United States – State of the Union Address 2018

January 31, 2018

United States – State of the Union Address 2018

Padmini Arhant

 

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union Address to the nation and viewers worldwide.

I present my thoughts on the address.

The domestic issues related to job creation, lowering unemployment among African Americans and Latino Americans besides other achievements were highlighted in the speech. The tax reform legislation with tax breaks for various groups though the tax relief for individuals are temporary with an expiry date compared to corporations’ permanent tax cuts and stock market record breaking performance were brought to attention. They are relevant and important milestones for this administration and Congress.

The ordinary citizens in different occupations especially the members involved in rescue operations of natural disasters and those fighting crimes within nation were appreciated and commended in the first segment of the speech. These citizens deserved acknowledgment for risking their lives and saving others from life and death situation demonstrating care and compassion in the hour of need.

There was also a pledge to reduce the cost of prescription drugs that are astronomical leaving patients suffering from terminal illnesses with hard choices between buying medications to fight disease and food for survival.

The message on economy was optimistic and complimenting brave citizens for their selfless actions were humanizing in the Presidential delivery.

There was also emphasis on unity considering the divisiveness based on misrepresentation and propaganda of different types in communication outlets that are contributing to polarization. The gesture to transcend identity and accept one another as American is a positive note. The conciliatory approach on immigration recognizing the DACA issue as one of the four pillars including border security is welcome.

The second chance with job prospects for prison inmates having satisfied necessary time is a good moral and economic support to help them reform and settle as productive citizens in society. In this respect, the plan to open and set up vocational institutes and other labor training facilities would certainly be impetus for youths straying in life and committing crimes adding to prison population in the country.

I did not hear any specific benefit to college students on education loan that is vital as there are many of them in this category saddled with education debt prior to starting their career. The student loan is another area other than mortgage that often weighs down on ordinary citizens unable to have any savings after paying the huge interest laden debt. The low or no interest easy payment plan to students and their families would definitely boost college enrollment and educated work force.

Infrastructure to build roads, railways, bridges and ports were addressed in the President’s speech that are all important with bipartisanship in funding the projects leaving politics aside is essential.

The transition from free trade agenda to fair trade with reciprocal arrangement conforms to proposal on this website.

On religion, the guarantee to safeguard religious rights as constitutional norm is conducive and crucial for social harmony.

These issues were all right on track and pertinent to building America.

What I did not hear from the President that is significant not only to America but also to the survival of all species is the environment protection and reducing carbon emission. The administration should review the Paris Climate treaty objectively though I’m yet to familiarize myself on the details of the accord which I will do in the immediate future to understand the nature and commitments of the signatories to the agreement.

In my experience, the environment accord is usually limited to consent and not necessarily translated into action by major polluters viz. United States, China, India and other industrialized as well as emerging economies contributing to global warming and ice caps melting in the north and south poles specifically the arctic and Antarctic respectively endangering marine life and human inhabitation in remote regions of the world.

In fact, the fire, hurricanes, floods and freezing temperatures the President cited in his address are the results of gross environment abuse and neglect that could no longer be slighted prompting serious engagement from government to citizen level to curb environment deterioration. The wealth and economic development are meaningless in the absence of clean air and water critical for life.

Unfortunately, the President heeding to coal industry and endorsing fossil fuel production rather than reduction with export possibilities to other nations is not a viable option on environment preservation. Instead the coal miners and other energy companies should consider clean renewable energy using natural resources like solar, wind and hydrothermal projects and contain fossil fuel dependency. The oil companies constant drilling, fracking and digging in deep and shallow water along with pipelines like the controversial Keystone project ignoring native Americans plea to spare their territory prioritize profit over people and planet sustenance.

The administration’s focus and obligation to protect oceans and rivers from contamination and the atmosphere from pollution is key to healthy living standards that would also decrease health care costs for the nation. Again, clean air and water is not a privilege but indeed a necessity for all to exist and experience healthy life span.

Now on foreign policy. Not surprisingly, the foreign policy advocates input in the State of the Union Address targeting the usual nations as adversaries was predictable. The distinct remarks against some were not only repetitive stance but pronounce stagnancy in changing course from their archaic view of the world and refusing to accept the transformative geopolitical landscape.

Simultaneously touting the allies’ erroneous demands and indulgence viz. Israel and Saudi Arabia with the former occupation of Palestine and defiant settlement activities in Palestinian territories while the latter pounding of Yemen using United States sold artillery in Yemen are proved counterproductive.

