Not what Trump says, but what he does

After all the convention speeches and hyping of “facts” both true and untrue, and setting aside the president’s bombastic behavior, his willful violations of law and even his handling of the pandemic, the decision for each voter comes down to his policies. And on those we fundamentally disagree with this president as, we suspect, the majority of Connecticut residents do.

“Policy” can be an eye-glazing word. At a time when individuals have our attention — for their selfless care of the sick or for being shot and asphyxiated on the street or for fleeing from hurricanes and wildfires — policy seems impersonal and even irrelevant. Make no mistake, it is relevant to how society works or fails. Good policy is intentionally impersonal, so that it applies evenly and for the greatest good. Much of Donald Trump’s version of policy is neither even-handed nor constructive.

Voters and would-be voters should reflect on these policies and ask themselves: How are these working out?

■ America First isolationism. The 45th president of the United States is doing all he can to back away from being the leader of the free world, as if the nation would somehow be stronger without allies who respect us. His dislike of NATO is a prime example of being willing to throw away alliances that all his predecessors, Republican and Democrat, worked to build. That is a grievous error. The world needs to be engaged and alliances strengthened.

■Health care coverage. Donald Trump’s policy was to completely undo Obamacare, but he never fulfilled his promise of something better to replace it. He has no interest in improving the acknowledged problems with the original law. His stance risks Americans’ access to health care and would have made the pandemic even grimmer than it is.

■Tax cuts. The cuts Congress approved at his urging were unnecessary and reckless, producing only modest growth. They needlessly expanded the deficit and left the nation unable to address the pandemic in a fiscally responsible manner. Marketed as a break for average citizens, they overwhelmingly benefited the wealthiest.

■Climate change crisis. Withdrawal from the Paris Accord, rollback of environmental regulations and standards, and kowtowing to the fossil fuel industries have aggravated a threat that will eclipse the pandemic over time. Increasingly extreme weather occurs every week in such forms as stronger hurricanes and vast, uncontainable wildfires. While the president refuses to admit the connections, it gets worse.

■Immigration. Rather than a policy of sensible border controls and a path to legal standing for undocumented but otherwise law-abiding immigrants already here, Trump has pursued a punitive policy that villainized refugees for political gain. His border wall sham hurts already hurting people, including children, and wastes taxpayer money. His former chief strategist — a title that includes the development of presidential policy — is now charged with corruption in connection with a wall-related scam.

■Nuclear arms. The president abandoned a deal that was keeping Iran’s nuclear program in check and has shown no alternative strategy to restrain that program or that of North Korea. While he alternately threatens, cozies up to and ignores the leaders of these nations, they are free to keep acting as they please.

■Last but most fundamental, Donald Trump is attacking policy of the highest level: the constitutional right to vote. He is attacking the process by curtailing the postal service and sowing doubt about whether to trust the election. He may be doing even more than that, if his 2016 campaign’s openness to Russian interference is an indication.

One of Trump’s tools is his overbearing presence. What he promises or threatens gives cover to his actions. Each voter, whether outraged by his behavior or inspired by his delivery, should put the emotional reaction aside to think about what his policies are doing, and what they will do if he gets to keep going.

Each voter, whether outraged by Trump’s behavior or inspired by his delivery, should put the emotional reaction aside to think about what his policies are doing, and what they will do if he gets to keep going.