Will populist Trump re-emerge in 2018?

IMAGINE that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush had won the Republican presidential primaries and went on to beat his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in November 2016. And that we were marking the one-year anniversary of President Bush the Third this month.

Republicans would be celebrating now the many accomplishments of the Bush III Administration: Approving a historic legislation restructuring the US tax code. Pursuing an ambitious deregulatory agenda. Nominating a new conservative Justice to the US Supreme Court. Defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Relocating the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and embracing a tougher approach vis-a-vis Iran.

These are the kinds of policies that a moderate Republican president a la Bush, an ally of American businesses and a supporter of strong defence, would have pledged to pursue during his presidential campaign. And he would now be bragging about his achievements in Year One: The economy continues to grow; the unemployment rate is falling; inflation remains low; and the stock market is in a bullish mood.