Opinion

America: The country we deserve

Michael Cohen Contributor
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Week after week, anxious Americans sit by their television sets waiting for their local newscasters to offer heartening information regarding the looming debt ceiling debate and our ailing economy. Unfortunately, this news never seems to arrive. The president and Democrats continue to blame Republicans for our poor economy and for preventing the debt ceiling from being raised. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to bash the president and Democratic representatives for their tax-and-spend ideology. At the end of the day, who suffers? Average Americans.

What I find amazing is both sides’ lack of respect for the dollar’s value. One side is off track by $2.2 trillion while the other’s plan claims to reduce the deficit by $850 billion. Six months ago, the CBO issued a statement claiming that $170 billion is missing from the budget and completely unaccounted for. Who took it, for what purpose and when is a total mystery.

One of Donald Trump’s principles is that we must ensure that our government representatives use fiscally sound principles to reduce our national debt. Clearly, none of them have any clue how to do this. Here are some ideas: Stop the fraud and waste in Washington and recover the $170 billion we already have that we just can’t find!

Politicians don’t seem to realize that our economic problems have been building for a long time. They began years ago, when our trade deficits ballooned. The profits that foreign countries have made by selling their products to American consumers have allowed foreigners to purchase American companies and assets, caused energy prices to skyrocket, left our financial system on the verge of collapse and ensured that 20% of Americans will be un- or underemployed for many years to come.

President after president has pushed unsound and outdated ideas about how global markets work and how America can take advantage of them. That’s because none of those presidents were businessmen who made their livings by working within these global markets. This is what Donald Trump is constantly talking about. This is what he is passionate about and this is what he knows needs to be fixed to make America great again. Millions of people who continue to log on to the website ShouldTrumpRun.com believe Mr. Trump and his message. These same people continue to urge Mr. Trump to run; if not as a Republican then as an Independent. Recent polls show that most Americans have lost all faith in both parties and are desperately looking for a replacement.

Sure, we have problems — big ones. But this is still the United States of America, the greatest country in the world, and we can deal with anything. Not by continuing with old ideologies, but by changing how we do business with the rest of the world and how we let them do business with us. There is no one better than Trump to negotiate this message to the world. Trust me, I know. I see him do it daily.

Michael Cohen is the EVP and Special Counsel to Donald J. Trump as well as the founder of ShouldTrumpRun.com.