The latest issue of The Economist contains an article about Erdogan and his massive investments in Turkish infrastructure. That’s what a proper strong man does. Infrastructure spending strengthens the state, pumps up the economy, generates positive publicity, and makes both business and labor more dependent on the man at the top. If you don’t believe it, just remember that the guy with the funny mustache built most of the autobahns, to say nothing of tanks, bombers, etc.
Given his limited connection to the GOP establishment and his fondness for building monuments to himself, you would have thought that a huge bipartisan infrastructure plan would be the keystone of Trump’s administration. It would have been practically useful and wildly popular. Instead, he was so unprepared to be president that he outsourced fiscal policy to the GOP leadership, which, as usual, emphasized tax cuts for the wealthy and reducing the size of the state over public investment. As a result, there is no money for Trump bridges, tunnels, and airports, and he is just a man on golf cart.