Wednesday, February 22, 2017

When Contempt Outweighs Compromise



     

        In an opinion piece for the Washington Post on February 21 of this year titled,The left’s hypocrisy on Trump’s ‘enemy of the American People’ comment., Marc Thiessen helps shed light on the importance of self-reflection in this time of political contempt. He attempts to showcase how the left has been hypocritical in their recent bashing of Trump, and more broadly in their attitudes towards Republicans in the past. A distinction is drawn in labeling one’s political adversary as an “enemy” versus the label of “opponent”. 

        Sticking with the theme of his article Thiessen, who is a member of the Republican Party himself, makes it known that the record sheet of the right is by no means spotless or clear of wrongdoing. I believe this admission of fault on Thiessen’s part is crucial to what makes this such a beneficial piece for members of any political party to view. It shows humility and a withdrawal of ego; refreshing qualities to see in our current political landscape where it appears that the left stands on a moral pedestal declaring itself 'holier than thou' to anyone with a differing viewpoint.

        Being newly acquainted with the world of politics since our most recent election, I don’t claim to know what is best for our country. I am aware however, that the overwhelming hypocrisy I see from the left in regard to violent rioting, the stifling of free speech, and misuse of terms such as racist or misogynist has pushed my stance in favor of the right.   

Friday, February 10, 2017

Trump Must Decide: Steps Advance the Immigration Ban



Chris Stirewalt of Fox news reported in his article, "A Way Out For Trump On Refugee Ban" that after the ruling of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to deny the implementation of Trump’s immigration ban, President Trump is left with two choices in regards to moving forward with his executive order. 

On one hand he could continue to fight the case, as he has most recently stated through his twitter account. On the other hand, others such as Texas Representative Louie Gohmert have suggested to simply revise the executive order, eliminating any language that applies to current green card holders. 

Although a move to rewrite the order in this way would make it much more difficult for the courts to argue against, Trump would be forced to admit defeat through settlement in this instance. 

It will be interesting to see whether the President will decide to allow a minor setback to advance his overall vision, or become overtly focused on fighting his case.