If you viewed the State of the Union address, you experienced Donald Trump in all his grandeur. However, somebody has got to tell him that boasting great accomplishments is not cool.  

Trump relished the opportunity to thrash his detractors on the other side of the aisle. He attacked liberals viciously and attempted to portray them as only caring about their personal interests and not the health of our nation. He continuously asked why they would not stand up in tribute to invitees who saved the lives of others and gave a shout out to our sensationally victorious national hockey team.

SOTU has traditionally been a gathering for the party in power to present great achievememts during the past year and plans for the next year. This year, Trump spent most of the time talking about the Democrats inability to govern. There was little new legislation discussed.

To make matters worse, Democrats were sitting on their hands. Great accomplishments by invited guests were not enough to get them to stand and join in celebration. Trump has proven time and again that he is an extraordinary self-promoter especially when he holds a microphone in front of a big crowd. The only thing Democrats currently bring to the table is their repetitive accusations that Trump is a liar and a fraud.

“Why won’t you stand up in support of bravery and great sportsmanship?” “Why won’t you stand up and congratulate individuals for saving fellow soldiers on the battlefield?”

So, Democrats spent the whole evening squirming in their seats as Republicans whooped it up and showcased cabinet members and a long list of accomplishments during the past year. You know what Trump is taking credit for: lower inflation, no illegal border entries, lower mortgage rates, a strong economy, less crime in certain cities and about 10 or 15 other big accomplishments.

The Dems have one thing going for them- a lot of voters in both parties don’t like Donald Trump. But, then again, he’s not running for office. The Constitution indicates that he cannot get on the ballot. What will voters do? Will they vote Democrat even though Democrats don’t have one viable candidate- unless you think Newsom or Harris have a chance in the 2028 election? Neither of them can deliver a complete sentence, much less become the most important person on Earth. The Democrats have many things to address in the midterm elections. They must promise that they won’t screw up the country again if they gain a foothold in the Senate or the House of Representatives. I can’t imagine who is going to head them in this endeavor.

Democrats refuse to give credit to Trump for anything. In the meantime, the stock market is roaring, prices are down for food and most commodities, energy is getting cheaper and Trump is handling conflicts between other countries pretty well. Iran is a big question mark, but Trump has promised over and over again not to allow Iran to build a nuclear weapon.

The young leaders among Democrats are not making any points with the electorate. AOC and the rest of the most vocal lawmakers are not qualified. They are an embarrassment, disrespectful and vulgar. I don’t know how the group has gotten into positions they are in.

Nothing has changed post SOTU. Trump is negotiating with other countries on many issues. Trump is keeping his promises to voters, while Democrats are tired and want to go home.

With so much chaos in the world, I wonder why our leaders aren’t reducing the dangerous rhetoric that fills the airwaves and Congress each new day. This would be a logical first step in returning our government and society to a peaceful and productive focus. There are many problems we need to solve and evil people to rein in before we can reclaim utopia on earth.

Sadly, our country is no longer a place where we can speak our minds freely. Cynics are too often anxious to face off with friends and others on controversial subjects. Liberals call Trump supporters idiots. Conservatives say liberals are leaderless and they nearly destroyed the country under Biden.

Given the current situation, I thought I might construct a short wish list for our leaders that identifies goals for our nation and its citizens. If we work hard enough maybe some positive things will come to fruition.

Congress people need to tone down the rhetoric and begin to collaborate with each other. Calling each other liars is not going to reduce the bad feelings that prevail in Congress, which prevents lawmakers from doing their jobs. The exchanges recently between Democrats and Trump cabinet members were shameful. Our government will not be productive if there are petty squabbles about mundane issues.

The president should be a good winner. His rhetoric about his greatness is so offensive. Americans hate bad winners. In the same vein overstating accomplishments defeats the goodwill of the moment. A touch of modesty would go a long way to good relations at long last.

The young people in this country and the political left will not find a peaceful society by assaulting police officers, I.C.E. agents or soldiers who are trying to control endless riots and violence. Protest is illegal when it is becomes violent. We need to have police officers ready to stem the tide of evil doers that are driven by anarchy.

