
<p><br><em>Part </em>3 <em>of a series of commentaries on the key aspects of the Inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47<sup>th</sup> President of the United States.</em></p>



<p>For any previous presidential Inaugurations, this commentary would have been unnecessary, It is traditionally a day of pomp and circumstances – with a speech reminiscing over the nation’s constitutional foundation, the long history of America’s experiment in democracy &#8212; and the succession of peaceful transitions in power. ; It is traditionally a holiday from political controversy and partisan acrimony.</p>



<p>Not this year. The gauntlets of political division were cast to the ground in every direction. The issues that divide us were the center of attention. Through Executive Orders, memoranda and directives, Trump laid down his stakes. </p>



<p>Trump did not merely articulate his positions. ; He took actions – some decisive &#8230; others to be tested in Congress and the federal courts &#8230; and yet others to be battled in the court of public opinion.  ;The issues Trump covered were so comprehensive that political pundits drew on an old sports cliché to say he flooded the zone. ; Indeed, he did.</p>



<p><strong>Foreign Affairs</strong></p>



<p>In terms of foreign affairs, Trump arrived at Inauguration Day with a win. While President Biden claimed victory in his long effort to win a ceasefire and hostage exchange in the Hamas War, most credit the Trump team’s involvement in the negotiations with breaking the deadlock – and specifically his threats to unleash hell if there was no ceasefire and hostage release before he took office. Up to that time, the Biden plan had been languishing on the conference table for months &#8212; with little chance of implementation.</p>



<p>Trump did not end the Ukrainian conflict on day one, as he often claimed he would. ; While the obsessed Trump haters hold that as a promise not kept, no rational person saw that as anything more than hyperbole. He did express his readiness to negotiate – and said that Putin should be, considering the heavy toll the war is taking on Russia. ; We know that Russia maintaining control of a portion of Ukraine would be a win for Putin. ; It is not apparent how Ukraine benefits from a ceasefire. ; To me it looks like a win for Putin –exactly what should NOT happen.</p>



<p>It appears that Trump is resurrecting President Polk’s “Manifest Destiny” doctrine. ; He proposes expanding America’s real estate interests to Greenland, Panama and Canada. ; The proposals range respectively from serious to silly – with the Panama Canal a flip of the coin.</p>



<p>In an expression of cartography over geography, Trump called for the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. ; Originally known as &#8220;Golfo de la Nueva España”, It became the Gulf of Mexico in the mid-1500s.  ;How the world will react is an open question, but one of the day-after local Florida weather reports already referred to that body of water as the “Gulf of America.”</p>



<p>As was expected, Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Accords and the World Health Organization –although I believe the latter is a negotiating maneuver. ; He has imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. ; These are all intended to gain negotiating advantage on issues such as drugs, immigration and trade.</p>



<p><strong>Woke is Dead</strong></p>



<p>Prior to Trump’s reelection, the Woke Movement had a hold on the American culture – advanced and protected by the radical left-wing policies of the Democratic Party. Following the election, the pillars of the woke culture began to crumble. State governments, businesses and schools began terminating their Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Most notable were such major corporations as Walmart, Amazon, Meta, and McDonald’s. More than a dozen states banned DEI in government agencies and public schools – even state universities. Trump has now ordered the end of DEI throughout the federal government – including the military &#8212; and has put all DEI federal workers on leave, pending reassignment or termination.</p>



<p>In addition, Trump has declared that the federal government will recognize only two genders – male and female. ; He signed women’s protection act banning male athletes from participating in women’s sports. ; He pushed back on the cancel culture with a declaration ending censorship – which means there will be no forced use of gender-fluid pronouns.</p>



<p><strong>Law and Order</strong></p>



<p>First and foremost, Trump banned the weaponization of the justice system against political enemies. ; He rescinded Biden orders that gave prosecutors greater discretion in investigating and filing charges.</p>



<p>In terms of immigration, he ordered the deportation of illegal aliens – prioritizing those with criminal records and those with standing deportation orders. ; He ordered the justice department to take criminal action against state and local officials who interfere with the duties and activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).</p>



<p>In his most controversial action, Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of approximately 1500 Capitol Hill rioters. ; (More about that in a future commentary).</p>



<p><strong>Pettiness</strong></p>



<p>Among Trump’s lesser qualities is his occasional pettiness. It was on display when he ordered the removal of the official gallery portrait of General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff from the wall of the Pentagon – and again when he ordered the removal of Secret Service protections from his former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who has been marked for death by terrorists.</p>



<p><strong>Summary</strong></p>



<p>This is only a small fraction of the actions Trump took in the first 24 hours of his presidency. It gives the word “unprecedented” a new meaning. There will be many, many, many more executive actions to come in the next 100 days – and beyond. And that does not include the legislative actions being proposed and planned by the GOP-controlled Congress.</p>



<p>With the possible exception of the pardons for the egregious rioters and those petty actions, I believe that the actions taken by Trump are going to be well received by the American people.</p>



