Listening to our leaders in government can be a frightful experience, especially when you consider that their actions can affect the lives of millions. Satisfaction with government is directly tied to the economy, sometimes irrespective of the lack of honesty and intellect of its leaders, hence the election of so many deadbeats with nothing more than audacity and good selling skills. But, selling is only half of the job; the other half makes things happen - delivering the product. There are few presidents that can sell themselves better than Barack Obama, but his delivery of results left much to be desired. With Obama it was classic glitter over substance, eloquence over outcome.
What makes Donald Trump different is certainly his style, his expertise in business (domestically and internationally), recognizing the world for what it is and the ability to get things done. A nation runs strong only on a good economy for nothing gets funded otherwise. You can make an argument that his approach is abrasive or even at times caustic, but no one can argue that President Trump is not an achiever.
Trump deals in reality and results, not in 'pie-in-the-sky' fantasy. Manufacturing is coming back. Money in foreign lands is being repatriated. Unemployment is way down, especially for minorities. Our national defense is being rebuilt while our enemies have shown a new respect and well-placed caution. Countries that have taken our generosity for granted are beginning to show a well-deserved deference.
The following quotes of past and present leaders in government are not slips of the tongue, but are, we believe, indicative of who they are and what their level of understanding of important issues is. We didn't choose quotes based on party affiliation, but how ignorant or chilling they were.
Barack Obama: On his ignorance of business: "If you've got a business - you didn't build that. Someone else made that happen." An odd way of selling socialized medicine: "...If you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." On globalism: "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times - and then just expect other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen." On looking back: "I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack though..." On where Obama's faith really is: "Let's not play games. I was suggesting - you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith."
Hillary Clinton: On her ignorance of business: "Don't let anyone tell you that it's corporations and businesses that create jobs." On Western Civilization: "We are at a stage in history in which remolding society is one of the greatest challenges facing all of us in the West." On her health care plan, 1993: "We just can't trust the American people to make those types of choices...Government has to make those choices for people." Right out of Saul Alinsky: "The only way to make a difference is to acquire power." Hillary to a friend before starting law school.
Joe Biden: On our nation's finances: "We have to spend money to keep from going bankrupt. On the average American: "No ordinary American cares about Constitutional rights." On gun control: "We need more gun laws because we don't have time or manpower to enforce the ones we have." On Barack Obama: "I mean, you got the first main-stream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice looking guy. That's a storybook, man." On Franklin Roosevelt: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, look, here's what happened." FDR took office in 1933, the crash occurred in 1929. There was no TV except for experimental sets.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): Contrary to her job description, Rep. Waters expressed several times that she will not work with President Trump, does not honor or respect him, and does not want to be involved with him, but has said many times that she "honored and respected" Fidel Castro in both word and deed. On lecturing oil company executives: "Guess what this liberal would be all about? This liberal would be about socializing...uh...umm...Would be about basically taking over, and the government running all of your companies." The government couldn't even run a # house in Nevada. Waters on Fannie Mac just prior to the housing meltdown: "We do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac, under the outstanding leadership of Frank Raines." Time Magazine called Frank Raines one of the 25 people responsible for the financial crisis. Waters on a Tea Party rally: "I just watched the Republicans out there - they were having a great time. They were laughing, they were waving the American flag, they were egging them on, and I thought that was outrageous behavior. I really did." On Assata Shakur, escaped convict, murderer of a New Jersey police officer: "She was persecuted for her civil rights work in the United States."
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA): At a congressional hearing in 2010, Hank Johnson expressed his fears for the future of Guam: "My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize." The Navy admiral assured him that will not happen. Launching a tirade against Israel in 2016, Johnson compared Jewish settlers to termites.
Marion Barry (D), Mayor, Washington, D.C.: "Outside of the killings, DC has one of the lowest crime rates in the country."
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA): On Obama Care: "But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it, away from the fog of the controversy." "Obama Care is lowering costs and the deficit." On Obama's politics: "I don't think Obama's ever done anything for political reasons." On Trump's immigration plan: "Let me say what I said last night: that plan is a campaign to make America white again." You can't make this stuff up.
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Gov. Dick Lamm (D-CO): Speaking to the elderly in favor of assisted suicide: "You've got a duty to die and get out of the way. Let the other society, our kids, build a reasonable life."
Senator John McCain (R-AZ): On the Middle East: "We have a lot of work to do. It's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq-Pakistan border." Iraq borders Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Turkey and Kuwait. On economics: "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should. I've got Greenspan's book."
George W. Bush: Where do you start? The man had no talent for oratory. But more than that, we had hopes it wasn't a yard-stick of his level of intelligence. In his case, slips of the tongue and confusing explanations of important matters were a lifestyle. On education: "Rarely is the question asked, Is our children learning." On our enemies: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." On politics: "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."
And an 'honorable mention' for depravity:
Senator Benjamin Ryan Tillman (D-SC): "We have done our level best [to prevent blacks from voting]...we have scratched our heads to find out how we could eliminate the last one of them. We stuffed ballot boxes. We shot them. We are not ashamed of it"...speaking from the Senate floor in 1900. It goes back in time, but it hasn't lost it's appalling degeneracy.
If anyone is going to presume to represent the people, they need to show us more than hubris and a nice suit. It isn't too much to ask when we expect competence, intelligence, honesty, integrity and a love of country, its people and Constitution. Their decisions affect how we relate to one another in our society and whether we will even survive as a nation.
And the 'winner' is:....
Ray DiLorenzo is a career pilot having retired after 22 years as a contract fire pilot with the California Department of Forestry (Cal-Fire). He is presently affiliated with Stand Up America US Foundation founded by Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely (Ret).
Listening to our leaders in government can be a frightful experience, especially when you consider that their actions can affect the lives of millions. Satisfaction with government is directly tied to the economy, sometimes irrespective of the lack of honesty and intellect of its leaders, hence the election of so many deadbeats with nothing more than audacity and good selling skills. But, selling is only half of the job; the other half makes things happen - delivering the product. There are few presidents that can sell themselves better than Barack Obama, but his delivery of results left much to be desired. With Obama it was classic glitter over substance, eloquence over outcome.
What makes Donald Trump different is certainly his style, his expertise in business (domestically and internationally), recognizing the world for what it is and the ability to get things done. A nation runs strong only on a good economy for nothing gets funded otherwise. You can make an argument that his approach is abrasive or even at times caustic, but no one can argue that President Trump is not an achiever.
