Cal Thomas: The second inaugural address

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Thursday, January 16th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Myrna Brown.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Coming up next, President-elect Donald Trump will soon deliver his second inaugural address. WORLD commentator Cal Thomas has some tips for him, based on his first inaugural address.

DONALD TRUMP: 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.

CAL THOMAS: Who remembers Donald Trump’s first Inaugural Address? Probably not very many, unless they’ve Googled it, as I did.

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

As I listened to it again, I was surprised to recall that it contained some gems and reasonable promises, some of which were frustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the fixation by Democrats on two impeachments and their efforts to thwart him at every turn.

TRUMP: 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.

Trump spoke of unity so that his goals on lowering taxes, reducing the debt and closing the border might be achieved. He got his tax cuts, but not the rest.

In his speech he expressed gratitude to outgoing President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama:

TRUMP: We are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Don’t look for anything close to that sentiment about the Bidens and congressional Democrats in Monday’s address.

In the category of wishful thinking there was this:

TRUMP: What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

We’ll soon see how that works out with Republicans now in control of all three branches of the government.

Speaking of themes that are likely to be resurrected in his second term, Trump said: “We’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own.” True enough. He then added:

TRUMP: And spent trillions of dollars overseas while American infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

Trump should mention Democrat Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania during his second speech. Fetterman met with him at Mar-a-Lago last weekend. Some in his party have been critical of the move. But Fetterman said that he’s the senator “for all Pennsylvanians – not just Democrats.” Adding that he’ll meet with whoever he wants if it helps him deliver for Pennsylvani and the nation.

Fetterman might serve as a wedge to divide the ultra-liberal Pelosi-Schumer wing of the Democrat Party and advance Trump’s agenda on the theme of “promoting the general welfare.”

TRUMP: We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

Trump might return to that theme as Americans seem tired of the political battles as shown by the last election. They want results, not constant fighting. Can Trump, who has a history of belittling others, “convert” to a different style? We’ll soon find out.

And a little levity might be useful on Monday. In that spirit I offer an edited version of a song by Sia entitled “I’m Still Here”:

“Oh, the past, it haunted me
Oh, the past, it wanted me dead
Oh, the past tormented me
Oh, the past, it wanted me dead
But the battle was lost
‘Cause I’m still here.”

Donald Trump is “still here.” The question is without a pandemic will he be able to accomplish all he has promised? If he does, he will be remembered as a deeply flawed man who did great things for his country and its people, bringing us back from the disaster of the current administration and making us “great once again.”

I’m Cal Thomas.

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