The administration’s egregious decision on Jerusalem is neither in United States nor Israel’s interest as claimed in the speech. Jerusalem is a holy city shared among natives and residents settled thereafter creation of Israel on Palestine. The unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is provocative and appropriately ruled out in the UN vote by majority in the world.

The President expectation from nations to fall in line on international affairs such as Jerusalem deny these nations sovereign right to express dissent and their citizens’ position on global matter. The anticipation on complacency and complicity from nations as recipients of United States financial aid and funding of the United Nations qualifies as bribery to buy votes in the UN voting process defeating the legitimate purpose of an international body.

On North Korea –  the President reminisced the formation of union with then patriots’ resolve for self-governance that led to the emergence of United States of America proudly declared an independent nation on earth.

However, the free country not entirely free in governance with diverse special interests from within and outside exerting control over United States investments has developed into imperialist power despite failures and consistent debacles from illegal invasion and occupation of foreign land.

The irony with western colonial powers is they cherish own freedom and take pride in subjugation and colonization of nations worldwide. The colonial mindset rejects the rights of all human beings to liberty and independence from foreign intervention.

North Korea’s aspiration for reunification of Korea as an independent, sovereign nation liberated from foreign military on the borders and repressive UNSC economic sanctions is an inalienable right of the people of that country. United States long standing imposition on North Korea is direct violation of North Korean sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The same would be applicable to United States engagement in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and wherever United States military bases are established indefinitely declining the citizens of these nations the self-determination in governance of their choice without foreign troops and sponsored terror outfits presence.

The imperial quest premised on unfettered access to economic reserves and strategic dominance prompting military and terror infiltration in foreign land is a flawed strategy and never gain respect draining tax payer dollars on aggression and violent pursuits.

On the subject of terror – As stated earlier on this website, terrorism would collapse instantly upon terminating supply of weapons to terror factions together with ceasing funding to terror operatives that fosters terror. There is little or no desire to end these two means among promoters and profiteers of terror instrumental in proliferating terrorism.

Nuclear policy – The reluctance to lead the world in nuclear disarmament due to reservations from forces believing nuclear might as formidable defense is an illusion. Again, as explained earlier on the topic on this website, nuclear status is a dead weight on nuclear powers demanding extraordinary vigilance and financial investment in maintenance of nuclear site depriving other areas such as health care, education and infrastructure improvement in the national budget. The reality is people dying from preventable disease and lack of basic facilities is much higher and happening on daily basis among nuclear and non-nuclear states than the probability of nuclear attack. Yet nuclear ambitions and advancement exceed overall life requisites among nuclear states accelerating nuclear arms race.

The world cannot afford to wait for a particular time and place on denuclearization. Nuclear weapons are a menace and require safe disposal making the world a nuclear free zone. Hence, it is incumbent on all nuclear states to arrive at a consensus and expedite nuclear disarmament exempting none in the endeavor. The world leaderships in military, politics and civil society owe this responsibility to the present and future generation for safe and nuclear free existence.

Likewise, there is another cleaning up task pending world action. The land mines and improvised explosive device (IED) that are inflicting pain and permanent injury to largely poorer demography in countries that are designated eternal war precincts with weapons and explosives left behind in open field and abandoned in warehouse as witnessed in Africa, Afghanistan and Libya.

The addiction to foreign policy to suit core entities self and vested interests against United States and global benefits hurt America’s credibility in presiding over world disputes and discord.

The President speech also confirmed on Guantanamo Bay to remain open retaining status quo. The idea to house terror suspects most of whom are known to be falsely held in captivity denying them habeas corpus – the right to legal defense to prove their innocence emanated from the administration headed by then President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and sources in power at that time. These members having been primarily responsible for allowing terror attack on 9/11/2001, they were never held accountable for dereliction of duty amounting to treason and violation of human rights in introducing torture and inhumane tactics on those in unlawful custody.

United States image could not be enhanced in skyscrapers and coast to coast high ways, bridges and monuments alone.  Any nations real progress is verifiable in the treatment of own citizens and those abroad with mutual respect, dignity and fairness without compromising on ethics and human value.

I reiterate that President Donald Trump led administration and the present Congress with members from both sides of the political aisle have potential to build America and enable American dream for all Americans leaving none behind barring prejudice in general and partisan politics in governance.

United States and the world moving forward in strengthening ties with neighbors in the region and across the frontiers treating each other as partners and not rivals extending economic, cultural, educational and social events is paramount for global peace, prosperity and security.

God bless humanity and environment.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter PadminiArhant.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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