A Daily Post reader (who is also a personal friend) wrote me on Sunday, asking if I was going to write about Donald Trump’s inauguration. He suggested that I might have an interesting perspective on the event… one worth sharing with our readers.
I replied that people of Pagosa Springs will have access — by the end of the day, on January 20 — to thousands of news and opinion articles written by talented journalists with various perspectives… reporting on and dissecting the inauguration, and in particular, Donald Trump’s Inaugural Address.
But most people will not be reading those articles. It’s generally people over the age of 50 who still read news articles about national politics. Most people will get their news from TV broadcasts, radio, social media, Google, Apple, YouTube…
… even Tik Tok, which disappeared briefly early Sunday morning, before posting a notice:
Thank you for your patience and support. As the result of President Trump’s efforts, Tik Tok is back in the U.S.
You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on Tik Tok.
Here are some links to various perspectives on the Inauguration that appeared on January 20, for those who don’t mind reading:
Yes, I could have watched the inauguration, and probably could have come up with a three-part editorial about the event, and about what we might expect during the upcoming Trump presidency.
But I heard President Trump’s Inaugural Address in January 2017, which included a set of exciting promises made to a expectant nation.
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 people…
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.
Unfortunately, President Trump didn’t fulfill these promises during his first term.
The billionaires got their tax cuts… and the rest of us?
Our industries did not come back. Our roads and highways are worse than ever. The federal minimum wages is still $7.25. Our annual international trade deficit increased during the Trump administration from $543 billion to $858 billion. Women lost the right to make crucial decisions about their own bodies. In some places, people can’t even choose which bathroom to use.
During the first Trump Presidency — according to the Congressional Budget Office — the richest Americans saw their wealth skyrocket to new heights…
…while many ordinary families saw their debt burden increase… especially, student debt, owed by our youngest adults, which surpassed $1.7 trillion during the final year of the Trump administration.
That’s “trillion” with a “t”.
But I understand our newly-sworn President has already saved Tik Tok, as one of his initial accomplishments.
That’s all I’m going to say for now, about the inauguration… which, as stated, I didn’t watch. I was, instead, communicating on Monday with Pagosa leaders about local issues. Water resources. Housing. Government budgets. PLPOA athletic facilities.
These are some issues of concern to our rural, tourist-friendly community. Important stuff — important to us, here in Pagosa Springs — that you won’t find covered by CNN or Fox News.
I appreciate our Daily Post columnists who are willing to address national issues — Gary Beatty, for example, and John Tures — and the folks who provide the Daily Post with news about Colorado — like Colorado Newsline, KFF Health News, Chalkbeat Colorado, and Big Pivots.
But my main goal, since starting the Daily Post in 2004, has been to share stories and opinions about our little mountain resort town, and about the leaders who put in the effort to lead us in what they believe is the right direction. (I often do not agree with the direction they’ve chosen, of course. But that’s what keeps things interesting.)
I’m sure I will make passing comments about the Trump administration over the next four years. And we’ll continue to sharing national and state news and opinions — occasionally, international news and opinions — as we go along.
But this is my hometown, and I’m going to stay focused on how we can make it a better place… in spite of the Washington politicians.