Is Trump simply a vehicle for various agendas?

**Amadeus** · 10-15-2017, 10:24 AM

There are leaders who genuinely lead and push forward a unifying agenda (e.g. how Obama unified the liberals and moderate centrists). Obama's political power and success largely resided with him, such that it could not be transferred to anyone else (much to Hillary's chagrin).

And then there are leaders who are simply empty vehicles for various agendas. For example, Bush II was a vehicle to a great extent. Although he was a far better human being and an intellectual colossus compared to Trump, he was played by the neocons. At the time, the neocons were the brains of the Republican party and they drove through an agenda they'd been plotting since the 1990s (removing Saddam), as detailed in the PNAC. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, etc., were analogous to Bannon for their agenda. With Trump, we are in a worse situation. Trump has the intellect and mentality of a child, and is less knowledgeable about world events than Bush II. Plus, he's almost certainly a sociopath who is bereft of empathy and the various qualities of a functioning human being.

Bannon almost openly admits that he is/was using Trump, and the Republicans are CLEARLY holding their noses, mouths, eyes, and are breathing through their remaining orifices to pass their agenda (tax cuts for the rich and deregulation). Bannon was often credited as the true president, because he was able to whisper in Trump's ear both personally and through multiple agents. When Bannon left, he said that the presidency is effectively over, which is kinda hitting the nail of this thread on the head.

The problem is, when these agendas fail -- such as with Appeal and Replace, and inevitably tax reform (wait for it!) -- what is left? Bannon is running his agenda in spite of Trump, and often pulling Trump's voters away from him. Trump tries to throw them a bone every once in a while, and Bannon takes that bone and adds it to his pile. The power resides with Bannon when it comes to the nationalist agenda, not with Trump. And if the agenda and power resides with Bannon, then Trump is actually a pawn and not a player.