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Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff.
By Britt Nelson
In a week President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office in Washington, DC to become the 45th President of the United States. Before him is the challenge he asked for to ‘Make America Great Again,’ and the voters gave him the duty to do just that.
Trump’s biggest challenges go like this: health care, guns, American jobs, foreign trade, illegal drugs, seal Mexican border, restrict immigration, Syria, ISIS, Iran, North Korea, nuclear weapons and national security. These issues are the big ones and they all loom large on the horizon.
But first Trump’s cabinet picks must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The hearings examining his choices have begun. None of these appointees are unworthy or reckless. The Senate hearings will run their course, questions will be asked and answered, all the while more protesting hecklers will be escorted out of the public forum. History is being written this week that will carry the United States of America into the future with President Trump in the lead.
Trump has hired his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, 36, as a senior-level advisor, a move opposed by the Democrats who charge nepotism. But this is no President Kennedy in 1961 appointing his brother Robert Kennedy as Attorney General, far from it. Kushner is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, and he will not need Senate hearings and confirmation. Kushner happens to be an extremely bright individual – Harvard University graduate, law degree from New York University and a real estate developer in his own right – he has a vested interest in his father-in-law’s success, however controversial this hiring may be. Having a trusted family member like Kushner at Trump’s side, who is more than able to contribute, is a good move to help keep this new and unpredictable president in line.
In Wednesday’s press conference, Trump’s first in about six months, tensions were high as Trump refused to answer some of the reporter’s questions not because of the question but because of who was asking it and their tone. Trump labeled CNN as “fake news” and ignored the CNN reporter calling him “rude” and then he moved on to other members of the media.
The anti-Trump forces are helping nobody and they are coming across as anti-American and looking quite small in comparison to the tasks at hand. They are shooting themselves in the foot with all their opposition to the Trump agenda. The Democrats still cannot accept that Trump won, and they are fighting tooth and nail everything he does. But with each election cycle since 2008, the number of Democratic seats in the U.S. Congress has gone down. So keep it up Democrats and self-destruct. Go ahead. And with California’s U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, as your chief spokesperson, the Democrats are sure to be headed for ‘politically-correct’ oblivion.
Take for example actress Meryl Streep’s anti-Trump comments at the recent 74th Golden Globe Awards in Hollywood that showed a clear disconnect with a large portion of the American public they attempt to entertain. Mainstream Hollywood and mainstream media are still hand-in-hand considering all the news coverage Streep’s comments received. Surely, Trump’s America will begin to reject Hollywood’s endless stream of trashy violent movies and boring TV shows causing big Hollywood paychecks to plummet.
A friend of the Costa Rica Star News, Pat Lockwood of Esterillos Este, Costa Rica, in a Facebook post, spoke eloquently about the situation with Trump, Hollywood and the media.
“I have learned so much about people during and especially after the election. I was very disappointed when Obama won 8 years ago, but I never wished he would fail, because that would make me an idiot. I never sought revenge, because that would make me an idiot. I don’t remember seeing conservatives use every opportunity to bash the newly-elected president who wasn’t even in office yet, because that would make them an idiot,” Lockwood wrote. “One example is Meryl Streep. She had a chance to use her award to address young actors and give them encouragement. She had a chance to be the one young people look up to. She, by the virtue of her accomplishments, could have been a role model for everyone. Instead, she showed herself to be the idiot she really is. I am embarrassed for her. I am embarrassed for all the people revealing their true nature.”
It’s pedal-to-the-medal time on the Trump Train whether you like it or not. The people have spoken. It’s full-steam ahead. Let’s light this candle on Jan. 20.
About the Author
Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.
Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.
