Donald Trump has been elected to be the next President of the United States of America!  Some are ecstatic about that; some are deeply saddened.   While America, by the observation of most, is deeply divided, we have to ask ourselves, has there ever been an election where everybody was happy with the outcome?  Not in my lifetime.

This blog is not about politics, not about Democrats or Republicans, and certainly not a rehash of the charges and counter-charges we have all heard ad nauseam for nearly the past two years. The people have spoken, the process has worked, and we have a new President that we should all pray succeeds in delivering what he has promised.

What I will attempt to do briefly and dispassionately is take a look at what I now believe is the primary mission of America and its new President: Making America Great Again!

Job 1 for Mr. Trump will be restoring America’s prosperity, dominance and leadership in the world.  Donald Trump is the first “Citizen President” in our nation.  He did not come from the Military or the Political System, as all other presidents have.  He is not a polished speaker or statesman; he says what he thinks and believes; and while that is refreshing to some, it is deeply disturbing to others.  Never has there been a more unique man to hold the highest office in the land.  But Donald Trump is a winner, and we can all agree that it’s time for America to start winning again.

The people elected him because he has said he will protect us; he will build back our depleted military; he will fashion a Supreme Court that will interpret our Constitution and not create  a new one from the bench; he will guard our borders; he will bring back strength and respect for our flag abroad to both our allies and enemies; he will reduce our national debt; but most of all, Donald Trump has said he will bring back jobs, prosperity, and opportunity to America free of interference and hindrance from our own government.

I believe Donald Trump was elected above all else for his business acumen and his proven success and understanding of what creates prosperity and profit.  He is our first billionaire President, and if anyone thinks it’s easy to become a billionaire – even when you come from a life of privilege – I challenge them to try it!  This guy has built a great worldwide business, but can he rebuild a nation with the constraint of being an outsider in Washington where he can’t simply get what he wants by saying those magic words, “You’re fired!”?

Let’s take a look at the challenge before him. I start with the premise that as Americans we are a good and free nation with the right and privilege to choose our own destiny and future.  That is actually unique in the history of the world.   We are a blessed nation; I think Donald Trump understands and appreciates that fact far more than his critics would acknowledge.   I believe Donald Trump brings know-how, background, negotiation and persuasion skills, and business knowledge that has never before been resident at the White House.  Is that enough?

This is what Donald Trump has promised he will do to restore and boost our economy, in no particular order:

1. Rebuild our infrastructure.  America’s bridges, highways, sewers, dams, and electrical grid are in great need of repair and replacement.  A massive infrastructure repair could in and of itself create millions of jobs.
2. Restore law and order and bring back respect for the men and women in blue.  Many Americans are fed up with what they see as lawlessness and rampant disrespect for America’s finest who risk their lives daily to protect all citizens.  We could use more police officers with better training and equipment, and, again, this could create jobs and prosperity.
3. Bring back manufacturing jobs that have left our borders.  Trump has said he will revitalize manufacturing in the Rust Belt, get the EPA off the backs of coal miners and manufacturers, and bring back jobs that left because of exorbitant taxes and regulations that made the USA unfriendly and unprofitable for businesses large and small.
4. Withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to make them more equitable for American companies and more advantageous for American workers.  There have been over 70,000 plant closings since President Clinton signed NAFTA into law and over 4 million jobs lost.
5. Impose tariffs on goods made in China and Mexico.
6. Full repeal of Obamacare and replace it with a market-based alternative.  By and large businesses find Obamacare expensive and onerous, and most Americans don’t like it either.
7. Renegotiate the “Iran Deal.”  This could save the taxpayers millions or perhaps billions of dollars.
8. Leave Social Security as is.  Trump realizes that most Americans like Social Security and it should be left alone.  Trump has opposed members of his own party who believe all entitlements, including social security, should be cut.
9. Tax cuts.  Under the Trump Tax Plan, there would be three tax brackets, down from the current seven, and repealing the head-of-household tax-filing category.  The standard deduction would be $30,000 for married couples filing jointly (up from $12,600 currently) and $15,000 for single individuals (up from $6300).  Business owners would benefit from tax cuts and be encouraged to reinvest the savings back into their businesses, thereby creating jobs and prosperity.
10. Reduce Government Regulation & Red Tape.  According to some, this could save taxpayers $600-$800 billion over time.   Nothing irritates or discourages businesses  (both large & small) more than over-reaching government regulators.

There are many other proposals and representations by the next man in the Oval Office, but the above is a short-list that should be of interest to most entrepreneurs and small-business owners.  So with a Republican President, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House of Representatives, it should be a snap to get things done in Washington during the Trump administration, right?  Wrong!

President Trump will not only face opposition from Democrats, but much of his own party is not decidedly on his side.  He has threatened the lobbying, corruption and insider deal-making that runs Washington with his outsider attitudes and views, and he will likely face great opposition from both parties as well as the liberal media.  The greatest allies President Trump will have is if the American people stand behind him and vote against those who oppose his economic agenda when they run for office.  That’s the only way these good old boys (and girls) are going to fall in line and do what is truly in the best interest of all Americans to restore our great country.

President Trump will serve with a $1 a year salary, he cannot be bought, he does not care what people think or say about him, and I believe if he can’t turn our economy around in time with the majority of his own party in power, then no one can.  But at the end of the day, it is not only the President who must work tirelessly to restore America to greatness, but every man, woman and child in this country who believes America is worth saving.  I will be on the air every week on my weekly radio show, Makin-It, for the next 4 years doing my part to root on America and save the American Dream for the next generation.  So what great thing will you do?

No matter WHAT your political beliefs are, I think at the end of the day, we are all chasing some similar ideal of the American Dream!

As always, thanks for listening, and God Bless the United States of America!