Many Chronicle readers have taken umbrage at John Bossange’s recitation of alleged statements uttered by President Donald Trump that – Bossange and the original journalists say – demonstrate our Chief Executive is a racist, sexist, bigot.
They wonder why VDC even published it.
I published Bossange’s commentary because 1) VDC is a free speech forum, not a conservative echo chamber and 2) his original op-ed claimed Trump was all of those awful things but didn’t show the receipts. I challenged him to do so. Which, after a fashion, he did.
I could certainly dispute both the factual accuracy and spin of the mainstream media reporting he cites via Wikipedia. For example, it’s long since been disproven that Trump meant the Ku Klux Klan troglodytes at Charlottesville as some of “the good people on both sides.” The constant repetition of this canard smacks less of demonstration and more of desperation.
But what really surprises me is that so few Vermonters take the time to write op-eds to the Chronicle about what they like about Donald Trump. So this morning, in the interests of equal time and respectful discussion, I do.
No-one defends everything alleged to have been said by our ever-vocal, opinionated President, especially statements made before he was (first) elected president. But I defend, applaud and hold up as a standard for future presidents his values and record of achievement.
Donald Trump values human life. Simply put he hates war. He hates killing innocent people of any country. He hates seeing soldiers die, be they Ukrainian, Russian, or (God forbid) American. He’s happy to wield the sword to kill people trying to kill Americans. Isis, the mullahs of Iran, and Venezuelan drug lords have learned this. He’s not fine with sending American troops to die in sandboxes for oil we’re too hypocritical to pump from our own lands and offshore waters.
Donald Trump is the real author of the Abraham Accords and numerous other agreements that have reduced or ended seemingly endless global conflicts. He does not accept the status quo, whether it’s a poorly built skating rink in New York City or endless war.
In part because he hates oil wars, Trump loves unleashing American energy production. Lots and lots of it in all of its various forms. He knows that energy is power is freedom. A dearth of energy constricts economic and personal freedom. So….drill, baby drill. And split atoms. And (responsibly and affordably) dam rivers, burn coal, and convert wind and sun into electricity. Clean, safe, affordable, and reliable energy is the linchpin of American prosperity, especially in the coming AI Age.
Donald Trump upholds and defends the Constitution. In real time. Look no further than the first two amendments of the Bill of Rights: Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms. Donald Trump practices the first without restraint. Sometimes without enough restraint. But he does not countenance the abridging of lawful, necessary speech about public health and race relations, as his opponents did with Covid-19 and DEI. And he resists every effort to take away lawful gun rights.
Donald Trump also has acted on Americans’ plea for more public safety in our cities. And closing the border. And reducing the supply of illegal drugs and punishing the drug dealers. Americans have longed for these things for decades. Donald Trump is the first president to really try to fix these seemingly intractable problems. Are the measures sometimes too harsh? Maybe sometimes. But he’s using the immense powers of the executive branch to move us in the right direction.
And finally…. Donald Trump is not a budget deficit fatalist. His tariffs are an effort to think and act outside the box to someday reduce outgoing spending to match income revenue.
So tweet away, Mr. President – just keep doing all the good things you’re doing. And readers – it’s okay for you to speak up about the president, too. Whether in letters to the editor, or op-eds, or comments.
Authors’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers.
Got Something to Say, We Want to Hear It. Comment or submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com
