Tomorrow will open a new chapter in America with the swearing in of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the departure of Donald and Melania Trump. Biden and Harris will inherit a mess. The country is in shambles. The reputation of America around the world has been tarnished. Some 400,00 Americans have lost their lives to the COVID pandemic and that number is expected to increase to half a million by the end of February. The country is in markedly worse shape than when Trump took office, in spite of his rhetoric about ‘Making America Great.’
I am anticipating Biden’s inaugural address tomorrow but for today, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to go back and review Trump’s inauguration speech from four years ago through the lens of hindsight. The link to the complete speech is below for anyone interested in reading it in its entirety.1 I am going to select parts of it that I think are particularly noteworthy given what we know today. It is widely believed that Trump’s first lie after becoming president was his ridiculous and provably false assertion about the crowd size for his inauguration. It turns out that the first lies happened during his inaugural address. You be the judge. The comments in brackets are mine.
“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.”1 [ As we all know, the transition to the Biden presidency has been anything but ‘orderly and peaceful’, not to mention that both Donald and Melania have opted to not attend Biden’s inauguration nor call their successors at all – pathetic.]
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.”1 [ I guess he must have forgotten about this line given that he and his family have been profiting from their time in the White House. Trump was the first president in modern history to not set up a blind trust to manage his assets. He was also under investigation for violating the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution]
“What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.”1 [He must have also forgotten this line. Seven million more ‘we the people’ voted to elect Joe Biden and ever since Trump has been trying to thwart a ‘government controlled by the people’.]
“Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves.
These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.
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 knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.
This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.”1
[This administration has been nothing but carnage and it came to a head in Washington D. C. on January 6th when Trump-inspired insurrectionists tried to overthrow the duly elected government.]
“The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.”1 [This is my personal favorite. From day one, Trump did nothing to try to unite this country but instead did everything in his power to sow division, mistrust, hate and bigotry.]
“From this moment on, it’s going to be America First.
Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.”1 [Trump’s trade wars have cost American’s real dollars. Americans are worse off now because of these failed policies. America’s reputation around the world is in tatters and long-standing strategic alliances have been severely damaged.]
“We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.”1 [ This was a huge opportunity lost. The country sorely needed an infrastructure package and even after the Democrats regained control of the House in 2018 and signaled a willingness to work together on this, Mr. ‘Art of the Deal’, couldn’t get it done.]
“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against Radical Islamic Terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.”1 [He certainly didn’t ‘reinforce old alliances’ and other than being deferent to the likes of Putin and Kim Jung Un, there weren’t any new alliances formed. “Radical Islam” is alive and well and likely gaining strength now that troop levels in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria have been dramatically reduced. In addition, Iran is now enriching more uranium than at any time in the past – thanks to Trump pulling out of the Iran nuclear agreement]
“When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.”1 [White supremacy has thrived and been emboldened under the Trump administration.]
“Together, We Will Make America Strong Again.
We Will Make America Wealthy Again. [The rich got richer]
We Will Make America Proud Again. [ The country’s reputation is in the toilet]
We Will Make America Safe Again. [ There are currently 25,000 Nat. Guard in DC]
And, Yes, Together, We Will Make America Great Again. Thank you, God Bless You, And God Bless America.”1
“Make America Great” my ass. I will let the historians do their thing, but if I were going to place a bet, I would bet that Donald J. Trump will be ranked as one of, if not ‘the’, worst president in the history of this country. I don’t think it’s an understatement to say that much of the world will breathe a sigh of relief when Air Force One lifts off from Joint Base Andrews Wednesday morning to carry Trump down to Mar a Lago for the final time to close out a very dark time in American history. It’s time to turn the page and begin a new chapter. I know I’m ready.
Trump truth. Truthful hyperbole. A quote from his book “The Art of the Deal”. Trump’s favorite oxymoron.