After learning from The New York Times that President Donald Trump’s personal finances are collapsing under a mountain of debt, and after watching the president and members of his inner circle become infected with COVID-19, it seems unfair to pile on with criticisms. In fact, let’s give President Trump credit where credit is due. And before you object, please keep in mind that I’m well aware of all President Trump’s detractors.
For example, I recognize that retired Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, past head of the U.S. Special Operations Command, has stated: “Today, as we struggle with social upheaval, soaring debt, record unemployment, a runaway pandemic, and rising threats from China and Russia, President Trump is actively working to undermine every major institution in this country.”
Along those same lines, President Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton, has called Trump “naive and dangerous.”
The president’s niece, Mary Trump, claims: “There is no code of conduct, no moral or ethical imperative that stands in the way of Donald’s craven willingness to achieve his ends no matter the means.”
Retired federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, the president’s sister, has described President Trump as having “no principles,” and has stated “you can’t trust him.”
Former GOP presidential candidate, and current Republican Senator, Mitt Romney has declared that Trump is “guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust.”
Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen, was equally blunt: “In some ways, I knew him better than even his family did because I bore witness to the real man, in strip clubs, shady business meetings, and in the unguarded moments when he revealed who he really was: a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man.”
Retired general and former Trump Secretary of Defense James Mattis has accused Trump of trying to divide the nation, and written: “We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
Well-known conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin has declared: “Republicans in 2016 missed the easiest cause and effect out there: If you elect a narcissistic, ignorant, corrupt and cruel president, disaster will ensue. We now are paying the price.”
GOP operative Steve Schmidt, who ran Republican Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, has described Trump as “the worst president this country has ever had” and a “con man” who has “brought death, suffering, and economic collapse on truly an epic scale.”
While these Americans, and others, are entitled to their opinions, I believe it’s absolutely vital that we give President Trump credit for his accomplishments.
1) The U.S. currently has the worst economy in memory, with the unemployment rate more than doubling from 3.5% in February to 7.9% in September. More than anyone else, President Trump deserves credit for our current economic collapse.
2) President Trump was in charge as we became the most pandemic-ridden nation on earth, with more than 8.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19.
3) As of mid-October, millions of Americans have suffered financial hardships or serious health impacts — or both — from COVID-19. At the same time, more than 220,000 Americans have died due to the disease. (The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population, yet approximately 20% of the world’s coronavirus deaths.) The credit for this astounding fact belongs primarily to one man: President Donald Trump.
When you vote in 2020, please keep in mind that we have a clear, comprehensive record of President Trump’s words, actions and policies. We already know everything we need to know about this particular president. So rather than wondering how President Trump could spend $70,000 on haircuts, or why he’s trying to kill the Affordable Care Act during a pandemic, or how he can fulfill his oath of office while he’s suffocating under a mountain of personal debt, or why he’s demanding that his attorney general arrest his political opponents, I’ll simply suggest that we all exercise common sense.
Please remove President Trump and his enablers from office. Vote them out. We need to elect officials who know how to protect America during a pandemic, and who have the expertise to build a strong and resilient economy. It’s time to put the corruption and the insanity behind us.
Todd Tanner
Bigfork