1. The Gettysburg Address 1.0
In the early morning of November 9 2016 Donald Trump became President-Elect. His stunning series of victories in the Great Lakes states cracked irremediably the Democratic Blue Wall" (Wisconsin Indiana Michigan Ohio and Pennsylvania). The first question after that was: What next?
Four score and seven years" after the U.S. Declaration of Independence of July 4 1776 more precisely on November 19 1863 Abraham Lincoln was delivering his famous address (Dedicatory Remarks") at the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg Pennsylvania four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the armies of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.
In just about two minutes Lincoln delivered one of the most influential statements of national importance in an effort to unify a deeply divided nation who was in the midst of its first civil war.
In the speech the president redefined the war not just as a struggle for the Union but also for the principle of human equality. He praised the sacrifices of the fallen on the battlefield and acclaimed the virtues of the living. These would ensure a new birth of freedom" for the nation in order for a government of the people by the people for the people" to not perish from the earth."
Four score and seven" days after the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia ended on July 28 2016 more precisely on October 22 2016 the then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was delivering his Gettysburg Address also in an effort to unify a divided nation and make America great again. While at Gettysburg Trump chose to stop at the site of Picketts Charge where 12000 Confederate soldiers attacked Union lines unsuccessfully. The place has been referred to as the high-water mark of the Confederacy."
The Union victories at Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) and Vicksburg (Mississippi) on July 3 and 4 1863 split the Confederacy in two and these two battles are considered the turning point of the Civil War.
Trumps decision to stop at Picketts Charge was not coincidental. Picketts Charge became an iconic symbol of the cultural and literary movement known as the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.
The Lost Cause is a set of beliefs that endorse the virtues of the antebellum South viewing the Civil War as an honorable struggle for the White American Southern way of life.
Consequently Trump has channeled the energy of his supporters who firmly believe they fight a noble cause and fear they would be defeated because of the rigged system and unfair" mainstream media. Having said that I think it is fair to consider that the Republican Party of today captures the reborn values of the Confederacy and Lincolns party reflects now to a great extent the values of Jefferson Davis and Donald Trump.
Inspired from Lincolns address Trump stated that it is my privilege to be here in Gettysburg hallowed ground where so many lives were given in service to freedom amazing place" that President Lincoln served in a time of division like weve never seen before" and that it is my hope that we can look at his example to heal the divisions we are living through right now. We are a very divided nation." He also said: This is a struggle for the survival of our nation. This election will determine whether we are a free nation or whether we have only the illusion of democracy but are in fact controlled by a small handful of global special interests rigging the system. This is not just conspiracy but reality and you and I know it."
2. The Gettysburg Address 2.0
2.1. The Contract with the American Voter
At Gettysburg Trump decided to deliver his Contract with the American Voter a 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again.
His plan is divided into four parts each of them containing a set of measures" and actions." In order for its essence to be easier retained and understood I would describe the action plan" as a 28-article contract" between Trump and the American voter consisting in a 6 (measures) - 7 (actions) - 5 (actions) - 10 (measures)" set about: cleaning up the anti-corruption and special interest in Washington DC; protecting the American workers; restoring security and the constitutional rule of law; and introducing and fighting for the passage of broader legislative measures in the U.S. Congress.
2.2. Anti-Corruption
The anti-corruption and special interest" package contains the following 6 measures:
(1) propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;
(2) a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military public safety and public health);
(3) a requirement that for every new federal regulation two existing regulations must be eliminated;
(4) a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;
(5) a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;
(6) a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.
2.3. Workers Protection
The American workers protection" package contains the following 7 actions:
(1) announcing the intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205;
(2) announcing the withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership;
(3) directing the Secretary of Treasury to label China a currency manipulator;
(4) directing the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and directing them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately;
(5) lifting the restrictions on the production of 50 trillion dollars worth of job-producing American energy reserves including shale oil natural gas and clean coal;
(6) lifting the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allowing vital energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline to move forward;
(7) cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and using the money to fix Americas water and environmental infrastructure.
2.4. National Security and Constitutional Rule of Law
The restoration of national security and constitutional rule of law" package contains the following 5 actions:
(1) cancel every unconstitutional executive action memorandum and order issued by President Obama;
(2) begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on Trumps list who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States;
(3) cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities;
(4) begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that wont take them back;
(5) suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur; all vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.
