Initial Thoughts on Trump’s Address This Evening

Following are four initial reactions to the President’s address to the Nation and the Democrat response.

1.  I wish that the President has been stronger in asserting how and why the border is a crisis and why it is essential, even if it means a long shutdown, that he not just sign a bill that does not include funding for the wall/border barrier.  There are strong facts to support these assertions (some referenced in my blog post earlier today).

2.  The Democrat response was as usual an attempt to play on our emotions, to distort the facts and/or lose focus on the exact issue before us, and, of course, to attack President Trump.

3.  Speaking of the Democrats, I do not think that they (or whatever party is the opposition) should be granted equal air time for every Presidential address.  That is divisive.  The President (who won the election) is our Nation’s leader and the one who has the power to give a presidential address.  It is to and for the entire country and we should listen and then, if we are troubled by it, there are many venues for response (best venues for Senators and Representatives would be the floor of Congress, as well as actually negotiating with the president).  But to give the Democrats (at their demand) essentially an equal venue to oppose and attack the president simply furthers the anger and division in our country.

4.  The Democrat response made it clear that there is no hope for a compromise on the shutdown or the budget that addresses the need for border security.  There is a crisis at the border as thousands enter our country illegally with a variety of motives.  I think it time that the President declare a National Security Crisis and build the wall, or have the military build the wall.  Until our border is secure and we get over the daily traumas of and assaults on our border, we are not going to address the deeper problems of necessary immigration reform.  But for the fact that it is Donald Trump who is demanding the wall, there would be many Democrats who would favor this increased border security; it is certainly better and safer that having a line of armed guards across the border which is what it is likely to come to if we don’t secure our border in a more rational way.