In stark contrast to much of his early Presidency, in which he's managed to alienate just about everyone, Donald Trump's maiden speech to Congress last night was surprisingly conciliatory and inclusive. Although there were hints of the bombastic and divisive style he made famous on the campaign trail and Twitter, he actually sounded, dare I say, presidential.
Instead of the fear-mongering he displayed in his Inaugural address, he was upbeat and powerful simultaneously. I'd say it was his best speech ever, and some of his ideas (like paid family leave) were far more centrist than I expected.
Bringing people from the real world into these speeches has been done by Presidents over the years, but the way he did it was much more touching than I expected. The father of a young athlete who was killed by an illegal immigrant began choking up as Trump spoke gave me a better understanding ofhis anti-immigration policies.
Also, his statement about foreign policy marks a major shift in an understandable way.
"My job is not to represent the world; my job is to represent the United States of America."
If he's actually willing to work with both parties, he can get something done. But is he?
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Tuesday, February 28, 2017
38 comments:
You own views are appreciated, especially if they differ from mine. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. Comments that play into the tribalism that has consumed this nation will be declined. So will comments alleging voter fraud unless backed up by concrete evidence. If you attack someone personally, I expect you to identify yourself. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy, vulgarities, cut-and-paste jobs from other sources and any suggestion of violence towards anyone. I will also delete sweeping generalizations about mainstream parties or ideologies, i.e. identity politics. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeleteHis address was inspirational. A home run. About time he acted Presidential. But please, no gloating tweets tonight!
ReplyDeleteHokie Joe sez:
ReplyDeleteAlthough he looked more presidential and this metamorphosis took everyone by surprise, he was still the same ole Don. He singled out one case where an immigrant with a criminal record killed someone. We have those cases on a pretty regular basis here in America and they don't involve immigrants. He wants every nation to pay for NATO and I agree to an extent,,,,,,,just remember there are very poor nations that are our allies and can't afford armies or NATO. His discription on how he is going to create more jobs is another simple version of Ronald Reagan's "trickle down economics". It appears he changed his opinion on several issues. For instance he didn't say the Mexicans must pay for the wall, and he is now quoting Speaker Ryans version of Obama Care. All of that said, anyone listening had to be impressed as this butterfly shedded his cocoon and decided to become "Presidential". Now how long will that last?
The response from the Democratic side of the isle was pathetic. Those shots of Pelosi looked like a drooling woman in the assisted living home. And that idiot from Minnesota with his stupid horned rimmed glasses was slouching so low in his chair he almost slipped out on to the floor.
ReplyDeleteAnd we pay their salaries? And expenses? Unreal.
President Donald Trump delivered an outstanding address to Congress last night. He delivered a well-crafted policy statement that stayed true to his campaign.
ReplyDeleteHe also announced something yesterday that I had suggested in the past. Trump may allow the "Dreamers" some leeway, and consider a plan that would allow Illegal Aliens with no criminal records a limited residency status, but without any rights of citizens. That means they can live and work here legally without fear of deportation, but not obtain any public benefits or the right to vote. Although they could gain those rights though military service or working in municipal public safety.
This is amazing progress. Yes, the Democrats still hate Trump. But, if his speech is received by the nation positively, then there is hope for our nation.
Obamacare is a millstone around the neck of the American economy and a hindrance to job creation, we finally got rid of Obama, let's now get rid of his "signature achievement".
ReplyDeleteTrump still had some mistruths in between jabs. Where was Bannon? Anyone can read a speech. We saw thisnreset once before. He still needs to release his tax returns, absolve himself from conflicts, investogst Russian interference, and the raid in Yeaman that rivaled blackhawk down.
ReplyDeleteHe's growing into his job. If only the leftist would leave him alone and stop being obstructionist.
ReplyDeleteNope, he's still unqualified to be the president, a real blowhard!
ReplyDeleteNote to the bitter Hillary clingers and Democrat dead enders, join forces with President Trump or get out of the way,
ReplyDeleteTrump has put the Democrats in an impossible place. Do they oppose drug cartels? Do they oppose radical Islamic terrorism? Do they oppose rebuilding our infrastructure? Do they oppose our military having strength? Do they oppose working together for the American people? Do they oppose healthcare? Do they oppose women in business?
President Trump has simply pulled the rug out from under them.
The radical lunatic Left really are showing their true colors and everybody is noticing.
ReplyDeleteTrump did good. Or rather his speechwriters did good. I didn't watch it. But read the transcript this AM. Which I understand he actually stuck too.
ReplyDeleteHere is my takeaway and it more so has to deal with the Democrats really bad response. As trump moderates and starts supporting things that traditionally Democrats love.... if they (the left) continue to rail against him - they will at the end of the day totally discredit themselves and lost all credibility.
