LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Obama and Trump – pros and cons

  OBAMA: Yes, he inherited a financial nightmare, and in order to exit the horrific monetary condition factors evolved that created another American catastrophe ... exorbitant increases in our national debt that have tripled under the Obama Administration. 1. The creation of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. The idea may very well have been a positive one; however, the unintended consequences created a disaster. The concept of enabling all Americans to be entitled to overall health care coverage sounded quite good; however, the conception and reality of the ability to provide this effort never addressed the consistently higher costs incurred to continue this protection. The program was enforced during many back-door Democratic meetings pushing it through in the middle of the night. As Nancy Pelosi quizzically said, “First we have to pass it in order to know what’s in it.” May have made sense to the Democrat politicos in Washington, D.C., but to the average American, it said so much more. It emphasized the thought process that would continue under the Obama Administration: Servicing only the selected groups the Administration considered worthy of his interest and/or involvement. 2. In the first two years of his presidency, he held the political trifectas ... the presidency, the Senate and the House. Who could ask for anything more? What was accomplished? Not very much, although it made “stars” of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, the Dynamic Duo of the Democratic Party. Obama apparently approved of all they both said, denigrating anyone or anything that would ever oppose them ... it’s good to be the King! 3. Outlandish regulations running rampant on everything that could be governed. No opportunity for growth with the strangulation hold this administration could conceive of and imagine to gain control of all within their domain. Not healthy for American growth and prosperity. 4. Massive budget cuts: Not conducive AGAIN to maintaining and improving American national security, military competitiveness and ungovernable illegal-immigration problems. 5. Unemployment issues: Granted, at this point in time, the official ratio for the unemployed is announced to be 4.9 percent. Excellent opportunities for the job market. The major problem not mentioned by our governmental “geniuses” is the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have just STOPPED LOOKING. These unfortunates are not to be counted within the realm of the Obama Administration. They would taint their numbers. These people must be accommodated and accounted for in the total unemployment ranks. Hence, TRUMP’s ace in the hole ... the unaddressed, forgotten masses, the blue collar workers who spoke their despair on 08 November 2016, much to the shock and chagrin within the Obama and Clinton camps. “Where Did We Go Wrong?” To their dismay, they have received that message loud and clear! Could this be the reason that, after this election, every time Hillary Rodham Clinton has appeared in public to speak, she has worn the color purple? A color of mourning! 6. The negative ability to never truly resolve the mass exodus of American business moving to foreign lands due to the outrageous tax codes that were NEVER reduced, enabling American companies to remain in their native land. Why would they ... so much more economical and profitable to definitely be elsewhere, leaving our hallowed halls of “No Profits Seen Here.” It was time for Hope and Change that became Reality ... not just the precept of imagination. Time will tell if this can be secured with a new, positive approach to achieve American success. Too early at this point in time to determine ... but Hope Springs Eternal. America is the best hope in the world to achieve the Impossible Dream. TRUMP: It is still quite early in this administration to envision either Pro and/or Con; however, there has been much criticism of President Trump’s behavior patterns and vocal, offensive terminologies. He is definitely a shoot-from-the hip type of individual ... for better or worse! The media (primarily MSNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and ABC) are always at the ready to criticize any unorthodox moves and/or statements made by this new sheriff in town. Others find his unusual political style rather refreshing ... no “old school” Washington, D.C., rhetoric that was trained to be politically correct at all times (whether they meant what was said or to the contrary.) “The Donald” is no fool. He’s been around the block in life many times. He has seen the Good, the Bad, and The Ugly and succeeded throughout those times, as he is now the president-elect of the United States of America and we should give him the opportunity to see his plans through and come to fruition enabling him to Make America Great Again! PRO: Bring jobs, jobs, jobs back to their rightful place – the United States of America. No more open-door policy for corporations to leave our fair land for foreign shores. Reduce the tax rates from 35 percent to 15 percent. Give major prosperity opportunities to all Americans: improved national security; safer towns and cities throughout our land; law and order enforcement reality, with better personal relationships between the citizenry and law enforcement communities; strong vetting immigration policies with common sense enforcement. Build the wall! Put the best people in place to follow through on the promises and tasks at hand that are desperately in need of repair and improvement. Give The Guy That Opportunity. As noted, anti-Trump media (you know who they are) have always been at the ready to condemn any “unusual,” not-by-the-book behavior. The Standard Operating Procedure they have long believed to have been valid may now become a thing of the past in this new regime. It is still quite early to fully determine exactly what DJT will be able to accomplish; however, to date, he has made some very interesting moves that should prove to have a positive effect. His selections for a cabinet are showing a strong approach to get America back on track, i.e., Department of Defense candidate “Mad Dog” Mannis, a United States Marine general ... tough as George S. Patton … is a good start. Our military has been left on the back burner for many years, and they look now to have the major support they desperately need. Our adversaries are not “nice guys.” They do not respect “words” spoken from the current administration that they know will not be backed up. With DJT at the helm, that will put fear in their hearts ... something they have not felt for the past eight years. It is vital that our employment status must be corrected. The 4.9 percent sounds quite encouraging. However, as previously stated, these exalted numbers do not adequately address the forgotten masses who had lost faith in the system and who will now be able to regain the momentum to once more seek their employment capability not provided in the Obama Administration. Full-time jobs are needed, as opposed to the part-time, no-benefits platform that many Americans are forced to endure. Good-paying jobs for ALL Americans. Yes, it is very early in the game to rate Donald J. Trump as leader of the free world; but for me, it’s so far – so good. The man has certainly turned Washington, D.C., upside down. That’s a step up to begin with. The “regular” politicians do not know what is in their future. They have been able to play their game to benefit themselves and their constituents, even if it diminishes others and [is] not proven beneficial to all Americans. Watching how Washington, D.C., politicos will cooperate and react to Trump’s agendas will be quite intriguing. Time will tell! I, for one, am looking forward to the next four years (and maybe MORE!). May God always bless the United States of America!

Beverly Monahan Dover