President Trump's Inauguration Speech
Full text here:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/inaugural-...
The President spoke of nationalism, protectionism, and paternalism in short sentences of small words.
The theme of the Trump-Pence campaign and now the Trump Presidency has been about "rebuilding" and "making American great again." When did America stop building? When did it stop being great?
The desire to "get back what we lost" looks to a mythic past, not to a realizable future. Rebuilding roads is not building new kinds of infrastructures. I point out that in the 1930s, the WPA built roads, but that the Internet was technically possible as we had telephones, radios, teletypes, and wire photos. The Roosevelt Administration was truly conservative, not objectively progressive. So, too, here, is the goal to "regain what we lost" not to find and create new enterprises.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/inaugural-...
The President spoke of nationalism, protectionism, and paternalism in short sentences of small words.
The theme of the Trump-Pence campaign and now the Trump Presidency has been about "rebuilding" and "making American great again." When did America stop building? When did it stop being great?
The desire to "get back what we lost" looks to a mythic past, not to a realizable future. Rebuilding roads is not building new kinds of infrastructures. I point out that in the 1930s, the WPA built roads, but that the Internet was technically possible as we had telephones, radios, teletypes, and wire photos. The Roosevelt Administration was truly conservative, not objectively progressive. So, too, here, is the goal to "regain what we lost" not to find and create new enterprises.
Interstate Commerce Act 1887
Sherman antitrust- Act 1890
Federal Reserve Act 1913
16th Amendment 1913
17th Amendment 1913
Social Security Act 1935
War On Poverty 1964
The 1965 Medicare Amendment to the Social Security Act
War On Drugs 1971
The closing of the gold window 1971
Community Reinvestment Act 1995
Patriot Act 2001
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2010
When did it stop being great? Little by little. Piece by piece.
15th Amendment 1870
Telephone 1876
Electric Pen (Edison) 1876
Wireless telegraphy 1890
Commercial motion picture 1895
Wright Brothers Airplane 1903
Ford Motor Company (finally successful) 1903
General Motors 1908
Smithsonian funds Goddard 1913
19th Amendment 1920
First wirephoto 1921
Aeroplanes sink battleship 1921
Kodachrome 1935
The Fountainhead (novel) 1943
First Color Television 1944
Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation 1946
The Fountainhead (movie) 1949
Grace Hopper joins Eckert-Mauchly 1949
Elvis Presley Commercial Break-out 1956
Beach Boys "Surfin'" 1961
President John Kennedy creates Green Beret as a symbol of military excellence 1962
Leonard Bernstein's "Young Peoples Concert" broadcast on ABC 1962
First Man on the Moon 1969
Altair first hobbyist computer 1974
Executive Order 11825 opens GOLD markets to retail buyers 1974
Apple Computer 1976
Hayes first consumer modem 1978
Ronald Reagan elected 1980
Space shuttle Columbia first flight 1981
Ronald Reagan re-elected 1984
First U.S. Gold Eagle coins issued 1986
Round the World Flight by Rutan Voyager (Jeana Lee Yaeger pilot) aircraft 1986
US National Debt Clock Runs Backward September 7, 2000
Atlas Shrugged, Part I opens April 15, 2011
Osama bin Ladin meets his Maker May 2, 2011
Atlas Shrugged Part II released October 12, 2012
Atlas Shrugged Part III released September 12, 2014
Is it no longer great today? What place is better? Do you go without food? What are you lacking? What freedom are you craving? Are you enslaved because you cannot smoke marijuana in your state? Are you enslaved because an illegal immigrant is cleaning the restrooms that you would clean for $7 per hour? Are you lacking the freedom to buy gold or invest in oil futures or grow organic grapes or to genetically modify grapes to taste like fish?
What is it that prevents you from enjoying your full freedom in an unfree world?
Outcome-Based Education of the Clinton Era.
Goals 200 of the Bush Era
Common Core of the present
Kids were taught entitlement, but little academics, and became adults who voted and sent their children into children into the hell hole schools to get more goofy liberalism.
Also, the Basel Bank meetings which discouraged savings, as the Fed gave banks all the money they needed.
Yes, it was better than being a farmer or a sharecropper or a serf, but it was not the Lost Land of Eden. We do not need to rush back to it in order to be "great again."
Moreover, other people, seeking other futures, through other means found escape. The Catholic schools served the French, the Irish, the Germans, and the Poles who left for outlying cities that became suburbs. In the final episodes, Detroit's African-American parents sought out Catholic education for their children as a gateway out of poverty. Statistically, it seems that the urban Whites ("hillbillies") never did.
Non-union shops in the South still followed union-like work rules. They were not low-paying sweatshops.
The protectionism and paternalism of his campaign and inaugural address speak against liberty. Also, his "buy American; hire American" rhetoric denies your right to voluntary actions and economic transactions.