<p>The red wave that swept the nation on Election Day has turned into the red tsunami that is shaking the foundations of the entrenched political establishment in Washington. ; The Deep State is in deep sh&#8230;. ; ; Oh, never mind.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Part </i>3 <i>of a series of commentaries on the key<br>aspects of the Inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47<sup>th</sup> President of<br>the United States.</i>For any previous presidential Inaugurations, this commentary<br>would have been unnecessary, It is traditionally a day of pomp and<br>circumstances – with a speech reminiscing over the nation’s constitutional<br>foundation, the long history of America’s experiment in democracy &#8212; and the<br>succession of peaceful transitions in power.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>It is traditionally a holiday from political controversy and partisan<br>acrimony.Not this year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The<br>gauntlets of political division were cast to the ground in every<br>direction.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The issues that divide us<br>were center of attention.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Through<br>Executive Orders, memoranda and directives, Trump laid down his stakes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Trump did not merely articulate his positions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He took actions – some decisive &#8230; others to<br>be tested in Congress and the federal courts &#8230; and yet others to be battled<br>in the court of public opinion. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The<br>issues Trump covered were so comprehensive that political pundits drew on an<br>old sports cliché to say he flooded the zone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>Indeed, he did.<b>Foreign Affairs</b>In terms of foreign affairs, Trump arrived at Inauguration<br>Day with win.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While President Biden<br>claimed victory in his long effort to win a ceasefire and hostage exchange in the<br>Hamas War, most credit the Trump team’s involvement in the negotiations with<br>breaking the deadlock – and specifically his threats to unleash hell if here<br>was no ceasefire and hostage release before he took office.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Up to that time, the Biden plan had been languishing<br>on the conference table for months &#8212; with little chance of implementation.Trump did not end the Ukrainian conflict on day one, as he<br>often claimed he would.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While the<br>obsessed Trump haters hold that as a promise not kept, no rational person saw<br>that as anything more than hyperbole. He did express his readiness to negotiate<br>– and said that Putin should be, considering the heavy toll the war is taking<br>on Russia.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We know that Russia maintaining<br>control of a portion of Ukraine would be a win for Putin.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is not apparent how Ukraine benefits from<br>a ceasefire.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To me it looks like a win<br>for Putin –exactly what should NOT happen.It appears that Trump is resurrecting President Polk’s “Manifest<br>Destiny” doctrine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He proposes expanding<br>America’s real estate interests to Greenland, Panama and Canada.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The proposals range respectively from serious<br>to silly – with the Panama Canal a flip of the coin.In an expression of cartography over geography, Trump called<br>for the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Originally known as &#8220;Golfo de la Nueva<br>España”, It became the Gulf of Mexico in the mid-1500s. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How the world will react is an open question, but<br>one of the day-after local Florida weather reports already referred to that<br>body of water as the “Gulf of America.”As was expected, Trump withdrew the United States from the<br>Paris Accords and the World Health Organization –although I believe the latter<br>is a negotiating maneuver.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He has<br>imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>These are all intended to gain negotiating advantage on issues such as<br>drugs, immigration and trade.<b>Woke is Dead</b>Prior to Trump’s reelection, the Woke Movement had a hold on<br>the American culture – advanced and protected by the radical left-wing policies<br>of the Democratic Party.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Following the<br>election, the pillars of the woke culture began to crumble.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>State governments, businesses and schools<br>began terminating their Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) programs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Most notably were such major corporations as Walmart,<br>Amazon, Meta, and McDonald’s.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More than<br>a dozen states banned DEI in government agencies and public schools – even<br>state universities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Trump has now<br>ordered the end of DEI throughout the federal government – including the<br>military &#8212; and has put all DEI federal workers on leave, pending reassignment<br>or termination.In addition, Trump has declared that the federal government<br>will recognize only two genders – male and female.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He signed women’s protection act banning male<br>athletes from participating in women’s sports.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>He pushed back on the cancel culture with a declaration ending censorship<br>– which means there will be no forced use of gender-fluid pronouns.<b>Law and Order</b>First and foremost, Trump banned the weaponization of the<br>justice system against political enemies.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>He rescinded Biden orders that gave prosecutors greater discretion in<br>investigating and filing charges.In terms of immigration, he ordered the deportation of<br>illegal aliens – prioritizing those with criminal records and those with<br>standing deportation orders.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He ordered<br>the justice department to take criminal action against state and local<br>officials who interfere with the duties and activities of Immigration and<br>Customs Enforcement (ICE).In his most controversial action, Trump pardoned or commuted<br>the sentences of approximately 1500 Capitol Hill rioters.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(More about that in a future commentary).<b>Pettiness</b>Among Trump’s lesser qualities is his occasional<br>pettiness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was on display when he<br>ordered the removal of the official gallery portrait of General Mark Milley,<br>former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff from the wall of the Pentagon –<br>and again when ordered the removal of Secret Service protections from his<br>former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who has been marked for death by<br>terrorists.<b>Summary</b>This is only a small fraction of the actions Trump took in<br>the first 24 hours of his presidency.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It<br>gives the word “unprecedented” new meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>There will be many, many, many more executive actions to come in the<br>next 100 days – and beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And that<br>does not include the legislative actions being proposed and planned by the GOP<br>controlled Congress.With the possible exception of the pardons for the egregious<br>rioters and those petty actions, I believe that the actions taken by Trump are<br>going to be well received by the American people.The red wave that swept the nation on Election Day has<br>turned into the red tsunami that is shaking the foundations of the entrenched<br>political establishment in Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>The Deep State is in deep sh&#8230;.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> <br></span>Oh, never mind.So, there ‘tis</p></p>

Inauguration (Part 3): The Issues
