Out With the Old, In With the New: The inauguration of Donald J. Trump
Christian Segers, Assistant Editor
President Donald Trump presidential portrait. Photo Courtesy U.S. Congress. Public Domain.
On Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was sworn in to office as the 45th President of the United States of America. Standing next to former presidents, cabinet members, senate and congressional figureheads and even his former political rival, Hillary Clinton, President Trump looked past the lights and the cameras of the mass media and spoke directly to those in attendance of change, action and the desire to put America back on track.
The president had begun his journey to the White House back in the summer of 2015, with grand proposals and questionable policy directives. His fiery and boisterous speaking style often could come across as both brash and troublesome throughout the campaign, but in the end, his message of America first resonated with an untapped and distraught voter populous who felt that they had been betrayed by President Obama and by the government at large. It was to these citizens, the people who pushed Trump in to the White House, that the newly elected President spoke in earnest on Friday afternoon.
“…today we are not merely transferring power from one Administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.”, said President Trump. “…That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you! It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.”
The reportedly divisive rhetoric which plagued Trump’s 2016 presidential bid was but a memory in the ensuing inaugural speech, as President Trump furthered his campaign declarations to bring about prosperity and wealth to both small businesses and national corporations, while cutting loopholes and tax breaks for those seeking to outsource American ingenuity.
President Trump said, “For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; We’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own; And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.”
President Trump spoke next on the topic of the rank desolation, devastation and rampant crime rate that has for so many years increasingly plagued our nation’s inner cities.
President Trump said, “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.”
During his campaign, Trump had promised to make an increased effort to target the poverty level that has gripped metropolitan cities such as: Detroit, Chicago, New York City, Atlanta, etc.
To these specific cities and their counterparts, President Trump declared, “This American carnage stops RIGHT HERE and stops RIGHT NOW. We are one nation – and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.”
While taking time to thank many governmental members on both sides of the aisle for their services, President Trump made sure that both Republicans and Democrats knew that if they did not act in the best interest of the American people then they would see their position filled by another who would.
President Trump closed out his inaugural address by issuing forth a half battle cry, half promise to both the American people and the world at large, stating, “Together, We Will Make America Strong Again. We Will Make America Wealthy Again. We Will Make America Proud Again. We Will Make America Safe Again….and Yes, Together, We Will Make America Great Again. Thank you, God Bless You, And God Bless America.”
