Celebrating President Trump's 8 Biggest Accomplishments

I did not support Trump in the Republican primaries. When he first announced, I thought it was a publicity stunt. When it became clear he was serious, I compared him to a carnival barker with an inflated ego and was sure his candidacy would not last.  After he got the nomination, I still could not bring myself to support him.  I was a "never Trumper."

I did not vote for him in the General Election, casting my vote for instead for Evan McMullin. Being certain that Trump would get all eleven of Tennessee's votes I had the luxury of not voting for "the lesser of two evils." If the popular vote mattered or if Tennessee would have been a toss-up state, I would have voted for what I perceived as the lesser of two evils and would have voted Trump, but I would have had to hold my nose to do so.  I was resigned to enduring a Hillary presidency.

Since the election, I have continued to be embarrassed by Trump and scared that he was going to really do something stupid.  I still think he is a person who is crude, rude, undisciplined and a person without a well-founded ideology. Nevertheless, I find myself warming to Trump. I am still embarrassed from time to time and some of the things he says makes me cringe. but I am pleased with his accomplishments.  Not mentioned in the above eight, I am also pleased that he is taking the threat of North Korea seriously.  It is almost too late. Obama had eight years to curtail North Korea and failed. Not mentioned above, I am pleased that illegal immigration has taken a nose dive.  I still have reservations about building a wall the length of the southern border and I have reservations about a budget-busting infrastructure program.  I still fear Trump may disrupt world commerce and weaken the US due to his isolationist and protectionist tendencies, but more and more I am thinking those are simply posturing positions to use in negotiations. So far, he has not damaged international trade.

While I am not yet a Trump enthusiast, I am pleased with his accomplishments. While I often wish he would be more circumspect and diplomatic in what he says, on the other hand, I sometimes find it refreshing that he does not equivocate and use typical political weasel words to express himself. When he says something, you usually know what he has said. Since he has parted ways with Steve Bannon, I am even more hopeful that Tump will really govern.  I know, as of today, 2018 does not look good for Republicans and the House looks like it may be in danger of being lost, but with Bannon gone, there is time for Trump to grow his popularity and rally the nation to his side. With Bannon gone, there is less likelihood, Republicans will nominate nutjobs for candidates who just hand seats to Democrats. If Trump would only moderate his tone a little and if the economy continues to boom, all may not be lost.

In any event, win or lose in 2018, there is much to celebrate about Trump's first year in office.

Top Stories