Dakota Beacon

President Donald Trump’s friendly critics utter gentle swipes against him. “There is a new sheriff in town.” “He is not a conservative.” “He has been known to side with Democrats.”

These comments are placid compared to the vicious utterances of his enemies. Truth be told, Trump as an outsider and non-traditionalist befuddles the establishment consistently. He fits no template. Dealing with Trump as an unknown quantity and faced with his unconventional behavior creates anxiety and uncertainty among traditionalists. So be it.

Not to complicate matters with liberal and conservative labels, Trump was once a Democrat now turned Republican. As a goal-oriented pragmatist, Trump focuses on solving problems. He sees a problem, understands how to fix it, and goes ahead to solve it.

An enemy of globalism, Trump leads a populist army of millions. He entered the arena willing to lead a growing body of citizens tired of being boxed in by taxes and regulations enforced by politicians and bureaucrats. Suffering under stifling restrictions administered by ambivalent elitists treating people like deplorables too stupid to manage their own lives – Trump became the people’s liberator.

What follows will not be found in the legacy media whether TV or print. These observations gleaned from alternative sources offer a perspective of Trump that bewilders the Ruling Class.

-- According to Trump’s own employees and business associates, he epitomizes kindness and consideration. This may come as a surprise to people. He shows strength and kindness; he is generous and understanding. In private he displays humbleness. Who would have thought?

-- Trump believes that any foreign involvement on the part of the United States should be in our self-interest first. Moreover, those we help should bear some of the burden including the costs. The costs would include not only the direct costs, but the medical cost of our military personnel injured in combat and compensation to the families who lost a loved one.

-- Trump wants a strong military not subservient to diversity, equity, and inclusion. He sees military strength as a tool to deter conflict and not to be used for vain intervention. This emulates the old Ronald Reagan doctrine of Peace through Strength. The strength of United States would be such that no state would risk conflict.

-- Trump believes in a strong foreign policy based on the following: US interests always come first without equivocation; foreign policy must be enforced by a strong military; go to war only to win; back your friends and distrust your enemies; see the threat before it manifests itself; respect and support the warrior class.

-- Trump believes that terrorists captured on the battlefield are military combatants and should not be treated as ordinary criminals.

-- Trump believes border security equals US national security as well as economic prosperity. Illegal immigration must stop. Current immigration law must be vigorously enforced. People who enter the US illegally should not be given a path to citizenship. They are lawbreakers.

-- Trump wants the US tax system to favor the average person. Our tax system must encourage US businesses to stay in the US and foreign business to move to the US. Trump’s tax plan would allow citizens to keep more of what they earn: Up to $30k taxed at 1%; $30k to $100k taxed at 5%; $100k to $1 million taxed at 10%; over $1 million taxed at 15%.

-- Trump wants to restructure White House communications in general and the White House pool reporters in particular. Eighty-five percent of the press corps has been used as a propaganda weapon by the left during both campaigns and his presidency. He favors dropping low-rating news organizations from the press pool and replacing them with high-follower podcasters like Joe Rogan.

-- Trump wants spending reform in the federal government. The US spends far more than it receives.

-- Trump seeks reform in welfare. A welfare-to-work program would help welfare rolls. His plan would also attack welfare entitlement fraud.

-- Trump regards man-made climate change a hoax.

-- Trump does not support Common Core in public schools.

-- Trump stands as pro-life allowing for abortion only in rare instances.

-- Trump supports 2d Amendment rights.

-- Trump believes in marriage only between a man and a woman.

-- Trump is a death penalty advocate.

-- Add to this Trump’s collection of persons to serve in his second-term cabinet (a selection process he paid for out of his own pocket) and his administration will be one for the history books.

Above all, Trump is a fighter who loves the United States and has her best interests at heart. Love him or leave him, his no-nonsense pragmatism offers something the likes of which has not been seen recently in Washington, DC. As an outsider, everything Trump does seems unconventional. To superimpose old fashion political templates on him to predict his next move or evaluate his decisions would be fruitless. Proponents of old-style politics will underestimate Trump’s actions every time.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).