Not quite live-streaming here, but I’ve got a DVR, I’ve got a really strong drink, and I’m watching damn Trump.
First, he’s reading from the teleprompter, not off the cuff. Not yet. Is it wrong to be disappointed?
Trump started with a pretty good unity message. I’m sure someone wrote it for him. He seemed unsure about many of the phrases, and he went back to his stock stump speech pretty quickly.
Now it’s just a stream of wish-fulfillment ideas from the campaign. “We will make the military strong. We will support our veterans. We will make sure that everyone has good paying jobs. We will destroy ISIS. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
And a million dollars, a horsie and a train set, I’m sure. There’s not so much as a hint about the mechanism for each of these contradictory goals.
He talked about dismantling criminal enterprises that strangle our nation, with DHS, Justice, FBI, State, and maybe the boy scouts. I got lost, and he never described what he meant.
Quick plug for Gorsuch for the supreme court..
Long description about how the US economy is in sharp decline, the deficit is soaring, our domestic lives are terrible, and our foreign relationships are… whatever. America as a dumpster fire.
“Make it easier to start companies, and harder for them to leave.” I’m feeling a tug on my wallet. Yup, there you go: reduce the corporate tax rate. At the same time, provide massive tax relief. No contradiction there.
Makes a plug for tariffs, again implying that, somehow, foreign suppliers will be paying that cost, and not the consumers.
He talked about how Harley Davidson parked five motorcycles on the White House lawn. Then he smirked through the applause. What is it with good old boys and Harley Davidsons? And it’s not like Trump would throw his leg over one. Ever.
“And they wanted me to ride one. And I said, ‘No, thank you.'” And other smirk. Damn, I hate being right.
He claimed that ‘some country’ was taxing HD motorcycles at 100%. “Can you believe it?”
How’s ‘no’ work for you. Didn’t he just crow about blocking the TPP trade deal? I mean, I’m glad he did, but only because I hated the copyright and patent part, not the free trade provisions.
Paul Ryan is smiling genially behind Trump. I’m not sure how he isn’t yawning. Does he have headphones? Maybe it’s the drugs.
Trump swears he strongly supports free trade. Then quoted Lincoln excoriating free trade.
Trump talks about a ‘Merit-based immigration system’: nobody gets in who doesn’t come with money. None of those poor people. So much for your ‘huddled masses yearning to be free’.
God, this is really, really awful stuff. He has no idea how terrible this is, and how much his stupid soundbites are both horrific, and completely contrary to American ideals.
“America has spent approximately $6 Trillion dollars on the Middle East. We could have rebuilt the United States twice, and maybe, even three times, if we had the people with the ability to negotiate.”
We spent the money on arms, ammo, and bombs. We spent the money on troops, planes, ships, and Humvees. We blew up their infrastructure, then watched as they blew up our people.
We also did wonderful things, in places. Our troops were magnificent, sometimes, and made great things where they could. We even created peace in spots. We still are.
But, according to Trump, we’re selfish bastards for not spending that on ourselves. I might agree about the bombs and bullets part. Not sure the veterans and Gold Star parents would agree about the rest.