The chasm that has grown between older and younger Americans is unhealthy for the nation. Young Americans must learn from the past. There are 250 years of history that have brought us to this point. There have been wars, peace, disease, innovation, creativity and an untold amount of interaction between people who disagree with each other. Don’t destroy the good things that we can achieve. Protest is exciting and romantic for some people. If it is abused there will be bad feelings that last for decades.

Our relationship with the rest of the world is based upon military and economic strength. Effective application of these two standards is necessary to achieve peace.

Our military capabilities are the envy of the world. Recently bad behavior by lesser developed countries has been the target of US military. Iran was attacked and is now on the verge of giving up its nuclear dreams that have so many people around the world nervous. We are getting closer to peace in the Middle East, and so much more. The US is leading most of the new efforts across the globe.  

In the same vein, the US must apply its economic power to stabilize the world. Countries with dubious economic objectives can upset the apple cart with frivolous actions that might accompany military activity. 

Americans should spend time appreciating what the US and its citizens have done over the last 250 years. We are conquering racial and other kinds of discrimination. The US has participated successfully in many major and lesser conflicts that threatened the world. For the most part, these conflicts have worked out well and larger wars have been avoided. Diseases are being addressed as billions are being spent to cure viruses and other threats to mankind. Most of us managed to live through the COVID crisis.

Americans should believe that a productive, peaceful life with children and grandchildren is attainable for everyone. We all have different talents, and there are good jobs available to those who want to work hard.

The Epstein debacle should end immediately. It is a stain on our country that at a despicable man could ruin so many lives with lewd, sinful and anti-social behavior.

There is so much more to be excited about. Great strides are being made on the immigration front, although we still don’t have a comprehensive policy for those who wish to come to America legally. There has been a concerted efforts to stop the importation of illegal drugs. And, the president has focused on crime across the country.

I’m optimistic and will ignore harmful rhetoric. We will work through our problems and America will continue to be the greatest country in the world.

With so much chaos in the world, I wonder why our leaders aren’t reducing the dangerous rhetoric that fills the airwaves and Congress each new day. This would be a logical first step in returning our government and society to a peaceful and productive focus. There are many problems we need to solve and evil people to rein in before we can reclaim utopia on earth.

Sadly, our country is no longer a place where we can speak our minds freely. Cynics are too often anxious to face off with friends and others on controversial subjects. Liberals call Trump supporters idiots. Conservatives say liberals are leaderless and they nearly destroyed the country under Biden.

Given the current situation, I thought I might construct a short wish list for our leaders that identifies goals for our nation and its citizens. If we work hard enough maybe some positive things will come to fruition.

Congress people need to tone down the rhetoric and begin to collaborate with each other. Calling each other liars is not going to reduce the bad feelings that prevail in Congress, which prevents lawmakers from doing their jobs. The exchanges recently between Democrats and Trump cabinet members were shameful. Our government will not be productive if there are petty squabbles about mundane issues.

The president should be a good winner. His rhetoric about his greatness is so offensive. Americans hate bad winners. In the same vein overstating accomplishments defeats the goodwill of the moment. A touch of modesty would go a long way to good relations at long last.

The young people in this country and the political left will not find a peaceful society by assaulting police officers, I.C.E. agents or soldiers who are trying to control endless riots and violence. Protest is illegal when it is becomes violent. We need to have police officers ready to stem the tide of evil doers that are driven by anarchy.

The chasm that has grown between older and younger Americans is unhealthy for the nation. Young Americans must learn from the past. There are 250 years of history that have brought us to this point. There have been wars, peace, disease, innovation, creativity and an untold amount of interaction between people who disagree with each other. Don’t destroy the good things that we can achieve. Protest is exciting and romantic for some people. If it is abused there will be bad feelings that last for decades.

Our relationship with the rest of the world is based upon military and economic strength. Effective application of these two standards is necessary to achieve peace.

