by Hans Izaak Kriek*
Trump can count on these Americans. And the number of his supporters is still growing.
When many others denounced Trump’s inhuman policy of separating refugee children from their parents, ‘his 40 percent’ praised his determination to do whatever is necessary to protect the US borders.
I spoke recently with a lot of people about Trump and his politics. Police-officers, bankers, salesmen, blue-collar workers, doctors, professors…. Read what they told me.
Trump is delivering
“I voted for the man because of his stance on immigration,” Harold, a policeman told me.
“From giving our military the flexibility and tools to wipe off the map the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, to reshaping the judiciary for a generation.
President Trump has delivered on my expectations. I voted for him to accelerate economic growth, boost wages, and restore American strength’.
David, a doctor, told me that most of his colleagues are left leaning (Democrats) but that is changing, he said.
He voted for Trump and tells me why: “While I am a strong supporter of President Trump, I would not describe myself as fanatic or a zealot, I call myself more a realist.
He has proven to be a strong leader and has earned my trust and respect. He has been, in my opinion, the only President that has treated this country like the business that it is, and has turned around the economy unlike any president before him’.
Brendan, a car salesman: “I will stand by President Trump. He is this country’s last hope,” explaining that Trump stands up for American-born citizens over others.
“He is really the only one to take on the problem of illegal immigration, the unfair trade policies, the unfair way we have to fund NATO.”. He follows Trump’s foreign policy.
“Trump has handled the Middle East and North Korea masterfully. As I knew he would, he opened the throttle on the U.S. economy. He has also handled Russia correctly, economically and otherwise.
He has been a goddamned prodigy so far. People who are serious about history understand how unprecedented this president is.
The first man in the Oval Office without owing anyone anything can and will do great things. We will probably never see another like him’.
What about the European leaders?
European leaders aren’t happy with Donald Trump.
In the opinion of my banker: “European leaders, as well as others throughout the world, were lulled into 8 years of Obama diplomatic apologetic complacency, and feel threatened by President Trump’s business acumen and his “art of the deal”.
He negotiates from strength, not the weaknesses of previous administrations, and is earning respect throughout the world.”
Bob, a professor, said: “The leaders in Europe are fearful of Donald Trump because he is not an Obama type globalist. He wants NATO memberstates to pay their fair share.
He wants fair trade instead of unfair trade practices and punishing tariffs taking advantage of US exports to EU nations.
He wants legal immigration in the US, not open borders as exist in and flooding these nations with illegal immigrants.
He wants the southern US border with Mexico protected by a wall. He is not in favor of the Obama Paris Climate Accord which was clearly a plan to punish the US with unfair climate accord regulations and benefit violating nations with an exchange of wealth to their economies from the US.’
How healthy is the US economy now?
Let’s have a look at the latest numbers, from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated on the first Friday of each month. US wages are growing at fastest rate in 9 years as unemployment rate holds at 3.9 percent, one of the lowest levels in half a century.
America’s record-breaking streak of job growth continued last month with adding 201,000 jobs. The US has now added jobs every month for 9 months in a row.
Trump has been touting the low unemployment rate and strong job gains since he took office as proof he is delivering results and his critics are wrong about him. Trump criticised the US central bank’s policy of raising rates.
“I don’t like at all this work we’re putting into the economy and then I see rates going up,” the president said in a reaction to CNBC.
But there is more interesting news. Middle-class incomes rose to the highest recorded levels in 2017 and the national poverty rate declined as the benefits of the strong economy lifted the fortunes of more Americans, the US Census reported recently.
The average middle-class US household earned $ 61,372 last year, meaning half of families in the country brought in more income than this.
The Census Bureau said: “We’re continuing to see a shift from part-time to full-time work, so some of that could explain an increase in income. Further the Census Bureau reported that the US poverty rate declined modestly to 12.3 percent, the lowest level in more than a decade.
Trump re-elected in 2020?
This question isn’t a problem for the people I interviewed. Will a Democrat come back in the White House? Doctor David: “The only platform the Democrats now have is that of hatred and vitriol. Trump has no competition.
As a former Democrat, I am truly disappointed in that party's lack of strength and character, stability, leadership, and a plan of action.
President Trump ran a strong campaign based on improving the economy, securing the borders, strengthening the military, making better trade deals, and putting America back to work, to name a few goals.
He hasn’t just met these goals, but accomplished even more than what was expected, despite the media. He is the spokesman for a majority of Americans, and what we want is another progressive and impressive term.”
Professor Bob: “The US economy in the US was failing under President Obama. Donald Trump, in less than two years, has grown the economy and the Gross National Product to a huge 4.2 % in the last quarter.
The economy is booming. Our military is and will be the strongest ever. Consumer confidence is at a high record level. Unemployment is at an all-time low for all people and minorities.
North Korea, Iran and ISIS have been put on notice. The US is now the largest producer of energy and exporting energy more than ever. The US stock market is booming and at an all-time high in just a few months since Donald Trump became president.
It has grown the wealth of the US by 7 trillion dollars, a remarkable achievement. For all these reasons, he will continue to let grow our nation's strength, its wealth and its standing in the world. Trump will be reelected in 2020. Mind my words''.
*International political commentator for European Business Review and editor-in-chief of Kriek Media.
By: N. Peter Kramer
