America’s new CEO

President Trump’s critics are finding it difficult to stay focused following a flurry of actions taken by the new American CEO.

In just the first two working days of the new administration, the president has signed an executive order withdrawing from the negotiating process of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), aligning him with socialist independent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who broke with former President Obama over the agreement. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama oppose withdrawal. Strange bedfellows, indeed.

Trump has also reinstated the Mexico City Policy, which bars taxpayer dollars from going to non-government organizations that promote or perform abortions. In addition, House Republicans say they will move to make the Hyde Amendment, which prevents the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions, except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape, permanent. They’re also to cut off federal funds from Planned Parenthood.

On Tuesday, Trump signed another executive order to advance the Keystone XL and Dakota pipelines. The Obama administration and environmental groups had opposed both projects, claiming they would harm the environment and contribute to America’s reliance on fossil fuels. Until alternative fuels are sufficiently available to replace fossil fuels, we should use what we have and wean ourselves totally from Middle East oil.

Taking a page from Abraham Lincoln and his “team of rivals,” Trump met Monday not only with a group of business executives, but also with union heads, who had endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Trump told both groups he wants to create jobs, especially for the middle class. The union heads came out of the meeting in support of the president’s goal. When was the last time you can recall a union leader praising a Republican president?

It’s a new day for the media, too. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, signaled on Monday that the relationship between the White House and media is changing. Left-of-center mainstream media journalists, who are accustomed to being granted the first several questions in all press briefings, will no longer enjoy preferential treatment. Spicer announced that he would provide access via Skype to journalists working for news organizations “who may not have the convenience or funding to travel to Washington.” These changes mean the public might actually get useful information.

He believes—rightly—that in the past Republicans have been intimidated by Democrats and their media friends and cowered when criticized.

In the early days of this administration, President Trump has shown he intends to follow through on his campaign promises. He believes—rightly—that in the past Republicans have been intimidated by Democrats and their media friends and cowered when criticized.

There will be more changes to come, including a nominee to the Supreme Court, action on school choice, which allows poor kids to escape failing schools, a new and more successful approach to fighting terrorism, and immigration reform that, for starters, expels criminal aliens, properly vets those coming into the country, and significantly reduces the flow of illegal immigrants. Who knows, we might even get a credible foreign policy that puts American interests first and no longer tries to impose American values on nations that have no foundation in democracy or religious and political pluralism.

So far, so good.

Listen to Cal Thomas’ commentary on the Jan. 26 edition of The World and Everything in It.