Jonathan Paine
This week President Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. Many called the speech the best one Trump has ever delivered. Others were not nearly as impressed. Whether you loved the speech or hated it, there is one lesson everyone should take away from this: we can never allow ourselves to be distracted from actual policy because of the tone in which that policy is delivered.
Trump’s speech was a beautiful tribute to patriotism. Although they would probably deny it, even the Democrats who refused to clap, stand, and/or attend would have to say that the speech promoted a bright future for America and created a sense of optimism. The feelings evoked by the overall tone of Trump’s speech were those of a love for country and fellow countrymen. However, it is just that tone that should alert us to the need to pause and reflect on the words Trump actually said.
Obama was known for his skill as an orator. Even though that claim to fame can be disputed, the fact remains that his speeches created feelings and emotions in his audience that prompted action. This is the hallmark of a good speaker. Even a hardline conservative could listen to an Obama speech and (if they could get past the messenger) feel a swell of emotion. That feeling typically went away very quickly though once you realized what Obama was actually saying and the policies that he was promoting.
The point here is that the tone of a message, how it makes us feel, can blind us to the words that are being used and what the implications of those words are. In his response to President Trump’s address, the socialist Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders, found more fault with what Trump did not say as opposed to what Trump did say. This should be a concern. A socialist should find fault with pretty much every single proposal from a Republican president. However, that was not the case in this instance.
That is not to say that President Trump’s speech was all bad. He advocated many policies that would be beneficial to America. That being said, there were other policies that were, constitutionally speaking, indefensible.
It was nearly staggering to see the same Republicans who had vehemently (and correctly) opposed Obama’s stimulus plans give a standing ovation to Donald Trump’s proposal for a $1 trillion “infrastructure investment”. The same Republicans who opposed government mandated family leave and childcare applauded happily to President Trump’s proposal “…to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave…”
Equally staggering was the fact that the Democrats were not applauding to these proposals we all know they approve of. This shows is that the vast majority of our politicians are not operating based on principles but rather on party. It also shows that many Americans are willing to accept something they disagree with if it comes in a pretty package with a good tone from a messenger they like.
Living your life and making decisions based on solid principles will results in consistency. A principled person who agrees with “policy A” will agree with that policy when a Republican advocates it, and they will agree with that policy when a Democrat advocates it. A principled person who disagrees with “policy A” will disagree with that policy when a Republican advocates it, and they will disagree with that policy when a Democrat advocates it. However, without principles, there is no North star to guide decisions. This results in standing ovations for unconstitutional policies. And that will ultimately end in a destruction of the Constitution, and possibly freedom itself.
@painefultruth76