Our military capabilities are the envy of the world. Recently bad behavior by lesser developed countries has been the target of US military. Iran was attacked and is now on the verge of giving up its nuclear dreams that have so many people around the world nervous. We are getting closer to peace in the Middle East, and so much more. The US is leading most of the new efforts across the globe.  

In the same vein, the US must apply its economic power to stabilize the world. Countries with dubious economic objectives can upset the apple cart with frivolous actions that might accompany military activity. 

Americans should spend time appreciating what the US and its citizens have done over the last 250 years. We are conquering racial and other kinds of discrimination. The US has participated successfully in many major and lesser conflicts that threatened the world. For the most part, these conflicts have worked out well and larger wars have been avoided. Diseases are being addressed as billions are being spent to cure viruses and other threats to mankind. Most of us managed to live through the COVID crisis.

Americans should believe that a productive, peaceful life with children and grandchildren is attainable for everyone. We all have different talents, and there are good jobs available to those who want to work hard.

The Epstein debacle should end immediately. It is a stain on our country that at a despicable man could ruin so many lives with lewd, sinful and anti-social behavior.

There is so much more to be excited about. Great strides are being made on the immigration front, although we still don’t have a comprehensive policy for those who wish to come to America legally. There has been a concerted efforts to stop the importation of illegal drugs. And, the president has focused on crime across the country.

I’m optimistic and will ignore harmful rhetoric. We will work through our problems and America will continue to be the greatest country in the world.

Americans who denigrate Donald Trump and his agenda have begun to rely upon a clever strategy to prevent the president from gaining another term in office.

First some background. The 22nd amendment of the Constitution states the following: “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice,…” Therefore, there is no risk that the nation will need to deal with a Trump “takeover” in 2028. By suggesting that the president has plans to change or circumvent the 22nd amendment is an ingenious way for Democrats to possibly abscond the presidency.

Comparing Trump to the vilest dictator in history is another canard. In the wake of Germany’s defeat in World War I, it was suffering through horrendous economic conditions that made it ripe for a takeover by a scoundrel. The US is experiencing a vibrant economic rally. Generally speaking, the difference between Germany and the US is not apropos.  To say that the US is suffering any long-term economic issues is absurd.

Further, the US has rebuilt its military strength substantially and is far stronger than ever before. Even considering the nuclear powers around the globe, no country in the world should diminish the overwhelming might of the US.  Moving forward the US will engage in all challenges with its enemies.

A coup d’état by Trump would necessitate a takeover of the military complex which would be impossible. The US military is too wide-ranging for this type of action by any individual.

And what of Congress? Republicans and Democrats would not stand for a diminution of the powers of the legislative arm of our government. Congress people will fight tooth and nail to protect their constitutional rights and the rights of their states.

Radical liberal elements are using red herring arguments to frighten voters. Trump is having trouble quelling anarchists in a few states around the around the country. If he attempted to covet all states, revolution would be a certainty.

Some suggest that Trump will restructure the voting system in the country. This is a definite possibility, but it will not change the constitutional restrictions for the president. And it is not reasonable to think that Trump will be able to make earthshattering changes to our voting system in a short period of time. Congress has discussed voting reform for decades without any success.

Donald Trump is a lame duck president. He doesn’t need to worry about reelection. He is in a good position to strengthen the office of the president during his last three years. He will not be able to overwhelm states’ rights and the will of the people by trying to take over the government.

True, Trump will influence the 2028 elections, but not as a candidate once his current term ends. Republicans will breathe a sigh of relief, and Trump will be sent back to his business in New York City.

Our country is dramatically split between liberals and conservatives. Currently, the former are resentful of the federal government, which is utilizing ICE agents to capture and deport illegal aliens.

Conservatives foresee a dangerous threat to our social, political, economic and judicial systems from aliens entering the country unlawfully. Some experts estimate that there are about 20 million illegals in the US.

Liberals argue that illegals living in the US for many years deserve citizenship because they have proven that they are living up to American standards: no violent behavior, working at legitimate businesses and obeying the laws of the land. Illegals that have been crossing into the US recently do not deserve the same consideration, in the opinion of many Americans. This is a massive group of people from countries south of Texas that have not been vetted.

