President Trump’s administration is a gift that keeps on giving — for the second year in a row, the President’s policies have improved the lives of millions of American families.
Despite inheriting a stagnant economy, Donald Trump’s policies have brought unemployment to historic lows and stimulated the strongest GDP growth in over a decade. His determination to fulfill his campaign promises and stay true to his America First vision paid off big in 2018, giving all of us a reason to celebrate.
Here are five gifts that President Trump has given us this year:
1. A thriving economy
President Trump’s first year in office was characterized by a strong economic resurgence, and things only got better during his second year in charge.
Fueled by the President’s middle class tax cuts, the economy began growing at an even faster rate in 2018, with the country’s GDP projected to expand by more than 3 percent this year for the first time since before the Great Recession.
Likewise, President Trump’s policies have had a profound effect on the labor market, resulting in an unemployment rate that has hovered well below four percent for the last five months. The demand for workers is so strong, in fact, that it’s leading to the first significant wage increases in years.
2. Trade policies that protect American workers
In 2018, President Trump also delivered on his pledge to implement aggressive trade policies that put American interests first.
After months of negotiations, the President successfully replaced NAFTA with a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico that protects our workers and our intellectual property.
Likewise, President Trump is standing up to Chinese trade manipulation by imposing targeted counter-tariffs — a strategy that has already forced Beijing to lower its tariffs on American-made cars.
3. Prison reform
The President has also addressed the needs of distressed communities by leading the push for meaningful prison reform legislation.
The Senate just passed the FIRST STEP Act — a reform package designed to address excessive punishments for nonviolent offenders. Job-training programs created by this legislation, for instance, will better prepare inmates for life after prison, and an improved risk-evaluation system will ensure that dangerous criminals stay behind bars while enabling inmates with a low likelihood of re-offending to complete part of their sentences in non-prison facilities.
4. Improved border security
President Trump has been a steadfast champion of border security this year, backing our immigration agencies amid growing criticism from the Democrats and the mainstream media.
In March, the President secured $1.6 billion for the border wall — an important step toward fulfilling his promise to fix the problem of rampant illegal immigration. Likewise, President Trump successfully persuaded Mexico to delay the caravan of illegal immigrants heading for our border and gave the Border Patrol additional manpower to deal with the security threat posed by the thousands of caravaners seeking to illegally enter the country.
5. Solutions to the opioid crisis
In addition to thwarting the illicit drug trade at the border, President Trump spearheaded multiple initiatives to combat the opioid crisis that’s devastating American communities.
Besides securing $6 billion in new funding to fight opioid abuse, the Trump administration has also set up education, awareness, and prevention programs targeting the causes of the epidemic, and established a plan to reduce the over-prescription of opioids over the next three years.
Thanks to President Trump, life for the vast majority of Americans has improved measurably throughout this year. In just under two years, the President fixed our economy, secured our borders, reformed our prisons, tackled the opioid crisis, and negotiated a fair deal for American workers on trade.
And with President Trump’s fearless leadership, the gifts that Americans have enjoyed this year will keep on giving for years to come.
________________________________________________________________________
Charlie Kirk is the Founder and Executive Director of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets, and limited government.
* * * *
Do you like Alpha News? Help us reach our year-end goals by donating today.