The lost liberties of Atlas Shrugged are not part of the Trump presidency.
Really? Here are just a few, all from Trump's website:
Second Amendment rights:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies...
School choice:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies...
Health care:
https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/HCRef...
Rolling back regulations:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-re...
Lowering taxes:
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies...
America stopped being as great as it originally was conceived the day the first redistributionist gained a foothold in Congress and convinced enough gullible senators and representatives that government has the right to enforce equality of outcome, not just equality of opportunity.
Every year that the progressive NEA was in charge of the curriculum of the schools, every year that the progreswsives controlled the colleges that trained the teachers.
Just look at the lesson plans and teachers notes. They don't teach the goodness of the USA only the "Evil".
I'm not sure that the Trump Presidentcy will reverse all of this, but it looks as if it will be a start on the reversal. It the students are taught only the "bad" that has been done,, indoctrinated with the Evil America ideas, then the USA is on a downward trajectory that will only end in the total destruction of a way of life never seen before on the old planet, and most likely won't be seen again.
Overall, the best ideas about reality, reason, egoism, and freedom, are making their way as memes in our society. But they are not part of Donald Trump's presidency.
I still look in every day but this site has strayed so far it causes me almost physical distress.
It's worse than sad - it is disgusting.
People come here looking for Objectivism and instead find this.
Objectivism is based squarely on explicit, unbreakable principles - of which Trump has shown none - a fact his followers seem incapable of admitting.
And even that's not the worst of it.
He seems to oppose the very things we believe in (free trade, free markets) and it certainly looks like he supports many of the things we abhor. (Kelo anyone?)
But who knows? He is just as duplicitous as the politicians he vilifies.
Within hours of being elected he began nonchalantly reversing positions boldly proclaimed - even chanted - a day before.
He has proven he will say whatever is expedient in the moment at hand -with no thought to its future.
But these people simply do not care.
So long as he pays lip service to their cause they are mesmerized.
Too entranced at the sound of his words to see he is the same as that which they despise.
The same power-mad would-be-king. The same LIAR - albeit from the private sector.
And they have taken over this site. THIS site.
"Galt's Gulch" rallies to such a man and down-votes a bona fide OBJ!
If Ayn Rand could she would have already disavowed this place.
Vehemently.
As only she could.
I rarely down-vote on this site, but my up-votes are based on the quality of a poster’s arguments, not on whether he or she is a “bona fide OBJ!”
Any of which I would have enthusiastically supported regardless of their flaws.
And they would have supported those same issues without being an incoherent, ill-reasoned, bumbling ass.
And they were not unelectable. Hillary was a weak candidate riding an unpopular platform.
But Trump was the spoiler. The made for TV candidate. Just as Kennedy's election turned on a television appearance, so too did this electorate swoon to the practiced manner of a TV celebrity.
And I would not have defended Mike if his point wasn't valid.
And well supported by the Objectivist community.
I was not a Trump supporter, but I do believe that if there is a way to drain the swamp without a civil war, Trump is the only option.
in·co·her·ent
expressed in an incomprehensible or confusing way; unclear.
synonyms: unclear, confused, unintelligible, incomprehensible, hard to follow, disjointed, disconnected, disordered, mixed up, garbled, jumbled, scrambled, muddled;
For just one example of dozens...
On numerous occasions, in his own tweets, he denounced the intelligence services. Then, in front of their memorial for fallen heros no less, he claimed his feud with them was created by the media.
That to me is incomprehensible and confused.
But seriously,if you didn't already see it that way, nothing I say will change your mind.
You say your were not a supporter, but he is the only option.
Sounds like a supporter to me.
I'm good. I'm out.
On Jan 20, the appointees were handed boxes with their crap and sent on their way.
I wasn't arguing whether our intelligence agencies were capable and trustworthy - though I believe they are.
I was pointing out Trumps claim of a media created "feud" is absurd on it face - as evidenced by his own tweets.
But, again, if you didn't already see that there's nothing I can say.
mes·mer·ize
hold the attention of (someone) to the exclusion of all else or so as to transfix them.
synonyms: enthrall, hold spellbound, entrance, dazzle, bedazzle, bewitch, charm, captivate, enchant, fascinate, transfix, grip, hypnotize
Remember when the CIA was positive that Benghazi was a spontaneous combustion event after some Kansas farmers posted some video on YouTube?
There's no good reason to just keep going back and forth at each other,
but I gotta say No. I don't remember the CIA saying it was a YouTube video. I remember Obama saying that, I remember the state department saying that. I remember Susan what's-her-face going around all the news talk shows saying that. I remember Hillary lying to grieving families about it - knowing it wasn't true!.
