Trump SOTU homerun

Published February 7, 2019

by Dr. Ada Fisher, Physician and NC National Republican Committeewoman, February 6, 2019.

Ronald Reagan was credited as being the great communicator; however, Trump has to be given his props especially after his February 5, 2019 State of the Union Address.  The optics of the occasion featuring 98 positive interruptions for applause often from both sides of the aisle showed that he was hitting a nerve which his opponents and many democrats didn’t see coming.  Trump gave a nod to both sides of the aisle with carefully crafted policy statements which stole the democrats thunder.  The litany of achievements of this administration with Criminal Justice reform, Opportunity Centers and immigration reform proposals were clear with targets defined.

The President’s grasp of treaties and negotiations directly with international leaders demonstrated that he does understand the art of the deal.  The US border wall was defined not as a concrete barrier but one which was metal with likely electronics to monitor and possibly shock those who try to climb it.  Citing El Paso and San Diego’s effectiveness with a wall likely brought unbelievers to the fold. Detailing the makeup of illegal aliens who have been involved in disruptive activities, as coming over the southern borders, was sobering if true.

Trumps statements on a necessary limit to enduring wars were so on target.   The vested interest of those with buy into the Military Industrial Complex as described by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was not the media painted haphazard withdrawal of troops from Syria and Iran.  A studied and monitored stand down of US forces in preference to legitimate troops from those nations seemed embraceable. 

The rise against anti-Semitism struck a chord with all of us who are Jews, brought home by the poignant stories of war victims of the Holocaust and liberators from the US forces.  The establishment of the Israeli Embassy in Jerusalem is a stance with a biblical basis and showed courage to stand for what was foreordained not secularly compromised.

To those determined not to like him, Trump extended an olive branch laced with reasoning from staunch support of a woman’s right to vote emanating from the almost one-hundred year celebration of the 19th Amendment granting such.  He struck a needed blow to abortions at or near term while acknowledging that the law supporting the legality of such before 20 weeks was not the issue.  There was a resounding round of support for the idea of extending paid family leave for pregnancies.  The women in white supporting the Suffragette Movement often had to stand. 

Reigning in the cost of medications would likely save billions while insuring that any changes to health care legislation should cover pre-existing conditions were winners. Though the Congress supported Trumps statement that this should never be a socialist nation, such would strike a blow to Medicare for all.  Paid leave for pregnancies though admirable also opens a door for government subsidies for such, particularly for small employers and those trying to run a business not deliver social services. 

The polls have shown 70% support for this optimistic view for the nation to achieve greatness.  The presence of any effective opposition has yet to be shown.

The rebuttal speech for the Democrats by former Georgia State Representative Stacy Abrams missed the mark. The lack of viable solutions for what ails us is something they have yet to define if they hope to capture the imagination of the public and get our votes.  

Ada M. Fisher, MD, MPH is a licensed teacher, retired Corporate physician, former county school board member, speaker, author of Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Solutions Good for What Ails Us Book 1 and is the NC Republican National Committeewoman.