Author: Paul Brandus, Opinion columnist

Our country has been through the Civil War and the Great Depression, but we now face an unprecedented variety of challenges.

Political hyperbole about ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ has obscured the fact that things weren’t that great to begin with. Growth has slowed and wages are low.

Trump has a lot of work to do convincing Rust Belt voters that he should be president for another 4 years.

The Russians attacked us. If the commander in chief who swore to defend us said it didn’t bother him, this was ‘giving them aid and comfort.’

Trump’s disregard for U.S. intelligence is increasingly risky as threats mount, from Iran and North Korea to climate change and Russian aggression.

Trump doesn’t need to manufacture an emergency on the border. From the shutdown to declining life expectancy, there are real crises we need solved.

Bush’s cautious approach was questioned but it worked. It contained Iraq, spared countless lives, saved trillions of dollars and preserved US standing.

Corporate nostalgia is one thing, economic survival is another. Leaders like Trump should encourage GM and other companies to innovate and adapt.