These “other illegals” have mostly crossed our borders during the Biden administration. Trump and ardent conservatives believe that a large number in this group have criminal records in the US and in their home countries. Trump has often said that these people are creating dangerous situations in America, including high crime rates in larger cities.

When Trump began this round-up of illegal immigrants, he said immigration officers were looking for the worst of the worst of those who crossed our borders illegally. Liberals claim that honest immigrants are being incarcerated and harassed by the police. People are being pulled out of cars and from their homes having not committed any crimes, with the exception of entering the US illegally. I think most caring Americans do not believe the conservatives or the liberals. The rhetoric from both sides has been deafening. These sentiments are causing protesters to disrupt many large communities across the US.

There exists no compromise for these two warring parties. Every day the schism between the dueling parties grows wider. Protesters that threaten citizens going to work are creating dangerous standoffs between radical zealots and peace officers, who have been assigned the task of dispersing crowds.

The scariest part of the confrontations is that there appears to be no common ground between the warring sides, and so peace is elusive. Activists are creating chaotic environments in which people are being arrested for disturbing the peace. When confrontations become violent there is never any agreement about who is responsible.

The absurd and sad encounter between an ICE agent and a woman driving her car is a perfect example. There is no agreement about who is responsible for the violence that occurred in which ICE officers say a woman was trying to run over an agent, and he responded by shooting and killing her. Liberals said the woman was just making a turn, while conservatives say the woman was trying to run over the agent. This occurred in broad daylight and both sides cannot agree on the facts surrounding the event even with the help of recordings of the incident.

Minneapolis politicians are saying the city is being attacked by federal agents who are aggressively and dangerously controlling the protesters. Law enforcement people are saying they are merely protecting citizens and property from harm by the protesters.

Nonviolent protest is guaranteed by the constitution. Encounters that include violence are not protected. It appears that protesters are being supported financially by large donors who are attempting to taunt Trump into greater violence. In the meantime, the ICE agents are being called Nazi storm troopers. To debase these law men and women is shameful. Our police forces and government law men are risking their lives to protect peaceful citizens who are innocent bystanders.

When Americans have disputes about the facts of a certain event, the civilized thing to do is to take it to court and allow a judge or a jury to make the final decision. The aggressive response by certain people in Minneapolis is what needs to be tempered. The confrontations between the aforementioned parties is a violation of laws that protect peacekeepers that governors and the president can call into service.

The political landscape is becoming more and more complicated every day. This essay will examine the choices Democratic voters have for president at this early stage.

The US currently has a lame duck president who is taking on a many of the most controversial issues during his time in office. On the other hand, a cavalcade of old and new faces are dominating the liberal side of the equation by grasping onto tired issues. If any of the latter group is to be successful, he or she must choose the most important issues in the minds of voters and deliver tangible strategies to solve the problems of all Americans.

Let’s  consider the candidates who may represent Democrats.

Kamala Harris still has not revealed what she aspires to moving forward. Her choices are to run for the presidency once again, run for governor of California or just hang around as others plan and execute their next moves to win the Democratic Primary.

Kamala would have to shed a ton of dead weight before she could assume leadership of the Democratic Party. Her performance in the last presidential campaign is not affording her party confidence that she will do better with another presidential nomination. She has not made one single proposal or remark that has encouraged voters to support her. Kamala is not a leader and does not have the knowledge to take on others from her own party or the opposition party.

Kamala has left her party in shambles and her book tour is only serving to infuriate fellow Democrats. I started to read her autobiography and ended my experience just a few chapters into it. I decided to give the book to one of my frustrated progressive friends.

Gavin Newsom seems to be moving ahead with a plan to run for president. The New York Times seems to think this man can save the Democratic Party. California is having a very bad year. Fires, protests, massive debt concerns and a growing homeless population are all things that Newsom doesn’t speak about when he gets on the stump. To date, Newsom has not done a very good job selling himself as a top shelf candidate. His rhetoric is directed mostly at Trump’s persona, not his policies.

