What can we expect from President Trump’s Presidency?

– Carlo Giudice , S7DEA (EEB3), 21.01.2017

 Yesterday, on January 20, 2017, something extraordinarily happened that many believed would never come reality. At 18.00 Central European Time zone, Donald John Trump gave the presidential oath and started the transfer of power from the Obama administration to his own, followed by an inauguration speech with many promises. A nation split, one half hailing Trump as the savior, the other half demonizing him as the evil in person. What changes were we able to observe and what can we expect from the new President for “fellow Americans, and people of the world”?

     Click here to read the full inaugural speech

    In the first part of the inaugural speech, Donald J. Trump mentions the transfer of power. After addressing former presidents and the common people by thanking them, he refers to the transfer of power every four years from a former President to the new President. However, he explains, this ceremony has special meaning – and not only to him! He claims, that this day is marking a turning point in American history as he pledges “giving it back to you, the American People”.

    The new President of the United States (POTUS) points out that for too long, “a small group in our nation’s Capital” has benefitted from the government’s policies. Already during his campaign, he claimed that “the Elites” in Washington were doing one inside job after the other, profiting from the common American people. For many middle class people those claims were justified and relatable to, to them Mrs. Hillary Clinton was just another of those Elites. The Democrats Nominee has been First Lady from 1993 to 2001, later being elected as Senator from 2001 to 2009, followed by being nominated as the 67th U.S. secretary of state.

    Trump pledges in his inaugural address to change that, “right here, and right now”. And whatever might follow in his position as POTUS, being against or supporting him, everyone must agree, that he succeeded. He, a real estate mogul and former reality television personality, is the 45th president of the United States. In 2016, without any political experiences, he climbed up the political latter, being chosen as Grand Old Party (GOP/Republicans) candidate for president and then running for presidency. For many Americans, a newbie on the political scene in Washington. That was something revolutionary for them!

    In the second part, Mr. Trump turns away from Washington towards the American people, “the forgotten men and women of our country”. He promises them that they will be forgotten no longer, “Everyone is listening to you now”. The POTUS wants to give all those a voice who are not able to be heard, but have reasonable demands, such as good education for their children, security and financial stability. In his eyes, way too many Americans suffered under the continuous drug wars, the bad education system and the financial recession.

    This “American carnage” will be stopped under his presidency, he vows to the assembled Americans. He recalls that for many decades the American people bled trillions of US tax money for foreign industry, wars in other countries and defending other nation’s borders. According to the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government 2013 report, the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts will approximately cost $4 trillion. Taking in account the consequences of the financial crisis, the costs of war would be totaling somewhere between $5 trillion and $6 trillion.

Cost of War in Afghanistan

Every hour taxpayers in the United States are paying $4,004,466 for Cost of War in Afghanistan.

$784,972,465,165

See more counters at https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

Cost of War in Iraq

Every hour taxpayers in the United States are paying $117,035 for Cost of War in Iraq.

$820,873,853,687

See more counters at https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/


 Donald Trump envisions a new way to govern America, a way of governing in which “it’s going to be America First”. He claims that the benefit of the American people will from now on rule in every decision made. Protectionism will keep American inventions, firms and jobs from leaving the country. He believes that America’s foreign policy will change dramatically to protect the middle class American from Globalization. “Buy American and hire American.“ Protectionism will be applied to every new policy to “benefit American workers and American families”!

    Donald Trump clarifies that “we will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world”, but that he will put America’s “own interests first”. This will mean that America’s presence in international conflicts will be determined on the economic and political benefit of the American people. He reassures that “We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones”, on the other hand it does not implicate America as the world’s guarantee of peace.

    In the third part of his speech, the president reveals huge infrastructural programs to rebuild America and bring the wealth back to the American Middle class. Demand Side policies such as big governmental spending on infrastructure programs are on Trumps Agenda, such as building “new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation”. Following Keynes Theory of Demand Side policy, government’s spending on in areas which does not receive enough Investment from the private sector (Education, Infrastructure) would create a positive multiplier effect, benefitting especially the low income middle class.

    Mr. Trump makes a call to action towards government employees and middle class workers. He believes that “Rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor” will lead to success. He will no longer accept empty promises by politicians, get the people off their wealth and get them back to work, “The time for empty talk is over”. Standing at the edge to the future, one path away from technological advances and the ability to profit from these, he encourages everyone to participate in this “hour of action”.

    Lastly, the POTUS addresses a new born American Spirit. He admits that there a lot of disagreements, but claims that if America works as one nation for a goal, “America is totally unstoppable”. Furthermore, a new national pride would heal the scars from political and racial divisions. He commemorates fallen soldiers and reminds everyone that no matter what color or from which part of the US people come from, “we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag”.

    In the conclusion of the speech he recalls that no American will be ignored again. He highlights the importance of the American spirit and the hopes and dreams of American people will guide his presidency. He underlines that “together, we will make America strong again”. Together they will make America wealthy, proud and safe again. “We will make America great again!”

    In his inauguration speech, President Trump’s arguments seemed comprehensible. I was impressed by what came from him and didn’t expect to be able to approve of his points. Maybe this can be explained by the fact that he was already sworn in as president and he did not need to win any more voters. Maybe because he wants to unite America’s Republicans and Democrats, black and white people.

    However, his speech was very vague and populistic. He pointed out a lot of America’s problems, but lacked details on how to improve those. He wants the people to forget racism, but does not explain how he wants to achieve that. Even though it was a relieve for me to hear that Trump was sending out a message of unity and peace, it was proving that he changes his course from one day to the other. He did not mention the deportation of millions of Muslims and Mexicans, which he furiously promised on his rallies. This makes him in my eyes a very spontaneous and opportunistic man with a lot of power.

    Even though living on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the inauguration speech was a mandatory event for me to take part, as it was his first speech after being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Now we can finally start to judge!

PS: I am neither a Trump supporter, neither a Trump hater, I judge on what I see and read with my own eyes. I do not agree with a lot of his promises during the Presidential campaign, but I believe that we should judge him mainly from the actions taken in the oval office. On the official White House the new main issues of the Government were updated. What do you think of these, do you agree with some of their policies, maybe with all?

– Carlo Giudice , S7DEA (EEB3), 21.01.2017

The content of this article does not reflect the official opinion of the EsMag or EsMag News. Responsibility for the information and views expressed in the article lies entirely with the author.

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