The President Speaks

President Trump flanked by Vice President Pence and
Speaker of the House Ryan
February 28, 2017

The President made his first address to a combined session of Congress and the government last evening. A transcript of the speech can be found on the New York Times site. 

And what a speech it was.

-- Fascinating because he stayed on script. 

-- Fascinating because of the continued use of inaccuracies, as reported in The Washington Post, to describe not only his actions but the situation in the country and business. 

-- Fascinating because he sounded Presidential! 

-- Fascinating because he reached, or attempted to reach across the aisle to the opposition party to assist in getting America moving again. 

-- Fascinating because he modified some of his most "in your face" points.

I was again appalled at the obstructionist response of the opposition party. I was, however, encouraged that some of the members broke with the leadership and stood or applauded at specific items mentioned in the address. Good on them!

Am I on-board with everything that he is doing? No. I continue to disagree with some of the policies and enforcement actions that he had implemented. I see them as ill-advised and reactionary designed to bolster his political based at the expense of real people working and contributing to this country.

But, I want to make the point again: We need our President to be successful! The last thing any of us wants, or needs, is to be led by an unsuccessful President. The impacts of anything less than success are too far reaching. As has already been demonstrated, the design of our government will contain the extreme idealism.

In reviewing the speech, which I did watch live on television, I was encouraged especially towards the end as the President began to lay out his vision for the future. 

He said: Think of the marvels we could achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people. Cures to the illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope. American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream. (New York Times Transcript)

I can envision that broad release of American ingenuity having a positive impact for all of mankind.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD