Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump’s policies ignited an unprecedented period of economic growth and prosperity. In the face of the worst global economic crisis in generations, the United States requires a decisive leader that will support businesses and workers, not regulate them out of existence and employment. On November 3rd, both the body and soul of America are on the ballot and the choice could not be more clear.
President Trump’s administration has and will continue to enable a strong American economy for working and middle-class families, as well as small businesses. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 lowered individual and business tax rates, stimulating job creation and record GDP growth. Annual GDP growth during President Trump’s first term averaged 2.53% from 2017-2019, which exceeded the optimistic 10-year 2.2% growth projection from the Heritage Foundation and the short-term 0.7% growth projection from the Tax Policy Center. This legislation also created Opportunity Zone designations for economically distressed communities, making them eligible for tax benefits. Over 8,760 communities have been designated as such, and nearly $47.5 billion have been invested in these areas. Additionally, the Trump administration has repealed burdensome regulations, reducing red tape and lowering barriers to entry in the marketplace. By October 2018, the administration had eliminated twelve regulations for each new one created. These pro-growth policies resulted in the lowest unemployment rate (pre-COVID-19) since 1969, as well as the lowest African American and Hispanic American unemployment rates in history.
Responding to the violence spurred by Marxist revolutionaries, President Trump sent federal agents into Portland, Oregon to protect people in the Hatfield Courthouse against rioters and semi-organized, domestic terrorists armed with rifles, Molotov cocktails, and IEDs. To combat the recent surge of violence in America’s cities, the Trump Administration launched Operation LeGend, mobilizing federal law enforcement to protect American citizens as Democrat-led city governments move to defund police departments across the country. Under President Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr’s leadership, the Justice Department has taken steps to dismantle the criminal network, known as MS-13, arresting and charging key leadership within the organization in July. Additionally, cooperation along the southern border between Mexico and the United States has increased, with Mexico deploying nearly 15,000 troops to the southern border. It was these actions to maintain law and order and his support for law enforcement which earned President Trump the rare endorsement of the New York City Police Benevolent Association.
President Trump has prioritized justice during his administration. To ensure the protection of constitutional rights, he appointed over two-hundred federal judges, including two Supreme Court justices, leaving no vacancy in the federal circuit courts. Furthermore, President Trump signed the First STEP Act into law, revising archaic sentencing guidelines, ensuring humane conditions in prisons, and providing oversight of the federal prison system, among other reforms.
On the global stage, the Trump administration reversed years of defeat, dependence, and decline, and pioneered a new era of American leadership on the world stage. Under President Trump, the Coalition to Defeat ISIS retook all of the territory previously captured by the Caliphate. Additionally, U.S. operations took out the key leadership of ISIS, with one operation resulting in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the terrorist leader of ISIS. Additionally, U.S. forces killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, a designated terrorist organization.
President Trump has ensured America’s national security, by taking further actions against aggression from America’s adversaries, namely Iran and China. In addition to withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, which would have enabled Iran to develop nuclear weapons, the Trump administration has taken tough action in the Persian Gulf instructing U.S. warships to defend themselves from Iranian vessels. The Trump administration has also taken significant actions against the Chinese Communist Party, including levying tariffs on Chinese goods, signing legislation holding China accountable for its grotesque human rights violations, and sanctioning Chinese officials for violating individual liberties. Not only has the Trump administration produced a Phase One trade deal, which protects intellectual property, prohibits currency manipulation, and ends forced technology transfers, it also has allowed the United States to restrain China’s growing influence, thereby protecting the American worker.
Under President Trump, America’s military and defenses have been well-funded and modernized. Over the past four years, America’s NATO allies will have increased their spending by $130 billion since 2016. Furthermore, American military spending has increased by 24.3%, thus paving the way for the modernization of America’s military, one example being the creation of the U.S. Space Force. The president’s policies and partnerships with private sector companies, most notably SpaceX, have reignited America’s drive towards dominance and exploration.
President Trump’s unorthodox approach has fundamentally shifted the manner in which domestic and international policy is conducted. His willingness to take on both long-standing and hot-button issues is welcome in a time when 62% of Americans are afraid of sharing their political beliefs. Trump has directly and fearlessly taken his case to the American people through his speeches, rallies, and innovative use of social media. Donald Trump also brings a fighting spirit to the White House. Trump’s presidency has rejuvenated and transformed conservatism, delivering tangible results, not just promises, to the American people.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the Editorial Board in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Cornell Review as a whole.