But no, I don't remember the CIA saying that.
Did they? I could have spaced it. Wouldn't be the first time. Can you provide a link or something?
The CIA, NSA, and FBI have some very dedicated career staffers, but, like any government agency - don't underestimate the level of incompetence of a huge percentage of the people, nor the politicization of the leadership. You only get an appointed executive position if you are significantly hooked-up to the political apparatus of the sitting POTUS. You don't get significantly hooked-up to the apparatus without being willing to lie, cheat, steal, or tow the party's bullshit line of the day.
Out of the piles of people employed, basically, we can expect about 30-35% are competent and the rest the place wouldn't know if they bothered to show up every morning or not.
Doesn't change what I was saying about the Donald but I still have to give you the point about the CIA and the initial Benghazi reports.
Thanks for the reminder, ScoJ.
Despite my harsh words I'm not really the guy to just blast away at people.
It's obvious I'm not going to sway your mind and at this point I doubt if anyone else is keeping up with this thread.
But I can't help but bemoan.
Imagine if we had put forward a Latino or a black man. Or a popular union buster.
A man with principles more closely aligned with our agenda.
Imagine if we hadn't played straight into their hands, validating their age-old accusations, by electing the most racially antagonistic candidate in, well, ever.
Obama left this country a powder keg and Trump is a blasting cap.
I remember the 60's when universities were war zones with real fatalities and assassination stopped being unthinkable.
Blood will flow from this.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/four-custo...
Objectivism is valuable, yes...but not the end to end all. Neither is my favored "Prime Law" or my hard worked concept of "wide scope accountability"; but I think I see a bright pin hole at the end of the progressive tunnel.
All we can really do is march on, improving ourselves and others, (by example) as we go.
I know I'm not alone here,
I know there are many of us.
But it lifts a weary spirit to see it.
I'll take a lesson from that.
At the end of Trump's shake 'em up that was really a campaign speech to his base, professional phony baloney Obama hopped up all smiles and said something like "Good job." Michelle at the same moment looked appalled as if halfway through seeing The Exorcist for the first time.
http://teapartyeconomist.com/2017/01/...
http://atlassociety.org/commentary/co...
I also think Trump has not even been given those traditional first 100 days afforded to other presidents to at least begin to prove himself.
I think this Gary Verboon has abused Ayn Rand's good name to write a slanted hit piece.
I know I did not give you that 0.
I think I won't do anything about it..
I am amused by Trump because of the discomfort he causes to the people that have just been pushed aside. I figure he can do no worse and if he causes these people misery I am for it. I think there is some potential to unleash some positive results by freeing business of some of the burdens of over regulation and taxation. I also think that getting control of education back in the hands of local groups, public and private is needed.
I fear restricted trade, blundering into a major war and increased government intervention into the private lives of citizens in the name of security. Sadly, I think both sides are equally likely to realize these fears.
I have often thought that the best person to be President would never run because he would be someone in the prime of a career having achieved great things. Such a person would not stoop to the level one must to achieve political success and subject there self and their family to the public abuse that it is customary to endure. One possible result of Trump's victory could be that it would encourage a qualified person to hold their nose and compete for the position.
Vs: “I think there is some potential to unleash some positive results by freeing business of some of the burdens of over regulation and taxation. I also think that getting control of education back in the hands of local groups, public and private is needed.”
The second part appears to contradict the first.
Trump's promise of fewer regulations, lower taxes and better trade agreements speak to more freedom and less government.
Unfortunately protective tariffs while popular with the uninformed will, in the long run, prove detrimental to our economy.
"transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People." is such a declaration of freedom and self sufficiency that I cannot help but cheer every time I think of it.
Trump's speech mirrored his campaign rhetoric and was largely pro-freedom. A glaring inconsistency is his his advocating of protectionist tariffs.
But his speech pales in front of his actions. His firing of several top level managers in the State Department signals a new beginning of integrity and fairness and will help the US regain its former reputation amongst nations. His use of Twitter to eliminate the adversarial press is long overdue.
America has always been great, but has been in a death spiral since people started arguing that trivial jobs should get them a color TV (now large flat screen TV).
When people start working for what they produce, it will be great again. As long as they keep thinking the world owes them a living, it will be a mess.
I personally agree that we can not and should not compete "heads up" against a society that engages in involuntary servitude to an extreme. We should assign a price to what they refuse to fund, and tariff their goods.
If part of Trump's message is not we need hard workers and discipline he may succeed, but it will not be great.
"Prison Time for Insider Trading on the Rise" (2011)
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142...
and
"Banker Convicted for Giving Father Insider Tips"
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa...
But Donald Trump never addressed that at all. If anything, he is a populist who will send business people to prison to demonstrate to the common man that is is against insiders.
Hahaha!!!!