USA TODAY US Edition

Opposing view: How the Trump campaign can get back on track

- Ed Rollins and Eric Beach unity Ed Rollins serves as chairman of the pro-Trump Great America PAC. Eric Beach is the founder and co-chairman of Great America PAC.

The campaign to reelect President Donald Trump has been adrift for months. The COVID-19 pandemic and left-wing riots have destabiliz­ed the United States, dramatical­ly impacting the presidenti­al race by providing the bumbling Joe Biden with a clear path to the White House. President Trump needs to get the nation — and his campaign — back on track.

The Trump campaign can reverse Biden’s fortunate momentum by recapturin­g the “Make America Great Again” movement of 2016. With so much dividing us, Americans want their country back. If anarchy can damage our cities, capitalism will build them back up. If Democrats and media elites want to label Americans racist and divide us, President Trump can demonstrat­e that it is that guides us.

How can President Trump do it? He must recapture the original “MAGA” themes, hammering home the “America First” message of 2016, from law and order to middle-class tax cuts and conservati­ve jurisprude­nce. President Trump also needs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the riots that marred broad protests for racial justice, with creativity, empathy and tenacity.

First, using executive authority and federal assets like the National Guard, President Trump should push back on chaotic elements when Democratic governors and mayors are too weak or unwilling to protect their citizens. Block bills for funding for cities that allow anarchy, sanctuary status for illegal immigrants, destructio­n of monuments and defunding of police. Create tax incentives for those willing to rebuild and take their cities back.

At the same time, the president must remind citizens of these Democratic-led states and cities that liberal policies and lawlessnes­s are recipes for disaster. The administra­tion’s record of achieving record-low Black unemployme­nt and addressing criminal justice reform in any other year would be solid, but President Trump needs new, innovative thinking to accompany it.

Like other movements against the president, Democrats and media elites thrive off of conflict and pain for Americans. They don’t want progress, only votes. Exploit them with solutions.

The failure of the police reform bill is actually an opportunit­y for President Trump. Meet weekly with leaders of this important movement and lay out policies to introduce a subsequent bill of real reform.

Lastly, focus on the importance of education, reopening schools in August and September. American families accept wearing masks and social distancing, but they need their kids in school.

Using these responses, the Trump campaign can get back on track and resume the campaign rallies that invigorate­d so much support in 2016. The base is alive and well, but Trump voters need a reason to get excited.

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