Introspective
By
Thomas F. O'Neill
Our President, has been in office since January 20th of this year. I find that some of the policies, Donald Trump, implemented by executive order are questionable. Such as, his banning of people from entering the US from seven Islamic nations. That goes against everything, America, stands for and not to mention it’s unconstitutional.
Lawsuits have been filed, against Trump, by the ACLU. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will overturn Trump’s executive order.
Donald Trump is also disregarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) a trade agreement with twelve of the Pacific Rim countries. Economist are saying such an act will cause the price of goods to go up hurting consumers in the US.
The President also insulted the head of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, by stating that Mexico must pay for a 14-Billion-dollar wall separating our two countries. When Enrique Peña Nieto, stated that his country is not going to pay for the Wall. Trump threatened him with a 20% entry tax on all goods entering our country from Mexico. American consumers are the ones who will be paying the higher prices on goods from Mexico.
What is interesting - much of the Trump brand products entering America are being made in Mexico and China. Donald Trump, has also threatened China with higher tariffs and labeled them a currency manipulator. The President is correct, China, is manipulating its currency - to strengthen the yuan. If China stops at Trump’s request, the yuan will get weaker, and Trump, doesn't want that to happen.
Most economists would also agree that Trump's protectionist inauguration delivery shows that he knows very little about the virtues of globalization. His isolationist and ‘America-first’ stance on trade would be a serious mistake that will only hurt America.
I do agree with the President that the American economy needs to be strengthened domestically. Our skeptical Congress must come on board to help bring about large-scale fiscal plans.
Trump with the help of Congress also needs to proceed with cornerstone ideas such as large-scale tax cuts. But, not just for the top 1% but for the middle class as well.
In America, 82% of our nation’s wealth, is controlled by the top 1% of our nation’s wealthiest. Our middle class is shrinking and that is having the biggest negative impact on our domestic economy.
Many economists bring up the fact that a $4 trillion federal deficit had occurred under the last Republican President – George W. Bush. Bush’s fiscal measures to stimulate our domestic economy weakened the value of the American dollar. President Bush’s series of wide-ranging measures to boost domestic growth can't be allowed to happen again under the Trump administration. It will only increase our federal deficit and decrease the value of the American dollar - globally.
Donald Trump’s overall plan is to make imports more expensive than American made products by implementing large-scale taxes and tariffs on all imports. There will, however, be many setbacks to Trump's widely heralded domestic economic plans. Economists point out that the existing labor dynamic here in America would see demand outpace supply under Trump’s agenda. That would most likely lead to inflation and fail to achieve the hoped-for growth result.
I like to remind my students that Trump is a brand name onto himself and what he is selling to the American people is voodoo economics. Not to mention, his own brand of bigotry and prejudice. I am hoping that as time goes by Congress and the Supreme Court will reel Trump into reality.
Congress has the power to un-fund Trump’s unrealistic agenda such as a two-thousand-mile wall. The Supreme Court also has the power to overturn, Trump’s, religious bigotry and allow people of the Islamic faith to enter our country.
Our nation is much bigger than Trump’s ego and America’s altruistic spirit will in the end ‘out-shine’ and ‘out-Trump’ the Donald.
I also like to tell my students at the Suzhou International Foreign Language School here in Suzhou, China, that polished glass can sparkle like a diamond. But unlike a diamond glass will shatter under-pressure. Trump is like polished glass that gives the appearance of something of great value. But, in reality, Trump doesn’t have the substance nor the emotional temperament to withstand the pressures that come with his elected office. It’s unfortunate, but the American people are going to see Trump for what he truly is - a person of no substance.
Always with love from Suzhou, China
Thomas F O’Neill
WeChat - Thomas_F_ONeill
U.S. voice mail: (800) 272-6464
China Cell: 011-86-15114565945
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Email: introspective7@hotmail.com
Other articles, short stories, and commentaries by Thomas F. O'Neill can be found on his award winning blog, Link:
http://thomasfoneill.blogspot.com
Click on author's byline for bio and list of other works published by Pencil Stubs Online.
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