Bernie Sanders is too old to lead the Democratic Party. He is the most knowledgeable progressive and would be a huge supporter of AOC if she decides to run for president. Bernie just has not been able to convince the voters that he can run the US government himself, much less balance the budget after giving way so many free things to his constituents.

AOC is an interesting choice for president. I must confess, she has really made an impact as a rebel-rouser. That is not to say she has anywhere near the requisite experience to be president and a world leader. Her affiliation with the radical troublemakers in Congress will not help her gain support.

So, Zohran Mamdani is the new face on the block. Having won the New York City mayoral race is a feather in his cap, but he is a socialist. I spent my entire life being told and believing that socialism is very bad for our country. Why would I ever consider a man who eschews capitalism as a person to be the leader of the largest and greatest city in the world? New York City is a solid blue stronghold, but it’s the economic capital of the world. There are lots of young people who seem interested in testing socialistic solutions to our problems. They will learn to appreciate that socialism is not going to be successful in the Big Apple. Even China and Russia are accepting capitalistic dogma. Mamdani should have little impact on the impending presidential elections. It will be impossible for this man to give the benefits he says he will fight for.

Democrats don’t seem to understand that facing off against Donald Trump is a waste of time. He’s going to be gone in less than three years. Of most importance and to win, Democrats need new ideas about how to deal with illegal aliens, in particular. Our nation has been inundated with illegals and a significant number of them have criminal records. The impact of 20 or so million people across the US has been a hardship at every level of government. This is a fight for jobs, housing, and education. The assimilation of illegals would be an excellent challenge for Democrats to take on. To date, the focus has been on new immigrants. Illegal immigration will continue to be the number one issue facing our leaders in the foreseeable future .

Democrats must move away from woke issues. The backlash against this phenomenon has been broad. Unisex bathrooms, teaching very young children about gender issues and the like are not popular with the majority of American voters.

Effective Democratic candidates will need to convince ultra-progressives and young people that militant activities such as violent protest will make it impossible for Democrats to effectively challenge conservative Republicans.

There are a number of Democratic Congress-people who could become effective candidates for the presidency. Unfortunately, radical progressives of the party will prevent them from getting into the race for political offices.

Shutting down our government was a terrible strategy for both political parties, and those who endorsed the action should be casualties in the next national election. The harm inflicted on needy Americans and essential government workers was very damaging.

During this era of cut-throat rhetoric and garbage politics, the major impediment to efficient and timely governance is the filibuster in the Senate. This antiquated tool of the standing minority has created many problems over the last few years. Effectively, the minority in the Senate can halt most aspects of law making if it controls 41 seats. This means that the Senate is incapable of enacting laws in conjunction with the House unless it convinces some minority members to vote with it.

The strategy of Democrats during this hurtful moment of government stagnation was to force Republicans to make concessions concerning health care that made no sense. A senatorial standoff prevented the US government from being able to borrow money to pay for social programs, military salaries, air traffic controllers and government subsidies that reduce medical costs.

The largest and strongest country in the world was temporarily bankrupt and unable to pay expenses affiliated with government programs that prevent hunger in our country.

It was sinful to watch the government grovel for money to pay its employees. We as Americans just stood by as babies were unfed and airport services were jeopardizing the safety of Americans flying on airplanes.

Why did this come about? It was all a play to make Trump look bad. Democrats have only one issue as we enter the next race for the presidency- Donald Trump. Meanwhile Trump is addressing our nation’s problems.

Democrats will not have a chance to win the next election unless they surface issues and propose ways to deal with them. Using Trump as a target going into 2028 is a waste of time and money because he cannot compete for the White House.

To make matters worse, the same old washed up individuals are lining up to compete/influence the campaigned for president. Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom are attempting to gain traction with their party. Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani and AOC are pushing for more progressive candidates, which will play into the hands of conservatives.

If I were running the for president as a Democrat, I would zero in on the likes of Vance and Rubio.

