former Democrat, can be mercurial, to put it mildly, and this action smacked of the old deal-maker wanting to get something done quickly for a change. His maneuver won’t stop partisan bickering, but it may calm the political waters for a while, as the debt ceiling and spending bill issues threatened a Capitol Hill epic fuss. (Republican leaders have trouble with their tea party members on those issues.)

Of course, perhaps Trump’s just decided to become a Democrat. Nooooo ... that would never ... would it?

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 9:04 AM with the headline "Democratic Donald has returned."