Lately, there have been a few "opinions" about our president being a crook. So let's look at the big picture here. Did the people not know that he was a businessman with ventures in countries all over the world? Do you think all people don’t know how business works?
MONEY is the name of the game. Movie stars get thousands of dollars' worth of gifts to just show up at the Academy Awards. This is kind of paying for their presence. A basketball star endorses a sneaker. For this he gets paid big bucks. Trump agrees to let someone put his name on a golf course or hotel. For that he gets paid big bucks.
Lobbyists throw millions of dollars at our congressmen. In return, they reciprocate with our money. The Bush family had major interests in oil companies operating in the Arab world. Perhaps the Iraq War had a positive effect on that. Ronald Reagan got Iran to NOT release our embassy staff so it wouldn’t help Jimmy Carter. This probably affected the elections, and once elected, Mr. Reagan somehow returned the "favor" to Iran. Many foreign governments, including Russia, donated to the Clinton Foundation. I’m sure there are needy people in their countries, and I’m sure that Clinton did something for them.
We never fought in Vietnam to win that war. We fought to occupy half the country. I believe that the oil companies were pumping 24/7 and tired of paying millions for mercenaries to protect them, and that was our No. 1 reason for war. The Russians advertised on Facebook and other media outlets. For this, they were paid somehow. Mr. Obama is still meeting with world leaders. Besides embarrassing this country, somebody is paying him and all expenses.
These are all examples of business. I read somewhere that it is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than it is for a businessman to enter heaven. Does this mean that no businessman will ever enter heaven? Well, I don’t know, as I’m not in charge of that.
Mr. Trump is a businessman, and we all knew it. The people went ahead and elected him for a number of reasons, though:
1. He had his own money so he wouldn’t owe anyone if elected.
2. He promised to turn this country around.
3. He could maybe find a way to FIRE Congress.
4. He had his faults, but the other candidate was way, way worse.
5. He stood up to his own party, which was a good sign.
6. He said he would renegotiate the agreements Obama made.
7. His stand on immigration and the need for a wall.
8. Perhaps he could run this country like a business.
When the people elected him, they threw him into shark-infested waters. He wasn’t a seasoned swimmer in that pool, but he’s getting there. Although he’s outnumbered and being attacked from all sides, he is still trying to accomplish what he said he would do. It’s kind of refreshing to finally have an elected official who is doing or trying to do what he promised to do while he was campaigning. He has his personal faults that are sometimes hard to ignore, but everyone has some somewhere.
I believe so far he has held his own with the sharks and is really trying. I’d vote for him again tomorrow!
Joe Couball is a resident of Alma and was an active Marine from 1967-70. To participate in the Times Record’s Community Matters series, email Executive Editor Mardi Taylor, mtaylor@swtimes.com.