The Democratic Party is in tatters. One segment of it is trying to bully their way into power represented by the most progressive side of the party. The American people don’t want radical leaders. Notwithstanding some lost support among voters during the past few weeks, the Republicans stand in good position to fully dominate the next presidential campaign.

One last word on the filibuster issue. It can be abolished by a simple majority vote in the Senate. The minority party in the Senate will always object to eliminating the filibuster.

Shutting down our government was a terrible strategy for both political parties, and those who endorsed the action should be casualties in the next national election. The harm inflicted on needy Americans and essential government workers was very damaging.

During this era of cut-throat rhetoric and garbage politics, the major impediment to efficient and timely governance is the filibuster in the Senate. This antiquated tool of the standing minority has created many problems over the last few years. Effectively, the minority in the Senate can halt most aspects of law making if it controls 41 seats. This means that the Senate is incapable of enacting laws in conjunction with the House unless it convinces some minority members to vote with it.

The strategy of Democrats during this hurtful moment of government stagnation was to force Republicans to make concessions concerning health care that made no sense. A senatorial standoff prevented the US government from being able to borrow money to pay for social programs, military salaries, air traffic controllers and government subsidies that reduce medical costs.

The largest and strongest country in the world was temporarily bankrupt and unable to pay expenses affiliated with government programs that prevent hunger in our country.

It was sinful to watch the government grovel for money to pay its employees. We as Americans just stood by as babies were unfed and airport services were jeopardizing the safety of Americans flying on airplanes.

Why did this come about? It was all a play to make Trump look bad. Democrats have only one issue as we enter the next race for the presidency- Donald Trump. Meanwhile Trump is addressing our nation’s problems.

Democrats will not have a chance to win the next election unless they surface issues and propose ways to deal with them. Using Trump as a target going into 2028 is a waste of time and money because he cannot compete for the White House.

To make matters worse, the same old washed up individuals are lining up to compete/influence the campaigned for president. Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom are attempting to gain traction with their party. Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani and AOC are pushing for more progressive candidates, which will play into the hands of conservatives.

If I were running the for president as a Democrat, I would zero in on the likes of Vance and Rubio.

The Democratic Party is in tatters. One segment of it is trying to bully their way into power represented by the most progressive side of the party. The American people don’t want radical leaders. Notwithstanding some lost support among voters during the past few weeks, the Republicans stand in good position to fully dominate the next presidential campaign.

One last word on the filibuster issue. It can be abolished by a simple majority vote in the Senate. The minority party in the Senate will always object to eliminating the filibuster.

Disclaimer: For the past decade, this blog has made comments about Donald Trump that might lead a reader to believe that Softball Politics was partial to Mr. Trump. People have asked me if I am supportive of the man on many occasions. During his first term as president, I was bewildered that the nation elected such a person to the most important position in the world. The first Trump administration was a disaster, and our country was in decline because of its inexperienced president.

Donald Trump has not changed as a person since his first administration. He is not a person I admire or one I would like to have a beer with. He was and still is a narcissist. He was and still is a megalomaniac.

But his ability to identify and rectify problem facing our nation has improved. He has done some things that needed to be addressed. He does not govern with style or in a statesman-like manner. He is a bad winner and takes credit for things he should not.

In the following blog, I credit and laud several things that Trump has done. I believe we should distribute kudos when it is warranted. But please be mindful that I am not a Trump supporter in any way shape or form. And, I will breathe a sigh of relief when his second term ends.

Donald Trump is trying to act like a world leader. During the presidential campaign he said America was in dire straits. He has tirelessly addressed many pressing issues that were damaging the country’s reputation. Already he has made strides and has kept promises he made during the election especially regarding immigration, crime and the economy.

As an aside, I feel sorry for Joe Biden. He never should have run for the presidency a second time. He was not healthy enough to lead the country. Democrats were buffaloed into believing Joe could be an effective face man for the power-hungry politicians that supported him.

