Thank you, President Trump!

“Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck.”

—George Sanders

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

BY the time this article comes out, outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump must be on his way to Florida, his official residence. 

He has repeatedly declared he would not attend President-elect Joseph Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, January 20.

Not good for his legacy in particular, and for history in general; but we respect his decision. 

We know he is still hurting after a failed bid to overturn the legitimate and orderly election by using arm-twisting tactics, among other dirty means, including instigating a riot that killed five people in Capitol Hill on January 6, to no avail.

It was reported that Mr. Trump was instead planning to leave the White House January 20 morning for a send-off ceremony at Joint Base Andrews before flying to Florida, where he is expected to spend much of his post-presidency.

The outgoing President would likely make remarks as more than 200 service members were reportedly expected to participate in Mr. Trump’s formal departure, which U.S. officials said, would include a 21-gun salute, a color guard and other ceremonial units. 

 

-o0o-

 

Officials said the exact program for the event would be still in flux, adding that it was unclear how many people would attend.

Mr. Trump was expected to fly to his private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago as his presidency concludes at 12:01 p.m. on Wednesday following the event.

Much has already been said and written about his notoriety, especially his poor handling of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was blamed to be the primary reason why he badly lost to Mr. Biden by eight million in popular votes and 306-232 in Electoral College votes.

Even if he destroyed his own legacy by repeatedly lying to his base and voters that the election he clearly lost was “stolen” from him, let’s give credit where credit is due when it comes to his accomplishments as the 45^th U.S. President.

The Trump administration will be credited for “building the world’s most prosperous economy,” according to his own assertion.

Under Mr. Trump, America reportedly gained seven million new jobs – “more than three times government experts’ projections.”

The following also occurred during Mr. Trump’s leadership in the White House, according to his own claims and the White House report:

—Middle-Class family income increased nearly $6,000 – more than five times the gains during the entire previous administration.

—The unemployment rate reached 3.5 percent, the lowest in a half-century.

—Achieved 40 months in a row with more job openings than job-hirings.

—More Americans reported being employed than ever before – nearly 160 million.

—Jobless claims hit a nearly 50-year low.

—The number of people claiming unemployment insurance as a share of the population hit its lowest on record.

—Incomes rose in every single metro area in the United States for the first time in nearly 3 decades.

—Delivered a future of greater promise and opportunity for citizens of all backgrounds.

—Unemployment rates for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and those without a high school diploma all reached record lows.

 

-o0o-

—Unemployment for women hit its lowest rate in nearly 70 years.

—Lifted nearly 7 million people off of food stamps.

—Poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans reached record lows.

—Income inequality fell for two straight years, and by the largest amount in over a decade.

—The bottom 50 percent of American households saw a 40 percent increase in net worth.

—Wages rose fastest for low-income and blue collar workers – a 16 percent pay increase.

—African American homeownership increased from 41.7 percent to 46.4 percent.

—Brought jobs, factories, and industries back to the USA.

—Created more than 1.2 million manufacturing and construction jobs.

—Put in place policies to bring back supply chains from overseas.

—Small business optimism broke a 35-year old record in 2018.

Hit record stock market numbers and record 401ks.

—The DOW closed above 20,000 for the first time in 2017 and topped 30,000 in 2020.

—The S&P 500 and NASDAQ have repeatedly notched record highs.

Rebuilding and investing in rural America.

—Signed an Executive Order on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products, which is bringing innovative new technologies to market in American farming and agriculture.

—Strengthened America’s rural economy by investing over $1.3 billion through the Agriculture Department’s ReConnect Program to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to rural America.

Achieved a record-setting economic comeback by rejecting blanket lockdowns.

—An October 2020 Gallup survey found 56 percent of Americans said they were better off during a pandemic than four years prior.

—During the third quarter of 2020, the economy grew at a rate of 33.1 percent – the most rapid GDP growth ever recorded.

—Since coronavirus lockdowns ended, the economy has added back over 12 million jobs, more than half the jobs lost.

—Jobs have been recovered 23 times faster than the previous administration’s recovery.

—Unemployment fell to 6.7 percent in December, from a pandemic peak of 14.7 percent in April – beating expectations of well over 10 percent unemployment through the end of 2020.

—Under the previous administration, it took 49 months for the unemployment rate to fall from 10 percent to under 7 percent compared to just 3 months for the Trump Administration.

—Since April, the Hispanic unemployment rate has fallen by 9.6 percent, Asian-American unemployment by 8.6 percent, and Black American unemployment by 6.8 percent.

—80 percent of small businesses are now open, up from just 53 percent in April.

—Small business confidence hit a new high.

—Homebuilder confidence reached an all-time high, and home sales hit their highest reading since December 2006.

—Manufacturing optimism nearly doubled.

—Household net worth rose $7.4 trillion in Q2 2020 to $112 trillion, an all-time high.

—Home prices hit an all-time record high.

—The United States rejected crippling lockdowns that crush the economy and inflict countless public health harms and instead safely reopened its economy.

—Business confidence is higher in America than in any other G7 or European Union country.

—Stabilized America’s financial markets with the establishment of a number of Treasury Department supported facilities at the Federal Reserve.

Thank you, President Trump. Thank you for both the good and bad memories you left us all. Good luck on your second impeachment trial and your new life as “Citizen Donald.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)