Well I've taken my post election break from all things
political and now it's high time that I write an IWFTCP review of President Trump's
First Inaugural Address.
I have done this kind of thing before on this blog and
the rules for my scoring are explained
here. But just for the sake of this article, red is
constitutional, blue is unconstitutional.
Also, as
I have explained in other posts, I have no personal like or dislike for Donald Trump or any other politician. My sole interest is in almost
all political conversation is the Constitution of the United States, which I
have sworn with my life to defend. Try as I might it is my sincere effort
to not make personal comments for or against the politician in question.
Regarding President Trump, I think he is a better choice than Obama was or
Clinton would have been, but that does not give him points for understanding or
following the Constitution. He's a businessman, and thus understands money,
which is something we need in this unit of time. However, long-term, with
regards to the rights of the American People and the responsibilities of the
presidency under the Constitution, well, you'll see...
At the outset I'm going to give the score as only 36.2%
of the things he said having anything to do with the constitutional power of
the federal government; assuming I counted correctly.
And don't get me wrong here; there are a lot of things in this that I've colored blue, as unconstitutional, which would be good for the American People, particularly businessmen, to do. It's often not the thought that these things shouldn't be done. It's just that they shouldn't be done by the president of the United States or the federal government.
So here it is. President Trump's First Inaugural
Address...
Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President
Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans and people of the
world, thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
We, the citizens of America, are
now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its
promise for all of our people. [That's what the Constitution is for.]
(APPLAUSE)
Together, we will determine the course of America and the
world for many, many years to come. We will face challenges, we will confront
hardships, but we will get the job done.
Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out
the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President
Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this
transition. They have been magnificent. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
Today's ceremony, however, has
very special meaning because today, we are not merely transferring power from
one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are
transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.
[Again, that's what it's there for.]
(APPLAUSE)
For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has
reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.
Washington flourished, but the people did not share
in its wealth. [10A. Our wealth is not your concern.]
Politicians prospered, but
the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected
itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your
victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. And while they
celebrated in our nation's capital, there was
little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land. [10A. None of
your concern.]
(APPLAUSE)
That all changes starting right here and right now
because this moment is your moment, it belongs to you.
[Again, that's what the Constitution is there for.]
(APPLAUSE)
It belongs to everyone gathered
here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is
your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.
[That's what the Constitution is there for.]
(APPLAUSE)
What truly matters is not which party controls our
government, but whether our government is controlled by
the people. [Yep. Again.]
(APPLAUSE)
January 20th, 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. [Again.]
(APPLAUSE)
The forgotten men and women
of our country will be forgotten no longer. [10A. I'm giving this a blue, maybe
unfairly, but my concern is in wondering how remembering people is a
responsibility of the federal government. Your duties are defined in the
Constitution. If you do them you won't have to remember anybody individually.
This idea, and why I'm going with blue on this comes up again latter in this
speech.]
(APPLAUSE)
Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of
millions to become part of a historic movement, the likes of which the world
has never seen before.
(APPLAUSE)
At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction,
that a nation exists to serve its citizens.
Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their
families, and good jobs for themselves. [10A -4. The nation does not exist to
serve the citizens through giving them this stuff.] These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people
and a righteous public. [10A. Demand all you want, it is not the government's
responsibility to provide them under the Constitution. The point is to get the
government out of the way so you can achieve these things for yourself.]
But for too many of our citizens, a different reality
exists: mothers and children trapped in poverty in
our inner cities; rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the
landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash, but which leaves
our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge; and the crime and
the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our
country of so much unrealized potential. [10A -4.
Again, none of these things are part of your defined responsibilities as
president.]
This American carnage stops right here and stops right
now.
(APPLAUSE)
We are one nation and their pain is our pain. Their
dreams are our dreams. And their success will be our success. We share one
heart, one home, and one glorious destiny. [10A. This
is a jaw dropper for me. It is the entire basis for socialism. Why not vote for
Bernie? My pain is not yours. If it is you now have a pain in your back and
your left wrist. My dreams are certainly not yours because my dreams...well,
should not be commented on in this post. My success is certainly not yours;
however if it is, you owe me a lot of money, Donald. As for my heart, again,
and destiny; you mean I'm the president of the United States? Socialism is in
part the consideration that all people are totally and completely equal. Of
course we are as far as legal rights are concerned but I'm a better guitar
player than most people, so we're not completely equal.]
The oath of office I take
today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans. [A2S1. No. It isn't to all
Americans. It isn't even to America. It is to the Constitution of the United
States. "America isn't even in the oath. Not the People, not the States,
not to anybody or anything other than the Constitution. "I do solemnly
swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the
United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States." This is why I say that the first
lie of any president is the oath of office.]
(APPLAUSE)
For many decades, we've enriched
foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of
other countries, while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military.
We've defended other nations' borders while refusing to defend our own. [A1S8
+3. Supposing that he intends to change this, and I fully believe he does.
(APPLAUSE)
And spent trillions and trillions
of dollars overseas [10A and A1S8. Supposing he intends to change this. There
is no power to spend our money overseas.] while
America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. [10A.
Infrastructure is not a power in A1S8.] We've
made other countries rich, while the wealth, strength and confidence of our
country has dissipated over the horizon. [10A. Assuming that he intends to stop
the unconstitutional programs that caused this.]