Joe was just a puppet for Democratic politicians. All the while the country was being devastated by an ultra-liberal mentality. Joe’s fellow Dems should have recognized that the assault on our borders, illegal drug activity, crime in our big cities and the dearth of leadership in America were on the minds of voters. The result was the total collapse of the Democratic Party.

Then again, if Kamala Harris entered the presidential race earlier, the result would have been the same; she probably would have lost by a greater margin. What a bad choice. Harris was not capable of taking the reins of the most powerful country in the world.

Trump is bringing the US back into the limelight in almost every regard. He’s doing so much that Dems are claiming he is becoming too authoritative. I really doubt there will be a King Donald I in our future. Our governmental structure and laws would not allow Trump to take over the Congress, the military and individual states. Moreover, Trump has just three years left to govern.

Personally, I think Trump is a menace. He’s a megalomaniac. He wants everyone to declare their loyalty every day. But the man has accomplished a lot in the short time he has been in office.

In this regard, Trump has used the power of his office to usurp some activities that are the in the purview of Congress. It’s about time that Congress lived up to its responsibilities and assumed the role of managing the receipts and expenditures of our government, approving actions of the president, dealing with friends and foes, vetting the president’s aides, fixing our electoral system, dealing with the environment, and so on.

It’s true that Trump will likely pick his successor. If he chooses another Republican like JD Vance, Marco Rubio or Ron DeSantis, do you really think any of them would allow Trump to interfere in the matters of state once they are in the White House?

Republicans have nothing to worry about. The next person in the White House will be a strong conservative and a much nicer person than Donald Trump.

Getting back to Trump and his lame duck presidency, we should appreciate several positive things that are happening.

Consider the following:

• Trump put crime in America at the top of his list. Democrats gave radical left wing elements free rein. They defanged the police and now there is chaos in our large cities.

• Trump has addressed some parts the woke movement. Bathrooms will not be shared between women and men and men will not play in women’s sports.

• Our borders are finally closed. Applying for citizenship in our country will be more vigorous as we install proper vetting standards to ensure that we aren’t relocating criminals.

• The economy is booming. CEO’s are becoming more optimistic and increasing their investments in manufacturing every day.

• America has re-assumed a leadership role in some of the most important negotiations including the Ukraine and Gaza.

I understand that Trump is a difficult man too appreciate, but he is doing a pretty good job in a number of areas. When his term is ended you should expect a similarly conservative government led by a similarly conservative Republican.

A terrible thing happened this past week. Charlie Kirk, a popular 32-year-old supporter of traditional conservative values was assassinated at a Utah college while meeting with students. Mr. Kirk conducted his life’s crusade via Turning Point USA.

Frankly, I never heard of Charlie until the day his life was ended by an assailant, who objected to Kirk’s ideology. We will probably learn a lot more about the shooter as time passes. He has been arrested. It would be interesting to hear the murderer’s justification for his actions that deprived Kirk from fulfilling his mission in life and took him away from his family as a husband and father.

As far as I know, Kirk never supported violence as a means to improve our country. He preferred debating with words and concepts. Nor did he ever espouse taking physical action against those who disagree with his philosophy on life and his code for young people.

The shooter wanted to rid the world of a man who fought for his causes peacefully. Supposedly, everybody in America is permitted to express their opinions and decide how they stand on specific and controversial issues such as abortion, crime, violence and family matters.

But wait, maybe America a not a place where everyone can express his or her opinions without fear of retribution? Some people on the far left rejoiced when they heard Charlie was gone. How does the shooter’s single action, the firing of a bullet to kill a man of peace, register with America? Among many other laws, the shooter violated Kirk’s freedom of speech.

Kirk was a great person based upon the reaction of many Americans to his demise; he probably would have eventually rivaled Martin Luther King Jr. and other great leaders who believed that passive resistance was the desirable way to make changes. Perhaps Kirk would have aspired to be to be elected president someday. Good God, America really could use a smart, honest and well-read person in the White House. No, not in this world. Violence is what idiots resort to when they want people to listen to them. Unfortunately, violence is a road to chaos and sadness.

R.I.P. Charlie Kirk. I wish I had a chance to meet you.