VICTOR JOECKS: The one thing Trump can’t do

There are lots of reasons to be excited about Trump’s return to power. He has pledged to unleash America’s energy industry. Cheaper energy and a better regulatory environment should help contain inflation. The border will be locked down while officials deport illegal aliens.

But even if he accomplishes his entire agenda, there’s one thing Trump can’t do — guarantee you a more successful life.

That may sound like a contradiction. If Trump is going to help America, doesn’t that require that he make things better for Americans? It does, but there’s an important step missing in that question — the choices you make.

For instance, one of the best predictors of personal happiness is being in a great marriage. Earning more increases a person’s chance of being “very happy” by 88 percent. Being married increases your odds by 151 percent. But being in a “very happy” marriage boosts your likelihood by a staggering 545 percent. That’s all according to Brad Wilcox, author of the excellent book “Get Married.”

That’s good news. You can work on improving your marriage regardless of who the president is.

There’s a loneliness epidemic, according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. He’s right. In October, a Gallup poll found 20 percent of adults said they felt a lot of loneliness the previous day. That suggests around 50 million adults feel isolated. It’s a miserable feeling and can lead to destructive behaviors like drug and alcohol abuse.

It’s also fixable. Go to church and join a small group. Volunteer. Sign up for a sports league. Reach out to family members.

These steps are all harder when you’re lonely and depressed. It’s why a safety net of families, churches and engaged neighbors are so important. The government can give you a check, but it can’t give you a hug when you need it most.

This is true even in finances. It doesn’t matter how much Trump cuts taxes. If you spend more than you make, you’ll always have money problems. The best way to improve your financial health is to budget and pay down your debts. Dave Ramsey has helped an untold number of people, myself included, do just that.

Trump can create an environment that leads to more job openings and lower housing prices, but you still have to go to work and earn your paycheck or start your own business. In his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” soon-to-be Vice President J.D. Vance described working in a tile distribution business before attending Yale Law School. Jobs there provided a path out of poverty for those near his poor hometown, but turnover was high.

“Too many men (were) immune to hard work,” Vance wrote. He continued, “There is a lack of agency here — a feeling that you have little control over your own life and a willingness to blame everyone but yourself.”

This isn’t to say that political leadership doesn’t matter. It does.

Think of it this way. Imagine life is a mountain path with many ups and downs. The job of Trump and other elected officials is to fly above the path and clear away landslides and boulders that make navigating it difficult. If Trump does his job well, removing those barriers will help more people go further on the path. That’s making America great again. But Trump isn’t going to fly you to your preferred destination.

The wonderful yet scary thing about freedom is that it forces you to enjoy or endure the consequences of your own decisions.

Victor Joecks’ column appears in the Opinion section each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.