Personally, I never thought Trump was actually a conservative. Rather a populist. End of the day he will choose positions that raise his popularity. That's his driving motivation. Not any sort of discernible principles.
Because of that there is no playbook on how to function as an opposition party. How do you oppose a populist? How do you label someone an enemy who more and more frequently as we move beyond the election advocates for policies you typically support? (amnesty, big government infrastructure) So far, the Democrats have handled this totally wrong. And so they are coming off as sore losers.
As I always say. Interesting times we are in. Trump turned everything on it's head. I think that's what a lot of people who voted for him wanted.
When is this nation going to realize, we need some kind of National policy to ensure all Americans can have some type of affordable medical care. NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE should have to worry if you're mother or father, brother or sister, wife or children, are fifty dollars sick or 100 dollars sick or one thousand dollars sick. You shouldn't have to decide between putting food on the table or taking your child to the doctor for proper care. Not all men are created equal. Not all men can be successful business people. Some of us will be ditch diggers, some of us will be at the bottom of ladder when it comes to brains and the opportunity to provide adequately for our families as compared to a person who just doesn't have the where-with-all to go our and get a good paying job. Does this mean their children should die because they can't afford surgery for their child? I can't believe anyone is that callous.
ReplyDeleteI'm no Trumpkin, but will say that if he can continue acting as Presidential as he did last night I might sleep easier. Maybe he woke up this morning and realized that tweeting the first stupid thing that pops into his head isn't benefiting him. Maybe he will realize that he doesn't have to keep campaigning and will be the President.
ReplyDelete@9:12 Trump is his own speechwriter.
ReplyDeleteThat's what Pence claims,but I suspect Miller and Bannon played a role, as turned out to be the case in the darker inaugural address that Trump claimed to have written himself.
ReplyDeleteThe speech had language above 6th grade english. So it's clear Trump definitely had lots of help. He probably identified the themes. But it was written by professional speech writers. And we're better off because of that.
ReplyDelete10:40 I'm surprised you were able to comprehend it then.
ReplyDelete10:36 A man capable of earning ten billion dollars in business, as well as nineteen books is surely capable of writing his own speeches.
ReplyDeleteMore presidential, yes. Still employing unsound logic, misrepresenting facts, and stoking division.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that illegal immigration is the lowest it's ever been, and Obama deported more illegals than several of his predecessors combined. The fact is that illegal immigrants commit serious crimes at far lower rates than the general population. Those illegals who do commit serious crimes were already targeted for deportation under Obama, so there's nothing new here. Trump's reference to families of people killed by illegal immigrants painted illegals as dangerous, which simply isn't true. The undocumented run great risks to come to a foreign country and they work their asses off in hopes of a better life for themselves and for their children. The president continues to stoke fear of outsiders -- i.e. Muslims and undocumented immigrants -- by vastly overemphasizing the danger they represent.
@5:38AM, undocumented immigrants are already prevented from obtaining public benefits. They cannot receive welfare, food stamps, social security, medicaid, etc.
I was curious what books Trump had written, so I did a google search
ReplyDelete* The Art of the Deal, 1987
* Surviving At The Top, 1990
* The Art of the Comeback, 1997
* The America We Deserve, 2000
* How to Get Rich, 2004
* Think Like a Billion, 2004
* 10 Secrets I Learned From The Apprentice, 2004
* The Best Golf Advice I Ever Recieved, 2006
* Why We Want You To Be Rich, 2006 (with Robert Kiyosaki)
* Trump 101, 2007
* Think Big and Kick Ass, 2007
* The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received, 2007
* Commercial Real Estate Investment, 2007
* Never Give Up, 2008
* Commercial Real Estate Investing 101, 2008
* Think Like A Champion, 2009
* Time To Get Tough, 2011
* Midas Touch, 2012 (with Robert Kiyosaki)
* Great Again, 2015
President Trump is clearly an accomplished writer.
@ 11:04 undocumented immigrants are correctly called Illegal Aliens.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the definition of "Illegal" ?
@11:08
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear whether you believe that Muslims and illegal immigrants are in fact as dangerous to the safety of American citizens as President Trump has represented to us.
12:40. I'd like to hear you define "Illegal"
ReplyDeleteHigh praise for his speech writer who chose not to include any references to "fake news", Russia or Mexico paying for the wall. Doubt of the ultra sensitive POTUS can end his cheap shotitis or his exaggeration phobia in the long run. Despite his bragging about accomplishments there is little meat on the bones of each claim.
ReplyDelete@12:55
ReplyDeleteIllegal - "not according to or authorized by law", i.e. what you do when you drive on the highway at 66mph.
