In the mid-1980s I had occasion to meet Donald Trump in a business context. He was brash, aggressive, demanding, impatient, and totally a Type A personality. But he was also very smart, very business savvy, and knew exactly what he wanted. If you were sitting on his side of the table, you probably would have considered him a strong and smart leader; if on the other side of the table, maybe a bully.
Trump is not a slick politician; he does not earn many style points for smooth talking or tweeting. However, he says what he means; you know where he is coming from and where he wants to go; he is a nationalist concerned with our founding constitutional principles; has put America and Americans first and promotes American exceptionalism, no more apology tours to satisfy the globalists; has rebuilt our military to world leadership status that was gutted by Obama-Biden; stands up to our enemies and makes our friends stand by their agreements; has taken out ISIS and dangerous terrorists; has sought to reduce our troops at war and seek peace; supports Israel and negotiated Middle East peace treaties; promotes fair trade, uses tariffs to level the playing field for trade and has renegotiated trade deals that hurt American workers; reduced income and capital gains taxes; has cut government regulations and red tape that shackled American business and the economy; promoted economic policies that resulted in record employment and median income, and lower poverty levels; launched opportunity zones; supports school choice; supports our police and the rule of law; reformed criminal justice; supports 2nd Amendment rights; secured the border; supports immigration reform; supports Right to Try; launched Operation Warp Speed to rapidly develop vaccines for the coronavirus; received three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize; etc., etc., etc.
Biden is obviously suffering from a cognitive decline that results in good and bad days. He is lost without a teleprompter. His handlers put a “lid” on his public appearances for 10 days in September, in the middle of a presidential campaign, and for four days with 15 days to go before the election. He has also been kept out of the public eye to avoid questions about the alleged influence peddling activities of he and his son, Hunter.
Biden is a placeholder, has made a deal with the radical left and is being peddled as “moderate” to appeal to a wider political range of voters. His running mate, Kamala Harris, is ranked as the most liberal senator and he has yielded to Sanders on important policy matters. Sanders, ranked as the second-most liberal senator, calls himself a democratic socialist. If elected, Biden would probably be replaced by Harris shortly into his term with Pelosi, third in line for the presidency, probably becoming the VP.
The Dems have also recruited other radicals, including AOC, Beto, Liz, etc., who want to destroy our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights, raise taxes, pack the Supreme Court, add at least two states, eliminate the electoral college, open the borders, etc. Biden-Sanders economic, energy, health care and education policies would bankrupt this country.
President Trump’s election in 2016 upset the D.C. power structure and the planned 16-year run for Obama and Clinton, both disciples of radical leftist Saul Alinsky, to “fundamentally transform America” into a socialist country. His victory has revealed the vicious, hateful nature of the radical left and the extent to which they are willing to go to undo our constitutional republic. It is obvious to a casual observer that the mainstream media strongly supports the left, is totally biased against President Trump and is shielding Biden from answering any relevant questions or responding to any personally negative news. Recent censorship by leftists at Twitter and Facebook previews some of the serious dangers to our 1st Amendment rights under a Biden-Harris-Sanders-Ocasio Cortez-Warren administration. And forget about your 2nd Amendment rights to own a firearm to protect yourself, your family and your property.
Historically, radical leftist movements have always started by eliminating free speech and press, freedom of religion, the right to assemble and the right to bear arms. Our country is at a critical juncture. This is the most important election for now and at least a generation to come.
I like that President Trump is a strong, patriotic, effective leader with boundless energy and that he acts to put America and Americans first. His brash manner does not matter to me.
John P. O’Rourke is a Conway resident.