Returning to normalcy, and a goodbye

According to the national “fake news” media, Donald Trump is a scandal-ridden oaf who has no business running the country. I have a different view.

Donald Trump is returning the country to a normalcy not seen since the Reagan years. And before you liberals explode, no, Trump is not a Ronald Reagan. But he is his own man, which offends you tremendously.

Reagan was sharp-witted and the master of smooth responses and retorts to accusations. He had political experience before becoming President. He was also an actor, which suited him well for politics since most politicians are nothing but actors.

Trump was and is a businessman. His style is outspoken brashness, not the smooth rhetoric the media is used to hearing from politicians. And that drives the media nuts. What they don’t understand is that his style is what attracts his supporters. He comes across as one of us.

Beyond the appearance factor, what has he accomplished? Most importantly, he has appointed numerous conservatives to federal judgeships. Sadly, the only one voted on so far by Congress is his Supreme Court nominee, probably because of the publicity. There are numerous other appointments waiting for approval from the obstructionist Senate.

He has also fired over 500 VA employees and suspended over 200 others. Trump is unwinding former President Obama’s executive policies on climate, immigration, environmental restrictions, endangered species and health care. So far, there have 15 executive actions, 34 cabinet-level agency decisions and 14 Congressional Review Acts.

Witness his immigration policy. Illegal immigration into the U.S. has slowed substantially after his election. This is simply due to the fact that illegals know they won’t get a pass once they are here or a free government benefits ride. This in spite of the fact that there still isn’t any new immigration legislation. They just know Trump will act.

Other actions and views from Trump include restoring gun rights, starting to get the federal government out of the education process, gender issues, and restoring religious liberty. Nearly all of these actions appear to me to be common sense actions designed to get the federal government out of our lives. If only the media would report on them.

Liberals view these actions with dismay, knowing that he is unraveling 30 years of liberal agenda carefully crafted behind the scene until Obama appeared.

Yes, he has made mistakes. Those are more from inexperience in the political quagmire than intentional malintent. But whatever his mistakes, he makes clear his intent to return the U.S. to a level of respect in the world.

Due to his promotion and support of conservative, “America First” policies, President Trump faced large opposition from the left and the establishment from both parties, including from within the government bureaucracy.

The fact that members of the so-called Deep State have grown visibly scared of reports stating such confirms this view. The Trump Administration has been the victim of numerous leaks of information, many of which threatened U.S. national security, mainly from the Obama holdover employees. It was reported in July 2017 that leaks occurred once a day on average, and Trump faced seven times more leaks than Obama or Bush II did.

Liberals view these actions with dismay, knowing that he is unraveling 30 years of liberal agenda carefully crafted behind the scene.

I recently saw some videos on YouTube from “Conservative Momma,” a young Colorado mother. I am a big fan of satire. She perfectly captures the hypocrisy of the left in less than two minute clips. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Check it out.

A final note: Steve Ranson is retiring from the newspaper after 30 years, nine of those as editor. I have known Steve a long time from his being a (much older) classmate and fraternity brother from the University of Nevada, Reno to intermittent contacts through the education system to his allowing me to regularly express my opinions in the newspaper.

Steve guided the Lahontan Valley News through a period of declining popularity of print media while maintaining the paper’s local flavor. As an opinion columnist, I am not bound strictly by facts. Steve’s rules for us were to use proper newsprint English (which differs slightly from normal), be able to verify any facts cited and don’t make personal attacks that might hint at libel.

Pretty simple, really, and good rules for national media also. Beyond that, he allowed pretty much free rein from all his columnists. I tested that limit often.

Steve, thank you and best of luck with whatever you might take on next.

Tom Riggins’ column appears every other Friday. He may be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com.