One by one, the factories
shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions and
millions of American workers that were left behind. [10A. What part of the
Constitution makes workers and factories the business of the president or the
federal government?] The wealth of our middle
class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the
world. [10A. Yes. Unconstitutional federal government programs have done this.]
But that is the past. And now, we are looking only to the
future.
(APPLAUSE)
We assembled here today are
issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and
in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our
land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first, America
first. [10A. What gives you the right to make such a decree?]
(APPLAUSE)
Every decision on trade,
on taxes, on immigration,
on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other
countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs. [This requires some breaking down. Trade, taxes, immigration
and foreign affairs are all covered by A1S8, so that's +4 for those. However there is no constitutional authority for the
government to do anything to prevent the "stealing of our companies and
destroying our jobs." So that's 10A -2 for those.]
(APPLAUSE)
Protection will lead to great
prosperity and strength. I will fight for you with every breath in my body and
I will never ever let you down. [10A. This is another jaw dropping statement
with regards to the context. It is not in the authority of the president of the
United States to do anything about jobs or protecting them. Not even remotely.
Now I admittedly am assuming that by "protection" he's talking about protectionist
tariffs. So there is no power for a president to regulate us as American People
as to who we should buy from and where that product comes from. In the end, We
the People still pay for protectionist tariffs; constitutional or not.]
(APPLAUSE)
America will start winning again, winning like never
before.
(APPLAUSE)
We will bring back our jobs. [10A.
That's none of your business.] We will bring
back our borders.[A1S8.] We will bring back
our wealth. [10A.] And we will bring back
our dreams. [10A. Again with the dreams. Look, my aspirations are none of the
federal government's business, outside of the constitutional authorities
granted to keep the government out of my way in achieving them.]
(APPLAUSE)
We will build new roads and
highways and bridges and airports and tunnels and railways all across our
wonderful nation. We will get our people off of welfare and back to work,
rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor. [10A -3. Again,
where is the power for infrastructure in the Constitution? Outside of the Post
Office (A1S8C7) there is no power for this.]
(APPLAUSE)
We will follow two simple
rules; buy American and hire American. [10A -2. Just who in the hell do you
think you are in telling me as an American citizen, your boss, who I should buy
from or hire?]
(APPLAUSE)
We will seek friendship and
goodwill with the nations of the world, but we do so with the understanding
that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first. We do not
seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an
example. We will shine for everyone to follow. [A2S2.]
(APPLAUSE)
We will reinforce old alliances
and form new ones [A1S2.] and unite the
civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate from
the face of the Earth. [10A. Face of the Earth? How is the Earth your business?
I'm all for eliminating threats against America, and Radical Islamic Terrorism
certainly qualifies, but the United States is defined by its borders, where the
president's power officially and legally ends.]
(APPLAUSE)
At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance
to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we
will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to
patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.
(APPLAUSE)
The bible tells us how good and pleasant it is when God's
people live together in unity. We must speak our minds openly, debate our
disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.
[10A. I'm giving him a blue here for the use of the word "solidarity."
It has some specific meanings which have nothing to do with a president's
constitutional power.] When America is united, America is totally
unstoppable.
(APPLAUSE)
There should be no fear. We are protected and we will
always be protected. We will be protected by the great
men and women of our military and law enforcement. [A1S8. +2] And most
importantly, we will be protected by God.
(APPLAUSE)
Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. In
America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.
We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action, constantly
complaining, but never doing anything about it.
(APPLAUSE)
The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of
action.
(APPLAUSE)
Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done.
No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not
fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.
We stand at the birth of a
new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the earth from
the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and
technologies of tomorrow. A
new national pride will stir
ourselves, lift our sights and heal our divisions. [10A -6. Space, Earth,
disease, energy, industry and technology have nothing to do with the duties of
a president. It is the assumption of power, by the federal government, over
these things that has screwed these things up in the first place. It is federal
power over these things that the Constitution's framers were seeking to protect
us from. Think about it. If the federal government controls space, Earth,
disease, energy, industry, and technology, how could there be any freedom other
than what they allow us to have? The only thing I can think of would be
education, and the federal government controls that now too! It is statements
like this, with respect to all of President Trump's pluses and minuses, that
make me think he has absolutely no clue whatsoever what the Constitution is
there for.]
It's time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will
never forget, that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the
same red blood of patriots.
(APPLAUSE)
We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms and we all salute
the same great American flag.
(APPLAUSE)
And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of
Detroit or the wind-swept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night
sky, they will their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the
breath of life by the same almighty creator.
(APPLAUSE)
So to all Americans in every city near and far, small and
large, from mountain to mountain, from ocean to ocean, hear these words. You
will never be ignored again.
(APPLAUSE)
Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our
American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us
along the way.
Together, we will make America strong again. We will make
America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America
safe again. And yes, together we will make America great again.
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America.
(APPLAUSE)
**************************************************************************************************************
There were a total of fifty-eight mentions of
federal power. Donald Trump's first inaugural
address has twenty-one mentions that are backed by the Constitution. Thirty-seven
powers mentioned do not follow the Constitution or are none of the federal
government's business. That gives a rating of 63.7 unconstitutional. And
36.2% Constitutional.
My inescapable conclusion is something I've said before:
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