In response to Steven Brodie Tucker’s TBE post from yesterday, I would like to suggest that our President Donald Trump is not the figure of derision that SBT makes him out to be, but is a transformational figure in American history (For the record I am a former Never Trumper who is glad to be proven wrong – and did work on behalf of the Trump campaign in 2016 to get our great President elected).
First off, for one of the very few times, I will agree with something that SBT said – Trump has done many great things that I like and agree with. No truer words have ever been spoken. It is most of the rest of SBT’s piece that any qualified and competent Republican or independent conservative must take issue with.
First off, Donald Trump is a political genius. Yes he is harsh and rough. And at times I do wish he was more “Reaganesque”. But the fact is that Trump understands the modern day concept of political communications better than any president since Ronald Reagan. Trump is a Great Communicator. Trump does not use “reactionary politics” in the way that SBT suggests. Trump did not make his movement, the movement of disaffected people on both aisles of the political divide found and made Trump. Trump just became their and now our voice.
In my perfect world, I would prefer we all talked like normal rational human beings – and that each political or other difference could be settled with words like: Gee my friend, I appreciate your point of view, but you are wrong here and there, however I respect your opinion and think there are many valid points to it, but here is what we should do. John McCain, Bob Dole, and many other losers tried this. It does not work. Trump came along at a time when many Americans were feeling the USA was in decline (similar to 1979-1980) and has made people feel good about America again. Does he politicize things? Of course he does. That’s what politicians do. Trump just happens to be on the right side of most issues.
I’d like to give our President Trump a report card here also:
On the Economy: 100% A+ As we have near 100% employment, with more to come, the average American has $2000 per year more in their wallets to spend. Obama Care will soon be relegated to the dungheap of history. I do share SBT’s concern about a trade war – but we are not there yet. And we are far from any trade war. Trump is trying to get other nations to lower their tariffs towards American made goods. One way to get them to do so is to threaten them with higher tariffs. I don’t think that raising tariffs is a winning strategy, but we are light years away from Smoot Hawley – the protectionist tariffs which gave us the Great Depression.
On Immigration: 99% A+ We are moving in the right direction. Border security has been an ongoing issue since the late 70’s. For the 1st time in decades fewer and fewer illegals are coming over our borders. Congress deserves an F here – but that is not Trump’s fault.
On Foreign Policy: 100% A+ Trump helped end the Korean War, which had been technically been ongoing since 1953. Trump has defeated ISIS without putting boots on the ground. Yes our NATO allies are a bit upset, but that’s because their socialized medicine will no longer be subsidized by American taxpayers. And if Angela Merkel is offended by this – all we can say is: Good!
On the Debt: 90% B+ I was horrified that Trump signed that omnibus bill earlier this year, but the fault lies with Congress. Sometimes we need to make deals – even if that deal makes one want to hack. I share SBT’s horror that a Republican government is having potential 1 trillion annual deficits. But that is Congress to blame 90% and Trump 10%.
On protecting the Constitution: 97% Low A+ He’s done a good job getting rid of Obama style regulations and has told Congress multiple times that it’s their job to bring him legislation and he will sign what they bring to him. Something Obama would not do. Obama used his phone and pen. Trump wants the legislative process to work. That there gives Trump an A+ alone.
Overall average grade on a scale of 1-100 97.2 aka a low A+
Is Trump the dictator that SBT says he is? Of course not. Anyone who has worked with the Congress to get things passed the way Trump has is therefore NOT a dictator. Trump is an Alpha male and a legislative tough guy yes. But that does not make him a dictator. Obama with his executive orders was much more a dictator than Trump could be.
I have some bad news for SBT, and the Bill Kristol’s of the world. This is no longer the party of Reagan. The GOP is now the party of Trump. Two decades from now, GOP presidential hopefuls will be running to say they are the next DJT. Not the next Reagan? How do I feel about this? Quite frankly, fine by me. I loved Reagan – thought he was our 2nd best President in US history. Now I am of the opinion that in 20 years we will be calling DJT our 2nd best President in history (Kinda hard to top G Washington who set up our government from nothing). SBT has to accept this fact. He does not have to like it. And if that makes SBT leave the GOP, then so be it. I’d prefer he not leave the GOP, but that’s his right and I respect that. Corey Stewart is not the “darling of the RPV”. But he did win a plurality of the votes on primary day and that is how our governmental system of elections and parties works. Some you lose, others you win. Will Corey Stewart win – he has a major league uphill battle. Better than 50% chance he won’t. Beating an incumbent is difficult. But in my opinion – Corey was our best chance to beat Tim Kaine. And Corey can win in November. Which is why many of us (myself included) voted for Corey on June 12. If SBT cannot handle this fact of elections, then he needs to consider getting out of politics. Very few politicians are like former Congressman Tom Davis – who never lost an election in his life. Most people in politics have a record closer to mine – 1 win and 3 losses in elections on where my name was on the ballot. I never whined after I lost or after my preferred candidate lost. I dusted myself off, sulked for a day or 3 and went back to work. Congratulated the person who won, and onwards and upwards.
SBT seems unable to handle this fact, and is insulting everyone who doesn’t agree with his narrow view on reality. SBT would be better off not whining about Corey Stewart or DJT, and get out there and work to get Corey Stewart elected, and then try to get Corey to work towards SBT’s views. SBT says we need to stop empowering Democrats just to make a point. I agree. However it is too bad that SBT keeps doing what he professes to be against.
