President Trump put forward an inspiring vision for the future of our country in his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday evening. With the nonstop bickering and partisan attacks from Washington elites and the media, it was refreshing to hear President Trump call for compromise and unity.
The president also took time to highlight a few of the many incredible achievements under his administration. Record-low unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanics, and women. Rising wages and tax cuts for working-class families. A historic bipartisan criminal justice reform bill to give non-violent offenders a second chance.
Still, the speech stuck out because it challenged us as a nation to go even further.
It challenged us to live up to our core values and advance bipartisan policies that give every American a chance to live the American Dream. To be sure, the speech was not only a vision, but a realistic blueprint to achieve that vision. (RELATED: Victoria Toensing: Why Did Christopher Wray Allow Mueller’s Thugs To Use 29 FBI Agents On Roger Stone?)
Unsurprisingly, the president highlighted trade policy as a necessary first step to better the lives of all Americans.
For too long, our trade agreements have put the interests of big corporations and foreign powers above those of the American people. Those types of agreements must become a thing of the past. Trade should always be fair, free, and put the interests of American workers first.
Congress should follow President Trump’s lead and vote to pass his historic new trade deal between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The agreement, known as the USMCA, would help bring manufacturing jobs back to America by revitalizing the automotive industry. Farmers would be better off too, thanks to the deal opening up new markets for their exports.
President Trump also called for common-sense fixes to our broken immigration system. Our current open borders system benefits political elites at the expense of everyday Americans. To that end, the status quo is immoral, unfair, and unjust.
That’s why the president called for a feasible solution: building a border wall. A wall on the southern border would uphold the rule of law, halt the flow of dangerous narcotics, and protect families from criminal aliens.
The president also believes that in order to fully ensure our safety and quality of life, we must invest in world-class infrastructure. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineer’s rated our infrastructure a D+ grade in a 2017 report. (RELATED: Sidney Powell: Manafort’s Torture Shows The Character Of Mueller’s Goon Squad)
Rightfully so, President Trump tasked Congress with bringing forward an infrastructure package. This is an effort that every single lawmaker can embrace, as our current infrastructure is inefficient, and a national rebuilding of crumbling roads and bridges, highways, waterways, railways, and airports is long overdue.
Legislation and regulatory reforms to lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs were another bold call from the president’s speech. Americans pay more for their prescription drugs than any other country in the world and are deeply concerned about rising drug costs.
As a mother, I understand this anxiety all too well. Being able to afford healthcare and crucial drugs for loved ones is something no American should have to worry about. That’s why President Trump is calling for Congress to pass legislation to make healthcare and drug pricing more transparent and cost efficient.
The president also declared war on childhood cancer, requesting $500 million over the next ten years for research funding. No child deserves to have their live taken away so young.
Having once again made America the dominate force for good in the world, President Trump outlined a powerful vision for greater security and peace. ISIS has been decimated in Syria and it is time to declare victory and bring home our brave troops. And after 19 years, a deal is being negotiated towards a peaceful resolution in Afghanistan.
Americans want an end to endless war. Surely, President Trump’s plan to refocus our efforts on great power competitors like China and Russia is a sound path forward.
President Trump’s SOTU address had something for everyone in it. As the president said, the agenda he laid out isn’t “a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda. It is the agenda of the American People.”
Together, we can once again foster a society that works for all citizens regardless of their upbringing or zip code. As a former prosecutor and journalist who has traveled the country to meet Americans of all walks of life, trust me when I say that President Trump is only leader who can do just that.
Let’s follow the president’s advice and choose greatness over gridlock.
Kimberly Guilfoyle (@KimGuilfoyle) is vice chairwoman of America First Policies, a nonprofit organization supporting key policy initiatives that will work for all citizens in our country and put America first.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.
