Thus revealed, the creature buried its nose in the tire-tilled soil...
January 9, 2019
The president needs better speechwriters.
Category: Current Events … Serious

So... any thoughts on Trump's address last night? For my part, I found it highly discouraging -- not just because Trump is Trump, but also because he apparently doesn't have competent writers behind him. I honestly wish I'd had a chance to look it over and better organize and support his talking points; I feel like I could've helped him make a more compelling case for his wall without the faulty sensational appeals and the needless and sometimes false attacks on Democrats. Like, insofar as border patrol agents really are convinced a wall would aid their efforts, that's a great point -- I'd probably have stressed that more heavily. Honestly, insofar as it's true (in which case Trump should put more effort into convincing us that it is), it's arguably the only point Trump really needs to build an effective argument for his wall.

Instead, Trump went on about human trafficking and sexual assault that happens to people en route to the wall -- but even if the wall was largely effective in keeping people out, it wouldn't do anything to combat those crimes unless it proved especially effective as a deterrent, nor would it do anything to improve the conditions in those people's home countries that would compel them to brave those risks in the first place. He played up the violent crimes committed by a handful of undocumented immigrants -- which obviously doesn't justify viewing all such individuals as violent criminals (unless one is applying a racist's logic to the issue). He made other claims easily debunked by both the Democrats and fact checkers who spoke immediately following his address.

Granted, what I find compelling is clearly different from what the general American public finds compelling, but I feel like our president's address last night was pitiful by any standard.

(I will add that, while I found the Democratic response more persuasive, I also found fault with it. There as well, a less partisan eye might have been helpful; I felt they could have effectively made their case without the swipes at Trump. I definitely do think Trump needs to be criticized, but I don't think an address meant to appeal to all Americans -- including Trump's supporters -- is necessarily the place for it.)

-posted by Wes | 2:52 pm | Comments (0)
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