PART I – The professional political class continue to say candidate Donald J Trump is not conservative enough on his positions. Various voices proclaim ownership of some arbitrary defining litmus test – that apparently moves depending on the definition of the person making the proclamation.

… so let’s cut through the BS and take a look at the issues.

♦ On Immigration – Donald Trump is the originator of the entire immigration debate platform. His position is outlined HERE, and is the ONLY candidate who proposed to build a wall, deport those who are here illegally, and use existing law to ensure enforcement mechanisms are deployed to stop illegal influx.

Including a critical proposal to use federal banking and money services regulations (wire transfer rules to Mexico) to aid in creating an incentive to become compliant with immigration law.

Trump has proposed removing executive restrictions on deportation through ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers, allowing immediate deportation for undocumented illegal aliens. The media call this “the deportation force”.

In addition, candidate Trump has proposed an end to the concept of “birthright citizenship” or “anchor babies”, which has never been adjudicated as a valid method for attaining citizenship and most legal minds believe is nonsense. Candidate Ted Cruz believes “anchor babies” are U.S. citizens at birth.

No-one is more “conservative” on Immigration than Donald J Trump.

♦ On Second Amendment – Donald Trump has proposed the end of “gun free zones” on military bases and federal properties, allowing the individual states to determine where citizens are allowed to carry firearms. Full Policy Outline HERE.

In addition, Trump has proposed that all states observe reciprocity with regard to concealed carry permits. Meaning anyone can travel anywhere in the country using their concealed carry permit from their home state. Essentially the same reciprocal arrangement and consideration that applies to drivers licensees.

No-one is more “conservative” on Second Amendment Rights.

♦ On Taxes – Donald Trump has a fully outlined tax policy available HERE. Which includes provisions to stop corporate inversion and return U.S. corporate monetary assets to the U.S. without penalty.

Additionally, the tax rates are substantially reformed and streamlined where income tax payments do not begin until the wage earner surpasses $50,000 in annual income. Trump is also proposing that Wall Street Hedge Fund operators cannot use capital gains rates to avoid their income tax bracket which would insure that very wealthy individuals cannot use loopholes and multiple accounting gimmicks to remove their own tax liability.

The Trump Tax proposal is a populist approach to improving the “middle class” wage earner, and providing upward mobility. However, it is also one small part of a larger economic plan that unleashes economic growth.

♦ On Trade – Candidate Trump folds the Tax Proposal into a more broad America-First economic policy through renegotiated trade deals. The policy on China Trade specifically is available HERE.

Candidate Trump is against the Obama negotiated Trans-Pacific Trade Deal which has the blessing of congress (thanks to Ted Cruz and Trade Promotion Authority) and approvals of Wall Street and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (crony capitalists).

Candidate Trump was the first to stand against TPP and also boldly propose that the 20-year-old NAFTA (North American Free Trade Alliance) trade treaties should be renegotiated to insure the Mexican trade economy is not longer able to skirt manufacturing rules and create outsourced jobs and manufacturing from the U.S.

The Trump platform on trade is “fair deals, and fair markets” that benefit U.S. jobs and the U.S. economy, not just one-way free market arrangements.

No-One is more “conservative” on U.S. Jobs, Trade or the U.S. economy.

♦ On Energy Policy – Candidate Trump supports the Keystone oil Pipeline a collaborative effort between the U.S. and Canada. In addition Trump supports broad U.S. energy resource development to include execution of, and development of, U.S. Oil Leases in all regions of fossil fuel development.

Trump has proposed continued investment and exploration of “clean coal” technology using the vast coal mine resources in the Appalachian Range throughout West Virginia and into Pennsylvania. Trump has proposed energy export leverage (oil, coal, natural gas) as part of the larger Trade-deal packages.

The U.S. can negotiate a resurgence of U.S. manufacturing with lower fully developed energy costs, a competitive advantage; and simultaneously our abundant resources in energy fuels also provide trade leverage (standards and tariffs) through energy export.

With a fully utilized energy sector, the U.S. can also use the accompanying economic growth to invest in alternative resource development such as nuclear, solar and wind. The costs of alternative fuel research and development become underwritten by the expansive use of current resources.

No-one is more “conservative” and smart on fully developed energy use.

♦ On Education – Candidate Trump has clearly stated his opposition to Federal Common Core programs which mandate education policy from bureaucrats in Washington DC. Trump does not believe in federal control of eduction and has clearly and succinctly stated that educational standards should be developed, and carried out, by those closest to the schools, parents and teachers.

Trump does not, and will not, support programs like “race to the top” (Obama), or “no child left behind (G.W. Bush). Instead he prefers decisions regarding standards be made by individual states and local communities.

Candidate Trump, unlike Jeb Bush, would not support withholding funds from states, as blackmail to insure common core is used.

♦ On Military – Candidate Donald Trump has proposed a similar Reagan-era approach toward rebuilding the U.S. Military apparatus as a professional fighting force. Throughout Trump’s campaign he has highlighted his intention to strengthen the U.S. modern military assets and build a comprehensive modern-era military.

However, candidate Trump views the U.S. military as a national force, and nation’s military, and runs counter to modern military industrial complex (neo-con) approach by eliminating military “outsourcing” or contractors (ex Blackwater).

Trump believes the collaborative private/government sector military partnership should be limited to the modernization of equipment and material (research and development), and never the deployment of soldiers or U.S. fighting forces.

Trump has expressed that American sons and daughters who serve in the military should be commanded by the best military and civilian leadership possible. However, our soldiers should never be deployed through the use of private contractors who operate within a grey area, and whose objectives can become detached and end up serving their own best interests.

Candidate Donald Trump is nationally loyal to U.S. interests and extraordinarily “conservative” with reverence, to the traditions of the U.S. military. (Reagan approach)

On Foreign Policy – Donald J Trump is neither an “isolationist” nor an “interventionist”. Instead, as Trump has outlined numerous times, our approach to foreign affairs should always be through the prism of U.S. interests first and foremost.

Lead when prudent, support when needed.

Two Current Examples include:

• Syria – Monitor closely, but allow Russia to fight ISIS in Syria to the extent their interests do not conflict with our own. Build an international coalition to make a geographic “safe zone” within Syria where allied forces can protect Syrian refugees on the ground from any ISIS attacks – open direct lines of communication with Bashir Assad and negotiate with Vladimir Putin to use Russia’s military deployment and insure a stable transitional government for the people of Syria.

• Ukraine – Monitor closely, support Germany and European allies in their efforts to work through the conflict with Russia and Ukraine. Any “coalition development or intervention” must come from Germany as lead, with our support. Germany is the regional economic powerhouse and nation dependent on Russian energy use.

Our actions within the global community should be well known, well defined, exceptionally forthright, direct, strong and unequivocal. The American people should know what we are doing internationally, why we are doing it, and be able to see what value there is in our endeavors. It is important to return to an era of clarity.

While Donald Trump’s foreign policy approach might not make the interventionist crowd (Neo-cons) happy, it will also not make the isolationist crowd (libertarians) happy. The influence of the U.S. is only as strong as our ability to have our own national house in order.

After years of poor investment in U.S. infrastructure, lack of expansive economic development, burdensome regulations and trade/manufacturing deals antithetical to the U.S. middle class – Trumps proposals to look inward, put America first, and spend time polishing the lens on the ‘beacon of freedom’, are prudent, necessary and wise.

Simply, lets…

“Make America Great Again !”

If that’s not conservative enough for you, I honestly don’t know what could be.