Pal123, true,  David Brooks does often come up with insightful columns which raise our hopes and  encourage us to look at different points of view, but this isn't one of them.
Not only does Brooks  give Trump a pass for his tax policies which would shift  billions (trillions?)  from average Americans to the super-rich, but also seems oblivious to Trump's disregard for democracy and civil society.
No one can look at his support of the Philippines' brutal ruler Duterte, along with his kind words for the despotic rulers of  Communist China and   Russia without realizing that Trump's "pragmatic" view of government means legal rights are less important than "results."   Listening to his supporters roar their approval of his attacks on the "media" suggests they agree.
The one positive sign, as Brooks notes,  is that Trump will temporarily retreat from his most outlandish positions when met by a strong push-back by the People.  
Our mission as citizens is clear for the next four years.