However, the 43-day shutdown of the administration does not reflect well on the world’s superpower — something that rarely happens in other countries
The end of the longest-ever government shutdown in the United States marks a moment of relief for millions of Americans, especially those working for the government. The deal allows the US federal government to borrow about $1.8 trillion a year to its current $38-trillion debt.
While Democrats appear to have conceded defeat by agreeing to back the funding bill, surveys showed that 50 per cent of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 47 per cent blamed Democrats.
However, the 43-day shutdown of the administration does not reflect well on the world’s superpower — something that rarely happens in other countries. Funding is the most important power vested in the legislature to control the President. The shutdown is not good for the US, either, especially when it has to compete with a tough competitor like China. The Trump administration recently had to settle for a bad compromise with China after it realised that the economic costs are more than anticipated.
After ending the feud with China, Mr Trump appears to be keen on rebuilding America’s strengths to play long haul with Beijing. As part of this, Mr Trump appears to be keen on dialing back his restrictive policies on immigration.
In an interview with an American news channel, Mr Trump bluntly told the interviewer that people cannot be taken off an unemployment line and put onto a factory floor to make missiles — an accurate description of the limitations of the native US talent pool.
Unlike other leaders in the United States, Mr Trump prefers to adopt a transactional approach to resolving the problems at hand. As such, he announces measures that cheer his support base; and when things don’t ork, he reverts to old methods — earning him the unflattering epithet “TACO”, or “Trump Always Chickens Out”.
While Mr Trump faced the ire of his own party leaders for softening his stance on H-1B visas, treasury secretary Scott Bessant — defending Mr Trump’s comments — said the US would like foreign workers to stay in America for seven or eight years to train native workers and then return home.
Mr Bessant’s comments further hint at the Trump administration’s determination to scale back its restrictions on temporary work visas and foreign student visas. Mr Trump’s remarks in the interview appear to be premeditated to revive discussion on the shortage of talent in the US ahead of easing those restrictions.
Apart from the economic repercussions, the recent elections in a few American states — where the Republicans suffered reversals — might have made Mr Trump realise the diminishing marginal utility of his tough actions.
The electoral reversals and his dramatic compromise with China appear to have made Mr Trump and his team understand that emotions do not help them make good policy. The Trump administration may, therefore, pursue a graded approach to immigration by selectively allowing highly talented foreigners to come in while keeping its immigration gates closed to all and sundry. For Indians who are keen on US visas, the bar could remain high; so work harder for success.
