dailyO
Politics

Behold President Trump. So God help USA

Advertisement
DailyBite
DailyBiteJan 21, 2017 | 01:13

Behold President Trump. So God help USA

Donald J Trump has been sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. It was raining when he was taking the oath of office.

Surreal though it may seem, but the transfer of power, the much-hyped passing of the baton from perhaps America's most erudite and intellectually stimulating president ever - Barack H Obama - to one of its dimmest and certainly the oldest - at 70, has been smoother than butter. The occasional hiccups have been the "violence breaking out in Washington", just people terribly, terribly upset and aghast at the turn of events.

Advertisement

But it's right in front of us all. President Donald Trump. An American Horror Story. 

prez-trump-embed_012117121906.jpg
Donald Trump being sworn in as the 45th president of the United Staes. [Photo: Agencies] 

But in order to sound presidential, Trump said "power belongs to the American people again", in a joke crueler than ever, as he took the oath of office on the steps of the US Capitol, and eventually went off to sign the various executive orders, some of which might undo the eight years of painstaking good work that the Barack Obama presidency had achieved.

As the Obamas "welcomed" the Trumps to the White House, it was a scene to behold. While Trump supporters did flock Washington DC to attend the swearing-in ceremony, they were outmatched and outnumber by memory of 2009 and 2013.

trump-with-obamas_012117122001.jpg
The Trumps and the Obamas: A study in contrast.  [Photo: Agencies] 

Hundreds of thousands more had attended (former) President Barack Obama's first and second oath-taking ceremonies, and the thin crowd reminded the TV audience once again of the terribly fractured political moment that America is passing through right now.

This was also the moment when President Donald Trump, in his inaugural speech, mentioned the "forgotten people" of America, and vowed to "end American carnage", by the Washington establishment. In his defence, Trump had been a New York-based tycoon with buildings and companies all over America, and perhaps that's his only claim to reference himself as an establishment outsider.   

Advertisement

As the hordes of Trump family, including FLOTUS Melania Trump, in a Ralph Lauren gown dressed in the style of Jacqueline Kennedy, with even the signature handgloves, Ivanka Trump, Eric and Don Trump, Tiffany Trump, among others started coming in, it looked more like a reality television re-run, but hardly a red carpet event.

Boycotted by most of Hollywood and thinly attended by the American literati and the glitterati, it was a pale imitation of the rockstar inauguration ceremonies that had happened to swear Obama in, twice.

Trump at 70 cut a different figure from the youthful Obama who was sworn in at just 47, making him one of the youngest ever presidents of the USA. Trump was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice John G Roberts, as his third wife Melania Trump stood by his side.

Advertisement

But Trump's speech, a rehashed version of his campaign rhetoric, but perhaps in longer, and complete sentences, left everybody wanting. Though the 45th POTUS said, "America will start winning again, winning like never before". Yes, it does feel like Casino Royale in Washington DC.   

Significantly, Trump did not mention Hillary Clinton, his bitter and better Democratic opponent, even once during his inaugural speech. Hat tips to rebuilding the country, economy, borders, defense spending, immigrants, ISIS, Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism, jobs, etc were duly made, as was the interesting statement that nations must have a right to follow their own destinies.

Trump rallied against the "elites" in a bipartisan manner, saying the "American carnage" has been to give away American jobs to the rest of the world, lost overseas. It was a speech that fell woefully short of the celestial standards set by Obama, and remained confined in the prison of crass populism minus content.   

Here's the text of President Donald Trump's inaugural speech delivered on January 20, 2017 at the steps of the US Capitol in Washington DC.

"Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: Thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.

We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another -- but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.

Words from the past: Inauguration speech library

For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished -- but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered -- but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes -- starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.

It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration. And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before. At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation -- and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; we've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own; and spent trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future. We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.

From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

From this moment on, it's going to be America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body -- and I will never, ever let you down.

America will start winning again, winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off of welfare and back to work -- rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.

We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world -- but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.

We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones -- and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."

We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear -- we are protected, and we will always be protected.

We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.

In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.

We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action -- constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.

Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.

We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:

You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together, We will make America strong again.

We will make wealthy again.

We will make America proud again.

We will make America safe again.

And yes, together, we will make America great again. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America."

web_trump_potus1_012117122036.jpg
 

Also read: Trump's 'Make America great again' is a crude 'Make America hate again'

Last updated: January 21, 2017 | 13:17
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy