Trump's State of the Union Address: Prosperity in a Divided Society
(Baonghean) - The economic successes in the first year of his term were emphasized in US President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address on the evening of January 30. However, that was not enough to cover up the fact that American politics, of which Mr. Trump is a representative, is heavily conflicted.
Significant achievements
With the theme "Building a Safe, Strong, and Proud America," President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to Congress aimed first and foremost at highlighting economic achievements.
At the beginning of his message, President Trump mentioned the "incredible progress" and "extraordinary successes" that America has achieved over the past year.
Through the damage America has suffered from hurricanes, floods, fires, and the deadly shooting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, America has stood firm and resolved crises.
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| President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to both houses of Congress on January 30 (AP) |
The US leader mentioned areas that are in the process of recovering from natural disasters such as Florida, California and the territory of Puerto Rico with the message "we will get through it together" - a clear message of America's often-questioned unity.
Besides, President Trump also did not forget to emphasize the achievements of the US economy, which is considered one of the brightest spots in the global economy in 2017.
He stressed that over the past year, the US economy has created 2.4 million new jobs, including 200,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
Wages have also risen after years of stagnation, while unemployment has fallen to a 45-year low, with “African-American unemployment at its lowest in history.”
2017 also saw small business confidence hit an all-time high, while the stock market continued to set new records, gaining $8 trillion in value in a short period of time.
The key point, according to President Trump, is that the tax cuts have provided huge relief to the middle class and small businesses.
Meanwhile, income tax rates for small businesses have been reduced by up to 20%, encouraging companies to expand and hire more workers.
“This is a new American moment,” he said. “There has never been a better time to live the American dream.”
In his speech, US President Donald Trump also called on Congress to pass a $1.5 trillion budget for his infrastructure plan; as well as immigration policy reform based on four main pillars, which are reforming regulations for becoming a US citizen, strengthening the border including building a wall on the southern border with Mexico, ending the visa lottery program and ending chain migration.
The gap of solidarity
The State of the Union address is often used by US Presidents to address the achievements that the United States has made in the past year as well as the challenges that the United States faces.
The White House boss will also announce plans for next year with proposals to promote people's unity or government priorities.
However, the American public is wondering whether President Trump's State of the Union Address this time has addressed these aspects?
The problem with current American politics is the severe division on most issues. Meanwhile, with President Donald Trump, the approval rating has not exceeded 40% after 1 year in office - the lowest level of a US President in the past 50 years.
The division in American politics was evident in the hall as President Trump read his message. While Republican lawmakers frequently stood up and applauded during his speech, Democratic lawmakers sat quietly and watched - an act of disapproval or protest.
The White House has said Trump's State of the Union address will send signals calling for unity in a bipartisan bloc that is sharply divided over a range of policy differences.
But the recent US President's Message has not accomplished this goal - at least it has not clarified the disagreements that have been causing chaos in US politics for the past year.
One of the most divisive issues in the US Congress today is immigration policy. To narrow the differences, Mr. Trump has proposed an immigration plan that he calls a "fair compromise" consisting of four major points, including a 12-year roadmap for 1.8 million 'Dreamers' - people brought to the US illegally as children - to become citizens. However, this proposal has met with fierce opposition from both parties.
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| US Congress witnessed division during Mr Trump's speech (Reuters) |
Hard-liners in the Republican Party have called naturalization for Dreamers an unacceptable "amnesty," while many Democrats have booed Trump's announcement that he would set a new cap on "chain migration," which allows legal immigrants to sponsor family members to come to the United States.
There are still other "stones" blocking the US political agenda that President Trump has not been able to call for support: replacing the Obamacare bill, building a wall on the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration.
With what has been delivered, President Donald Trump's State of the Union address is not 'strong' enough to change the political situation in the US, the most anticipated thing at this time. It cannot help him gain more sympathy from Democratic congressmen.
They probably do not feel any new motivation to compromise with the President's proposals in the coming time, but on the contrary, it only creates more determination for the Democrats to consolidate their forces towards the midterm congressional elections in November./.
