Days of Change

The Courts

Of the big automakers, Ford is jumping on the Trump bandwagon, using this new “Made in America” fervor to announce a new plant in the US. GM went the other way, getting the wrath of Donald Trump for building one version (making up 3%) of a domestic auto line in Mexico. As Trump keeps poking at businesses over manufacturing outside of the US, some are going to poke back.

Unlike Reagan, who had the House for 0 years of his presidency, Trump starts out with a Congress that is willing to work with him when it suits them. There’s also a good chance that he will have a Supreme Court justice at some point, even though the Democrats did leave filibustering on the table for that confirmation. How will the courts deal with a Trump agenda?

Name someone Donald Trump has backed down from. How about Judge Gonzalo Curiel? After a brief burst about Curiel being biased against him in the Trump University case and some blow back in the press, Trump said he would not comment on the judge further. After the election, a settlement of around $25 million was offered. Judges have wide discretion and getting on one’s bad side can put you in serious jeopardy. Just look at Trump’s former Apprentice colleague, Martha Stewart.

Replacing Antonin Scalia cannot possibly make SCOTUS any more conservative than when he was on the court. Many of the Circuit Courts are still pretty liberal and new administration plans could be blocked for years to come. Unlike Trump’s lawsuits with people having far less net worth, he’ll face legislators with power and experience. Washington requires a whole new art of the deal.