2.5. New Legislative Acts
Finally the introduction to and passage by the Congress of some broader legislation" package contains the following 10 measures:
(1) Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act: An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4 per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification in combination with trade reform regulatory relief and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35 tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3 and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.
(2) End The Offshoring Act: Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.
(3) American Energy & Infrastructure Act: Leverages public-private partnerships and private investments through tax incentives to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.
(4) School Choice And Education Opportunity Act: Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public private charter magnet religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education and makes 2 and 4-year colleges more affordable.
(5) Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act: Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4000 drugs awaiting approval and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.
(6) Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act: Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes incentivizes employers to provide on-side childcare services and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents with matching contributions for low-income families.
(7) End Illegal Immigration Act: Fully funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall establishes a 2-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.
(8) Restoring Community Safety Act: Reduces surging crime drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.
(9) Restoring National Security Act: Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values.
(10) Clean Up Corruption in Washington Act: Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.
3. The Grace Period
Trump mentioned that his Contract with the American Voter would restore prosperity to our economy security to our communities and honesty to our government." He continued by saying that if we follow these steps we will once more have a government of by and for the people."
This comprehensive 28-point action plan was discussed before and after Trumps inauguration as the 45th President of the United States on January 20 2017 and also during the 100-day interval between January 20 and May 1 2017 when the plan period expired. After that Trump will have to deliver and explain his achievements before the nation.
History has shown us that during the interval between April 1953 and April 2009 presidential job approval ratings following the first 100 days in office varied overall from 55 (Bill Clinton on April 22 - 24 1993) to 83 (John Kennedy on April 28 May 3 1961). As for the Republican presidents the lowest approval rate belonged to George H. W. Bush (56) and the highest to Dwight Eisenhower (73) with Ronald Reagan in the middle (with 68).
Will Donald Trump surprise everybody again - with unexpected approval rates in the near future? It wouldnt be his first time.
NOTE - A version of the article was published previously in MEDIUM.
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
*****
1. The Gettysburg Address 1.0
In the early morning of November 9 2016 Donald Trump became President-Elect. His stunning series of victories in the Great Lakes states cracked irremediably the Democratic Blue Wall" (Wisconsin Indiana Michigan Ohio and Pennsylvania). The first question after that was: What next?
Four score and seven years" after the U.S. Declaration of Independence of July 4 1776 more precisely on November 19 1863 Abraham Lincoln was delivering his famous address (Dedicatory Remarks") at the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg Pennsylvania four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the armies of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.
In just about two minutes Lincoln delivered one of the most influential statements of national importance in an effort to unify a deeply divided nation who was in the midst of its first civil war.
In the speech the president redefined the war not just as a struggle for the Union but also for the principle of human equality. He praised the sacrifices of the fallen on the battlefield and acclaimed the virtues of the living. These would ensure a new birth of freedom" for the nation in order for a government of the people by the people for the people" to not perish from the earth."
Four score and seven" days after the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia ended on July 28 2016 more precisely on October 22 2016 the then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was delivering his Gettysburg Address also in an effort to unify a divided nation and make America great again. While at Gettysburg Trump chose to stop at the site of Picketts Charge where 12000 Confederate soldiers attacked Union lines unsuccessfully. The place has been referred to as the high-water mark of the Confederacy."
The Union victories at Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) and Vicksburg (Mississippi) on July 3 and 4 1863 split the Confederacy in two and these two battles are considered the turning point of the Civil War.
Trumps decision to stop at Picketts Charge was not coincidental. Picketts Charge became an iconic symbol of the cultural and literary movement known as the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.
The Lost Cause is a set of beliefs that endorse the virtues of the antebellum South viewing the Civil War as an honorable struggle for the White American Southern way of life.
Consequently Trump has channeled the energy of his supporters who firmly believe they fight a noble cause and fear they would be defeated because of the rigged system and unfair" mainstream media. Having said that I think it is fair to consider that the Republican Party of today captures the reborn values of the Confederacy and Lincolns party reflects now to a great extent the values of Jefferson Davis and Donald Trump.
