The Great American Comeback

It was President Trump at his finest. Trump highlighted the booming economy, articulated his foreign policy, and tied his vision for the American future to its heroic past. He awarded a scholarship in real time, bestowed a Medal of Freedom in real time, and dramatically reunited a family with their soldier husband and father, making for the most emotional State of the Union address since President Reagan first began highlighting American heroes in the gallery during his annual address.

But ultimately the speech was epic because the facts are so good. Clearly on the other side of the aisle led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi Democrats clearly had made an agreement to be hostile to President Trump. Many of them sat on their hands no matter the topic. Which only showcased their pettiness.

The president spoke around the elites in Washington and the media to average Americans, who are experiencing what he called a “blue-collar boom.” Reminding Americans of past presidents who made excuses for the eroding of American wealth, power, and prestige. He focused instead on the outstanding results of his regulatory reform, tax cuts, and renegotiated trade agreements.

He cited new jobs, low unemployment rates, decreases in poverty, increases in the work force, increases in wages, the improvement of the manufacturing sector, and much more.

Part of Pelosi’s visible frustration with Trump is that he didn’t seem to even care that she had just led her caucus into a partisan impeachment of him. Instead, he focused on what could be accomplished for Americans if the parties work together instead of in a constant state of resistance. He noted that criminal justice reform and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement were done by Republicans and Democrats working together.

As President Trump listed economic successes, going into detail about how the economy is new helping minorities and women, Democrats’ refusal to clap looked odd. By the time people were refusing to clap for 100-year-old heroes such as Tuskegee Airman Brigadier General Charles McGee, the oppositional stance looked downright absurd.

In a strong statement that angered Democrats, especially their presidential candidates “Socialism destroys nations,” he said, “But always remember,

freedom unifies the soul.”

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to core religious values by stating “My Administration is also defending religious liberty, and that includes the constitutional right to pray in public schools. In America, we do not punish prayer. We do not tear down crosses. We do not ban symbols of faith. We do not muzzle preachers and pastors. In America, we celebrate faith. We cherish religion. We lift our voices in prayer, and we raise our sights to the glory of God.” This statement was aimed right at the Democratic mantra of a completely secular state, void of religion in all facets of public life.

President Trump highlighted how the booming economy is helping black Americans. He emphasized how his criminal justice reform, a key issue for African Americans, gives felons a second chance.

The American heroes he referenced included the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, and various black Americans in the balcony. And he talked about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

One of the reasons President Trump won in 2016 was his opposition to the way we fight wars, not always to win. At the same time, he is willing to use American force to advance American interests much to the dismay of the so-called elite experts. When discussing his desire to end the war in Afghanistan, he said of America’s warfighters that they are “the best in the world, and they either want to fight to win or not fight at all.”

Trump highlighted the cost to the American warfighters and their families because of the way we have fought wars. He told the stories of people who had lost lives and limbs as a result of serving in combat zones.

“War places a heavy burden on our nation’s extraordinary military families,” Trump said, introducing Amy Williams and her two young children. Husband and Father Sargent First Class Townsend Williams was described as serving his fourth tour in Afghanistan.

In a final example of Trump’s effective handling of the televised moment, he announced to Amy and her kids that Williams was surprising them by coming home. He walked down the steps to greet them.

At the same time, it wasn’t all restraint. Explaining his decision to kill Baghdadi and Soleimani, he said, “Our message to the terrorists is clear: You will never escape American justice. If you attack our citizens, you forfeit your life!”

This foreign policy has been confusing to so many in the establishment, but it is a return to the foreign policy embraced by Republican presidents Eisenhower through Reagan, peace through strength.

Apart from the dramatic stories of Americans in the galley, the strongest part of the speech was the ending, where President Trump spoke with pride about America’s frontier spirit and work ethic. “This is our glorious and magnificent inheritance,” he said. “We are Americans. We are the pioneers. We are the pathfinders. We settled the new world, we build the modern world, and we changed history forever by embracing the eternal truth that everyone is made equal by the hand of Almighty God.”

The decision to be hostile throughout the speech caused Democrats to look small, petty and Unamerican. This was punctuated by the clueless Nancy Pelosi ripping up her copy of the speech. This was an insult in most American’s mind to all the American hero’s that the President praised in his speech. The president however acted and spoke like who he is, The Leader of the free world.