Trump or Pence?

Let us start with the assumption that Donald Trump is more then somewhat less than optimal as a president. That seems not an unreasonable assumption. Just review mentally his actions and statements of the last week or so. There are rumors that he is getting more and more dysfunctional and it is probably stress related. It is probably reasonable to assume that occasionally his delusional cloud parts and he recognizes the nearly overwhelming amount of criticism and disapproval he receives. If Trump work to be removed by impeachment or by operation of the 25th amendment of the Constitution you would be replaced by Mike Pence. That provokes me to consider which of the two non-optimal choices I would prefer period

First let's consider Trump. He is ignorant incompetent, either lying or delusional and a real jerk. In most of Trump's public appearances Pence stands loyally behind him with this sort of frozen solemn look on his face, nodding with approval at Trump's statements. Trumps foreign-policy strategy, if you could call it that, is probably they worst aspect of his presidency. He is against the Paris Accord, the transpacific agreement, inconsistent on NATO, appears ready to tear up NAFTA, seems obsessed with Iran, slavishly appears to support both Saudi Arabia and Israel, is inconsistent as to China and indulges in saber rattling with North Korea. Most people's greatest fear about his foreign policy is that he will either attack North Korea or provoke an attack from North Korea. Pence of coarse has no foreign policy though he pays lipservice to Trump. The best thing you can say about Trump's foreign-policy is that it is so erratic, changes from day to day that for the most part he really has no foreign-policy, just a series of ever-changing ad hoc pronouncements. In the final analysis, I don't have that much concern about his foreign policy mainly because he doesn't have one and is certainly not ideologically hidebound. That said, he is worrisome.

In domestic policy, Trump ricochets between kind of a faux populism and a fawning over the wealthy and their interests. It doesn't appear that he has any idea what he is doing. This is where I think Pence is the most dangerous. He was a totally incompetent governor and probably would not have been re- elected. Absent his being selected as vice president he probably would be back as a Radio talkshow host. From what we know he would likely be a willing advocate for the programs of Charles Koch and his network of institutions like the heritage foundation and the club for greed. He would willingly go along with them and Paul Ryan in an effort to diminish and dismantle programs such as food stamps Headstart ,Medicare , Medicaid and social security. I don't think Trump would do that.

So, odd though it seems, giving my opinion of Trump, I would rather take my chances with Trump than have Pence become president. I also think that in 2020 Pence would have a better chance of being reelected then Trump. I have to admit however that I never thought Trump would be elected.