Now would you be so kind as to advise whether you believe that Muslims and illegal immigrants are in fact as dangerous to the safety of American citizens as President Trump has represented to us?
@1:48 Illegal - "not according to or authorized by law" Which means they are already criminals, correct ?
ReplyDelete@1:48. Danger is irrelevant. The fact is that under federal law, any non-U.S. citizen is an alien. Aliens who have entered the United States without permission, or who have violated the terms of their admission, are identified under the law as illegal aliens. That is a fact, not an issue for debate.
ReplyDeleteIt is also a fact that, according to U.S. law, it is a crime to enter the United States without permission. The first offense is a misdemeanor, the second, a felony.
@1:48. What other laws do you want our government to ignore and not prosecute those who break it. Counterfeiting for example?
ReplyDeleteSo, because he didn't take a dump on the podium he was "Presidential"? Puuleezze!
ReplyDelete12:55 PM-- "I'd like to hear you define "Illegal"
ReplyDeleteI'll play along...
God didn't descend from the heavens making these laws absolute. "Illegal" is whatever a bunch of government officials decide. When Ronald Reagan granted amnesty it became law. On August 1, 2001 the "Dream Act" was enacted. The point is--at various times people living in this country could be legals or illegals depending which way the wind blows.
Do they oppose rebuilding our infrastructure? Do they oppose our military having strength? Do they oppose working together for the American people? Do they oppose healthcare? Do they oppose women in business?
ReplyDeleteActually, no they do not oppose any of that. We shall see how it goes. The Republican majority stonewalled Obama's infrastructure plan. Asking how will you pay for it. The US military is the strongest in the world, stronger than the next five countries put together. NATO countries are very involved in the defense pact and have been since its inception. Even the military leaders don't want some of the new systems being proposed by civilian politico's who see jobs in their district's subsidized by taxes.
Healthcare?? Healthcare? You heard Trumpy, that is complicated and hard. So he will keep all the provisions of no pre-existing conditions, no lifetime limits, no cancellations and the cost will be lower and coverage better?? I did not know the massive Healthcare Industrial Complex has becomes a charity. That is great. Hell I'm for that. As we know the "marketplace" loves to lose money as long as people are taken care of.
Hey but he did say Islamic Extremist terrorism. We all know how meaningless red meat phrases thrill his crowd, is there is that.
They hypocrisy and sheer lunacy of his speech and the reaction to it is downright funny if not so sad. So here we go. You bought him, now we all own him.
The one bright spot for the future is after we go through this reincarnation of the nightmare Republicanism of the e1920's, after the horrific crash we will end up with real laws governing corporate oversight and single payer healthcare.
Nose the Dramis!
3:49 You mean the "Shovel Ready" jobs that Joe Biden got nearly a TRILLION dollars for in 2009?
ReplyDelete3:09. Another Obama apologist. The fact is that those support aliens who break the law to enter and/or stay in the United States illegally, usually prefer to use euphemisms, such as "undocumented immigrant" which you did to excuse those aliens who break the law.
ReplyDeleteAlso, those who object to the use of the term “illegal alien” appear to believe that if they can convince the American public that illegal immigration is not really illegal, then amnesty no longer is amnesty, and enforcing immigration law is unnecessary.
So sorry that Hillary lost snowflake... chin up and grow up.
5.58
ReplyDeleteso let's enforce immigration law
https://apnews.com/37dc7aef0ce44077930b7436be7bfd0d
so should mr trump build a wall around this person?
should this person be held liable ----- "The government can seek to revoke the U.S. citizenship of immigrants after the fact in cases when it determines a person willfully misrepresented or concealed facts relevant to his naturalization.
or is this a case where the rules do not apply.
"Another Obama apologist...... So sorry that Hillary lost snowflake... chin up and grow up."
ReplyDeleteWhat are what are you talking about? I never mentioned in my post Obama's term. I posted about Reagan's and in 2001 when Bush was in office. Not even on Trump. Simple minded much?
"So sorry that Hillary lost snowflake... chin up and grow up."
ReplyDeleteAgree with LVIC, what the Hell does that even mean? You folks bashed Obama for eight years. You giggled with delight as he was called a Kenyan by birth,a secret Muslim, etc.. Now anyone calls out the alternative facts for the new emperor you get all crazy. Are these more nonsensical slogans that are like red meat to the malt right?
Snowflakes?? For the past eight years so many snowflakes were falling on right wing sites you were buried in snowy BS.
Should be interesting to see if the Trump agenda that cuts all these taxes yet adds billions to the budget will work out. I don't hate the guy. I didn't vote for him or Clinton as they were both bottom feeders. Do I hope America gets better, sure I have hoped that all my life we are great but can always improve. I am just waiting for the facts after we get past all the flowery speeches.