One year ago today, Donald Trump was sworn in as America's 45th president. As expected, it's been a tumultuous year, with Democrats, their progressive legions and the corrupt media dumping on Trump and his administration 24/7. But looking back, Trump's record of achievement is far more substantial and impressive than even his supporters hoped for or expected.
The massive corporate and individual tax cut and tax reform bill Trump signed into law in late 2017 is already paying dividends. Dozens of companies have given bonuses to their employees; many have raised wages; and some have lowered customers' fees. Apple Computer announced it will invest heavily in the United States over the next five years -- $350 billion, much of it being repatriated from overseas. An estimated 20,000 jobs will be created.
The stock market keeps roaring, and has increased 31 percent in the past year. Unemployment is at a 45-year low, and black unemployment is the lowest on record.
The corporate and small business exuberance is also due to the administration's decision to radically cut back job-killing and growth-stifling regulations, which exploded under statist President Barack Obama.
Aside from economic triumphs, Trump has pulled the United States out of pie-in-the-sky internationalist schemes that invariably cost us a lot of money, hamper our interests and fail to deliver on their promises. Chief among them: The Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris Climate Accord. Trump is threatening to withdraw from NAFTA unless terms are made more favorable to the United States.
Militarily, Trump took an aggressive, confrontational stance with ISIS. New strategies such as arming the Syrian Kurds and granting more autonomy to generals on the grounds (i.e., eliminating the Obama administration's micromanaging and strict rules of engagement). The Islamofascist scum formerly controlled large swaths of Iraq and Syria. But now, after untold numbers of them have been killed and much of their weaponry destroyed, ISIS controls only a little bit of desert wasteland. (How's THAT for "overseas contingency operations"?)
There is no more pussy-footing around with Kim Jong Il and North Korea, and Trump's national security strategy, unveiled in December, puts America first and assesses enemies and danger in a clear-eyed, direct manner. Iran has been put on notice that it needs to change its ways, or the United States will put the kibosh on the Obama administration's naive nuclear agreement with the pariah nation.
For the first time in years, Israel knows it has an ally in the White House, not an anti-semitic backstabber who sucks up to Arabs and Muslims all day, every day. Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital was a master stroke.
Trump has also attempted to crack down on illegal and dangerous immigration -- vigorously opposing sanctuary cities, imposing a temporary travel ban from seven countries known to be associated with terrorism, and at least getting the ball rolling on a wall for the Mexican border. Although he's attempted to rescind the unconstitutional DACA program implemented by Obama, obstructionist judges continue to stand in his way on this and other issues including cutting off federal funds to sanctuary cities.
Appointing Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court was one of Trump's most important achievements, and Trump has also appointed numerous conservative judges to sit on various federal courts. His cabinet consists of some hard-charging, think-ouside-the-box executives who refuse to succumb to that lame M.O. of "Well, that's the way we've ALWAYS done things around here -- why change?" Indeed, they embrace change and new approaches, relish upsetting the apple cart and goring sacred cows, and refuse to be cowed by the frequently wrong, albeit supremely arrogant, establishment and its media cheerleaders.
Trump has failed on some initiatives, such as totally repealing Obamacare, but at least eliminating the individual mandate is a start in dismantling this disgraceful albatross. The Donald also was clumsy in initially rolling out his travel ban, and his inner circle was a revolving door of people coming and going during the first few months (Anthony Scaramucci -- are YOU KIDDING?), but things have calmed down quite a bit under the able leadership of Gen. John Kelly as chief of staff.
Not sure what my co-blogger thinks of Mr. Trump's bombastic and thin-skinned nature and his sometimes ill-informed and ill-advised tweets, but I think he could stand to tone it down a bit. Often, he hurts his own initiatives and credibility. He can't get out of his own way, as the expression goes. But then, that's just Donald being Donald.
As I have stated many times, in this blog, on forums, and to people I know who are like-minded: I would much rather have a guy who can be buffoonish, rude, abrasive, thin-skinned and a blowhard, but whose heart is in the right place and whose policies are excellent, than a debonair, erudite Harvard scholar who is articulate, charming and has a beautiful family, but whose priorities are warped (rage at the NRA and conservatives; robot-like behavior toward bloodthirsty terrorists) and whose policies have caused harm (cop killing, worse race relations, a trampling on religious freedom, the Middle East on fire, an anemic economy with lots of low-wage, part-time and temp jobs)....all the while with clueless, dim bulb reporters ignoring corruption and a runaway surveillance state while waving their pom-poms about superficial imagery. Examples would include Obama's so-called "soaring rhetoric," Hollywood and NBA stars hanging with the O-man, late night talk show appearances, and NCAA Tournament picks. Maybe Barry ought to be the reality TV star, no?
Congratulations, Donald John Trump, for getting us on the right track again. Thanks for all of your hard work, for constantly slamming the media vermin (they DESERVE IT), and for your love of America. Keep up the good work. And I'll be sure not to run out of popcorn.
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