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By Scott Tibbs, August 13, 2018
Here is a hidden truth about the Trump Administration, which has been evident since January 2017: Trump's policies have been pretty standard, boilerplate Republican policies. There have been a few hiccups here and there, but on policy Trump has not been much different than Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or Jeb Bush would have been. The big difference with Trump is that he is an entertainer and is used to being able to shoot his mouth off whenever he wants.
In other words, we are not facing a radically new situation that will result in the destruction of these United States. Freaking out every time Trump does something does not help his opponents. It may galvanize the Democratic Party base, but it does not convince moderates and certainly will not convert any Trump supporters. In reality, things are going pretty well. We have a great health care system, the economy is growing, and we have lived in relative peace for 70 years.
On the other side of the same coin, Hillary Clinton would not have destroyed this country. Yes, she would have been harmful, and would have gone after gun rights, free speech and freedom of religion. But our nation survived eight years of Barack Obama's radical regime. We survived eight years of Hillary's husband, coming out of that time with a strong nation. Clinton did some damage, to be sure, but nothing that would end the nation. A nation that survived Obama would certainly have survived four or eight years of Mrs. Clinton.
This is because we have a remarkably stable country, and because the electorate is pretty evenly divided with a wide swath of moderates that contains the worst extremes. We have perhaps the most well-designed system of government in world history, which has maintained stability though incredibly volatile times - including a war that nearly split the nation in two. The people who were determined that 2016 was a "Flight 93 election" have remarkably little faith in this nation, our system of government, our constitution, and the strength of the American people.
This is why all of the hysteria surrounding Trump - and the hysteria surrounding Mrs. Clinton two years ago - is so detached from reality. It is also very harmful. By keeping people on edge all the time with apocalyptic doom and gloom, we make people feel like radical action is necessary to "save" the country. This irresponsible hysteria is promoted by both the Left and Right. The apocalyptic rhetoric is what is driving violent confrontations, and what could actually get much more bloody despite the remarkable stability and prosperity we enjoy as a nation!
Chillax, people. Obviously we have some serious problems, especially the crushing national debt. But it is not nearly as bad as the pundits on either side would have you believe.
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