Beware! Trump May Actually Accomplish a Couple of Things

      Let’s examine where we stand:

•       We have a president, an administration, so bad for the country and bad for our democracy that our main desire is to see them fail with sufficient consequence and clarity that they will lose any election that they are willing to allow.

•       And, so far, our ill-wishes for the current regime appear likely to come true. Donald Trump’s huge—I’m smarter than the economists—tariffs, seem to be on their way to contributing to the economic phenomenon Americans like less than any other save mass unemployment: inflation. And the effort to bring such inflation under control likely will also lead to an increase in unemployment, to a recession.

•       That will hurt us and hurt some people more vulnerable than us, but it seems worth it to rid the country of the tyrant and save the oldest continuing democracy on earth.

       But we have to consider the possibility that Trump’s assumption of dictatorial powers will enable him occasionally to accomplish something that works.

After all, Mussolini did manage to make improvements in the Italian railroad system, though it was not that hard to improve, since it had been wrecked in the First World War.

      And Trump—with foolish and destructive characters like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Dr. Oz  cheering him on—actually may have accomplished something good the other day: lowering drug costs for some Americans.

      No doubt there will be rewards in it for Trump’s rich friends. No doubt little of the savings will filter down to the poor.

      Of course, the president managed to work in something to further the every-expanding cult of personality: A government website from which people can buy drugs directly from manufacturers will be called—have you no shame, Mr. President—"TrumpRx.”