*45th POTUS Donald Trump – Page 78

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned on July 5, 2018, keeping Team Trump in the lead for the number of White House staff departures. Though Pruitt is resigning amid numerous scandals in which he figures, some who know Pruitt hold him up as a “man of God.” Scott Pruitt, a Southern Baptist evangelical Christian, himself claims to believe that God put him in the position to serve Donald Trump. His resignation letter, full of references to “blessing” Trump, says as much. Below is a portion of the letter.

“My desire in service to you has always been to bless you as you make important decisions for the. American people. I believe you are serving as president today because of God’s providence. I believe the same providence brought me into your service. I pray as I have served you that I have blessed you and enabled you to effectively lead the American people.”

Scott Pruitt’s career has focused largely on faith-based issues. As a young attorney, he worked for the Rutherford Institute, a non-profit conservative organization. His first legal case was a lawsuit against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for alleged infringement on the religious freedoms of his client.

Citing the “transformative work” taking place under Trump’s leadership, and with himself as head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt went on to say, “However, the unrelenting attacks on me personally, my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us.”

It has been a theme of late, especially during the advent of the Trump administration, for evangelicals to say that they are misunderstood, discriminated against for their beliefs, and even persecuted. No doubt, in the days to come, there will be a faction of evangelicals who rush to Pruitt’s defense, citing “persecution.”

Sometimes, allegations of “attacks” on one’s beliefs, or of the denial of religious freedom, are warranted. And yet, when one is associated with as much corruption as is Scott Pruitt, can anyone really say that the pressure on him to resign, and the subsequent widespread relief at his doing so, is “religious persecution”?

Scott Pruitt is the subject of over a dozen ethics investigations, which will continue despite his stepping down. Below are just a few examples of recent allegations against Scott Pruitt:

Pruitt used taxpayer money for personal items, including using $3,230 to purchase personalized journals and pens at $130 each from a luxury jewelry store.
Pruitt accepted gifts and favors from, and hobnobbed with, people in industries he was supposed to regulate, including the coal industry, the National Mining Association, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
An EPA whistleblower reported that Scott Pruitt and some of his staff kept a secret calendar for meetings that were possibly controversial, such as those with industry officials. This violates federal laws against hiding or falsifying public records.

It would be interesting to know what goes on in the mind of anyone who considers himself to be a “servant of God,” yet knowingly commits not one or two, but an ongoing series of plainly unethical acts. What does Scott Pruitt tell himself, and how does he reconcile “godly servanthood” with his corruptness?

Key Trump ally Scott Pruitt forced to resign | Al Jazeera English [2018-07-06]

Scott Pruitt resigns from the White House amid negative allegations: report | Fox Business [2018-07-05]

The Trump administration has revived a trade practice that has been largely out of favor since World War II: the tariff. Imported metals from U.S. allies Canada, Mexico, and the European Union (EU) will carry tariffs of 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum. It seems likely that the Trump administration did not fully think through the range of impact these tariffs will have. It wouldn’t be surprising if the administration’s thinking were along the lines of something as simplistic as “So don’t buy any steel or aluminum products.”

But Americans will not be able to avoid the broad impact that the tariffs on steel and aluminum will have. Since steel and aluminum imports will be more expensive, so will the products that contain components made of these metals. Appliances, automobiles, and airplanes will likely be more expensive, as will construction products such as pipes, culverts, wire, and beams. The food industry will also be impacted as cans, packaging, and cookware are likely to be more costly.

Though it’s true that American companies could choose not to use imported steel or aluminum and use only domestic-made metals, we don’t know yet whether American manufacturers can currently supply all of the aluminum and steel that we import.

Even if the American metal industry can meet all of the domestic need for steel and aluminum, costs are likely to rise. With the reduced threat of foreign price competition, American manufacturers could raise their prices.

If American companies do continue to import steel and aluminum and pay the tariffs, their costs will increase. This will result in less profitability, which could force them to raise prices on goods, eliminate jobs, reduce operations, or all of these.

The tariffs on steel and aluminum are likely to cause American stocks to suffer, as well, as Wall Street fears trade wars and the potential loss of profits. When the tariffs were announced, the Dow plunged 252 points, the S&P 500 lost 0.7%, and Nasdaq lost 0.2%.

Earlier in 2018, Trump tweeted, “When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win…Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore — we win big. It’s easy!”

Trump appears to think that the U.S. will win this trade war. The evidence, however, as supported by most economists, points to the likelihood that with tariffs such as those on steel and aluminum, it’s Americans who will lose.

Chamber of Commerce launching campaign against Trump tariffs | Fox Business [2018-07-02]

Steel CEOs Push for Waivers From Trump’s Tariff | Seattle Times [2018-07-02]

Category: *45th POTUS Donald Trump

Scott Pruitt Resigns from “Transformative Work”

How Trump’s Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Could Affect Americans