Wednesday, February 6, 2019
By Gary Bauer
Trump's Strong Address
As President Trump said last night, the state of our union is strong. And so too was his performance!
This was one of the best State of the Union addresses I have ever witnessed. And I have witnessed some great ones, especially when I served in the Reagan White House.
I am not alone in that assessment. Snap polls from CBS and CNN -- not Fox -- found that 76% of Americans approved of the president's address.
There were many revealing moments last night. But I will mention just a few here now because there is a raging battle to control the narrative and to convince the American people that they shouldn't like what they heard last night.
I urge you to share this report with all your friends and family members.
The Economy
President Trump outlined a powerful message of accomplishments, which will undoubtedly be the core message of the 2020 campaign. But the reaction of the "loyal opposition" to these achievements exposed the progressive left as a movement that is increasingly socialist.
Did you notice the contrast when the president was accurately describing the success of his economic program, including record low minority unemployment? Few Democrats applauded.
When Trump hailed the economic gains made by women, many of the newly-elected socialist women initially sat on their hands. Later, when he hailed the election of more women to public office, they jumped to their feet and danced.
So the news of greater employment for American women got little notice, but news of their advancement was celebrated, even though their left-wing policies would likely stall progress for all women.
Last night, President Trump did not hesitate to directly confront the left's embrace of socialism. He boldly declared:
"Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence -- not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country."
The new members of Congress who are proud "Democratic socialists" and the old members who try to hide it, sat on their hands. The conservative side of the chamber erupted in applause, expressing their appreciation for the president's promise that we will not go the way of Europe under his watch.
Border Security
The president made a powerful case for securing our borders and the necessity that barriers be part of any border security plan. Anything without physical barriers simply will not work. The president reiterated that point when he said, "Simply put, walls work and walls save lives."
But he also instinctively drew bright lines that will appeal to many working class Americans, including many Democrats, when he said this:
"No issue better illustrates the divide between America's working class and America's political class than illegal immigration. Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls and gates and guards.
"Meanwhile, working class Americans are left to pay the price for mass illegal migration: reduced jobs, lower wages, overburdened schools and hospitals, increased crime and a depleted social safety net."
The left is terrified that if Trump continues to nail them like this, he will once again carry Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
By the way, the CBS poll also found that 72% of last night's State of the Union viewers approved of President Trump's position on illegal immigration and border security.
Incredibly, when Trump called for an end to sex trafficking and praised the work of Special Agent Elvin Hernandez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could not bring herself to applaud even that.
A Passionate Defense Of Life
I was particularly pleased that President Trump did not shy away from the ongoing controversy over late-term abortions. He spoke passionately and pointedly called out radical pro-abortion legislators in New York and Virginia.
It reminded me of when he exposed Hillary Clinton's pro-abortion extremism during the 2016 debates. And he used similar language last night, saying:
"There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth.
"These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world. And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he basically stated he would execute a baby after birth.
"To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb. Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children -- born and unborn -- are made in the holy image of God."
This is an issue that unites us. The American people overwhelmingly oppose late-term abortions. Yet the vast majority of so-called "progressives" in the House chamber sat on their hands, seething at the president's call to protect innocent babies.
By the way, Nancy Pelosi's guest at the State of the Union address was Leana Wen, the new president of Planned Parenthood.
American women may be happy to see so many new women in the Congress today. But they need to think about this irony: There are more women in Congress than ever before, and yet more members of Congress than ever before are willing to essentially support infanticide.
A Tribute To America
There were many rousing patriotic moments during President Trump's remarks last night. He honored the 75th anniversary of America's liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe. He honored the 50th anniversary of Buzz Aldrin's landing on the moon.
And his tribute to Sergeant Herman Zeitchik, an American soldier who liberated the Dachau concentration camp and helped to rescue Holocaust survivor Joshua Kaufman, who saluted Zeitchik, was especially moving.
Referring to the D-Day heroes like Sergeant Zeitchik, President Trump said:
"They did not know if they would survive the hour. . . But they knew that America had to prevail. Their cause was this nation, and generations yet unborn.
"Why did they do it? They did it for America. They did it for us. Everything that has come since . . . is possible thanks to the blood and tears and courage and vision of the Americans who came before."
Our Divisions
I know many conservatives believe that the reason the left is so committed to "resistance" is because it just can't stand Donald Trump. They think that any other Republican could get even more done. That is just not true.
As I have pointed out many times before, the left's radicalism is nothing new. If Marco Rubio or Mitt Romney were standing before Congress promising to build a border wall, they would get the same irrational reaction and be called the same disgusting names.
My friends, America is not divided because of Donald Trump. Donald Trump was elected because America is so divided, because the left is seeking to "fundamentally transform" our country.
I know many people wish there could be compromise. But on many of these issues, there is no compromise to be had.
Either we respect the sanctity of life or we do not.
Either we secure the border or we do not.
Either we remain a nation committed to free markets and individual liberty or we do not.
Either we cherish our history and traditions or we do not.
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