It was Donald Trump’s night, he stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park; so goes the prevailing analysis of the president’s Tuesday night address to Congress, during which some Democrats moaned, others reportedly hissed and some even gave him a “thumbs down” like privileged ancient Romans motioning for the death of a gladiator at the Colosseum.
Even CBS acknowledged that “half of Democrats found the speech ‘divisive’,” although the president repeatedly asked for unity in the national interest. And why not? Trump had just verbally dismantled Barack Obama’s legacy, even to the point of uttering three words that the former White House occupant simply could not utter: “Radical Islamic Terrorism.”
In office just over one month, President Trump drew sharp contrast between business as usual and business from a businessman’s perspective. He ran down a list of accomplishments, not the least of which was the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by last year’s death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. The Daily Mail offers a full transcript.
“I have kept my promise,” Trump noted, “to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court — from my list of 20 judges — who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.”
This is a major issue for America’s gun owners. They expect the high court to protect the Second Amendment as defined in two landmark rulings, in 2008 and 2010.
Through much of his one-hour address, Democrats seemed to be sitting on their hands. Some moaned and others turned thumbs down when he again vowed to “repeal and replace Obamacare” and he was not subtle about his opinion of the health care plan that Democrats are zealously trying to defend:
Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.
“Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.
“Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits…
“Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?
“We now know that all of those promises have been broken.
“Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.”
Democrats took a drubbing Tuesday night. It seemed no wonder that many of them scampered out of the House chamber immediately after the president wrapped up his speech. Trump had just spent an hour demolishing the veneer of Barack Obama’s administration. Here’s what he said to do it:
In the last eight years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.
“We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
“Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.
“And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.”
Perhaps Fox News’ Chris Wallace summed it up in his analysis, observing that on Tuesday night, Donald Trump “became the president of the United States.”
Related:
Trump to CPAC: ‘We Will Protect Our Second Amendment!’
Gorsuch Nomination Proves the Election Did Matter
Seattle Newspaper Floats Inslee-for-President Trial Balloon