Inspired from Lincolns address Trump stated that it is my privilege to be here in Gettysburg hallowed ground where so many lives were given in service to freedom amazing place" that President Lincoln served in a time of division like weve never seen before" and that it is my hope that we can look at his example to heal the divisions we are living through right now. We are a very divided nation." He also said: This is a struggle for the survival of our nation. This election will determine whether we are a free nation or whether we have only the illusion of democracy but are in fact controlled by a small handful of global special interests rigging the system. This is not just conspiracy but reality and you and I know it."
2. The Gettysburg Address 2.0
2.1. The Contract with the American Voter
At Gettysburg Trump decided to deliver his Contract with the American Voter a 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again.
His plan is divided into four parts each of them containing a set of measures" and actions." In order for its essence to be easier retained and understood I would describe the action plan" as a 28-article contract" between Trump and the American voter consisting in a 6 (measures) - 7 (actions) - 5 (actions) - 10 (measures)" set about: cleaning up the anti-corruption and special interest in Washington DC; protecting the American workers; restoring security and the constitutional rule of law; and introducing and fighting for the passage of broader legislative measures in the U.S. Congress.
2.2. Anti-Corruption
The anti-corruption and special interest" package contains the following 6 measures:
(1) propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;
(2) a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military public safety and public health);
(3) a requirement that for every new federal regulation two existing regulations must be eliminated;
(4) a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;
(5) a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;
(6) a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.
2.3. Workers Protection
The American workers protection" package contains the following 7 actions:
(1) announcing the intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205;
(2) announcing the withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership;
(3) directing the Secretary of Treasury to label China a currency manipulator;
(4) directing the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and directing them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately;
(5) lifting the restrictions on the production of 50 trillion dollars worth of job-producing American energy reserves including shale oil natural gas and clean coal;
(6) lifting the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allowing vital energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline to move forward;
(7) cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and using the money to fix Americas water and environmental infrastructure.
2.4. National Security and Constitutional Rule of Law
The restoration of national security and constitutional rule of law" package contains the following 5 actions:
(1) cancel every unconstitutional executive action memorandum and order issued by President Obama;
(2) begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on Trumps list who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States;
(3) cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities;
(4) begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that wont take them back;
(5) suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur; all vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.
2.5. New Legislative Acts
Finally the introduction to and passage by the Congress of some broader legislation" package contains the following 10 measures:
(1) Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act: An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4 per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification in combination with trade reform regulatory relief and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35 tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3 and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.
(2) End The Offshoring Act: Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.
(3) American Energy & Infrastructure Act: Leverages public-private partnerships and private investments through tax incentives to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.
(4) School Choice And Education Opportunity Act: Redirects education dollars to give parents the right to send their kid to the public private charter magnet religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education and makes 2 and 4-year colleges more affordable.
(5) Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act: Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4000 drugs awaiting approval and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.
(6) Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act: Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes incentivizes employers to provide on-side childcare services and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents with matching contributions for low-income families.
(7) End Illegal Immigration Act: Fully funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall establishes a 2-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.
(8) Restoring Community Safety Act: Reduces surging crime drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.
(9) Restoring National Security Act: Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values.
(10) Clean Up Corruption in Washington Act: Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.
3. The Grace Period
Trump mentioned that his Contract with the American Voter would restore prosperity to our economy security to our communities and honesty to our government." He continued by saying that if we follow these steps we will once more have a government of by and for the people."
This comprehensive 28-point action plan was discussed before and after Trumps inauguration as the 45th President of the United States on January 20 2017 and also during the 100-day interval between January 20 and May 1 2017 when the plan period expired. After that Trump will have to deliver and explain his achievements before the nation.
History has shown us that during the interval between April 1953 and April 2009 presidential job approval ratings following the first 100 days in office varied overall from 55 (Bill Clinton on April 22 - 24 1993) to 83 (John Kennedy on April 28 May 3 1961). As for the Republican presidents the lowest approval rate belonged to George H. W. Bush (56) and the highest to Dwight Eisenhower (73) with Ronald Reagan in the middle (with 68).
Will Donald Trump surprise everybody again - with unexpected approval rates in the near future? It wouldnt be his first time.
NOTE - A version of the article was published previously in MEDIUM.
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law politics and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington DC and can be followed on MEDIUM.
*****
