If past in America is prologue, hold the cheers for change. Expect business as usual to continue, perhaps disguised by Trump’s unorthodox way of communicating – for how long before supporters catch on, switching allegiance if they feel betrayed.

Behind the scenes, he’s already facing enormous pressure to maintain continuity, some wiggle room granted him the way it is for all US leaders.

In case he forgets, perhaps a manipulated Wall Street crash and/or 9/11-type false flag will steer him back on the track deep state power brokers demand.

America is run for its privileged few alone, most others exploited, suffering hugely under neoliberal harshness, their tax dollars increasingly going for militarism, warmaking and corporate handouts. Expecting Trump to come to their rescue is like waiting for Godot.

His jobs creation promise rings hollow. Business largely creates them, not government. FDR’s programs to put unemployed Americans back to work didn’t end the Great Depression. It took WW II to achieve full employment.

It’s doubtful Trump has global war in mind as a jobs creation program. His views on Russia and Syria are encouraging – promising normalized relations with Putin, wanting Washington and Moscow allied against ISIS.

He now gets the same daily intelligence briefing given Obama. He knows America created and supports virtually all terrorist groups in the Middle East and elsewhere. So-called moderate rebels in Syria don’t exist.

Will he change longstanding US policy, combat Pentagon/CIA supported foot soldiers, defy Wall Street and other powerful interests – risking a JFK ending to his presidency, a short tenure before his demise?

Or will he maintain continuity like all pre-and-post Kennedy presidents? They’re mostly establishment front figures, not independent leaders pursuing their own agendas, regardless of what longstanding entrenched interests want.

Trump held no previous government positions, the first US leader to come from its private sector with no public experience.

If generals like Washington, Jackson and Eisenhower transitioned easily from military to government leadership, why not Trump as effectively after heading a private business enterprise – working closely with public officials successfully.

He won’t enter office for weeks. Judge him after he begins governing and once he announces who’ll fill cabinet and other top administration posts.

Expect him to reward loyalists, eschewing opponents. Names mentioned for key positions so far aren’t encouraging – including for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senator Jeff Sessions, former Goldman Sachs investment banker Steven Mnuchin, and General Mike Flynn, among others.

Even neocon former GW Bush UN envoy John Bolton is apparently being considered for Secretary of State – a controversial recess appointment, resigning less than 18 months later because he’d unlikely win Senate confirmation.

If Trump continues imperial wars instead of ending them, is less conciliatory with Russia than promised, and appoints dirty business as usual figures to top administration posts, he’ll likely end up as reviled by supporters as opponents.

Hopefully he’ll surprise and deliver more than critics like myself expect. I’ll support any positive changes he makes for the betterment of all Americans and world peace.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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