The Japan News 11:52 a.m. PT April 7, 2017

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together after their meetings at Mar-a-Lago, Friday, April 7, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump was meeting again with his Chinese counterpart Friday, with U.S. missile strikes on Syria adding weight to his threat to act unilaterally against the nuclear weapons program of China's ally, North Korea. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(Photo: Alex Brandon, AP)

The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbum published this editorial on April 3:

Uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to implement his policies has grown further.

The repealing of the U.S. health insurance system, known colloquially as Obamacare, which Trump had touted as one of his campaign pledges, has foundered.

The Republican Party, the force that supports Trump, has been divided over a bill to replace the health care system. Despite the party having a majority in the House of Representatives, prospects for the bill's passage were dim, leading Republicans to give up taking a vote on the bill on the House floor. This was a blunder putting off a vote on a key policy.

The president is not authorized to submit a budget or other bills to Congress. The president is required to make approaches to Congress for the passage of these bills and make efforts to win support from a wide range of legislators on them. It can hardly be deniable that Trump, who had no political experience, underestimated such a reality and neglected to coordinate views with Congress.

Obamacare was enshrined into law under the previous administration led by President Barack Obama. In order to reduce the number of uninsured people, which was estimated to total as many as about 50 million, the government and other entities grant subsidies, while making it mandatory for people to be covered by the health care plan. Even those who had been denied coverage on the grounds of their medical history have become eligible for it.

During the presidential campaign last year, Trump criticized Obamacare as bringing about increased fiscal burdens and skyrocketing insurance premiums, and his slogan was "repeal."

Yet the Republican Party's hard-line conservatives regarded it problematic that some public subsidies are still kept in place in the replacement bill, saying this would not constitute a repeal of the present program, and opposed the bill.

Also among moderates, a rebellious move spread as they were concerned about a possible increase in the number of the uninsured, due to the abolition of mandatory insurance coverage and cuts in subsidies.

The issue of how deep government should get involved in social welfare programs is one that leaves U.S. public opinion divided. This is also at the root of ideological antagonism within the Republican Party. Trump may have failed to recognize that it would not be easy for the party to unite over this issue.

The building of a wall on the border with Mexico another of Trump's campaign pledges has also been put on hold. House Speaker Paul Ryan has announced that the chamber will put off budgeting for the cost of the work.

It is also inevitable that hard-line conservatives, who attach importance to a balanced budget, would oppose other campaign promises targeted next for approval: large tax cuts, massive infrastructure investments, and higher defense spending. The state of "indecisive politics," with Congress not functioning, is likely to continue.

Trump will not be able to retain his supporters if he only issues one executive order after another, which would only negate the previous administration in such areas as a review of global warming measures.

His approval rating has fallen below 40 percent. The rating, just over two months since taking office, is a record low compared with those of past presidents. The so-called "Trump rally" of higher stock prices and stronger dollar has lost momentum.

These demonstrate the fact that people's hopes over Trump's experience as a businessman and his negotiating skills have been betrayed, with his political capability being questioned. Top-priority issues for Trump would be to make up for the delay in his Cabinet appointments and solidify the lineup of policy experts and go-betweens to connect the Cabinet with Congress.

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