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Despite being encumbered with a fraudulent two-year investigation of election-rigging with the Russians, followed by a totally spurious impeachment carnival (in which Trump was accused of unimpeachable acts for which there was no evidence anyway), Trump has had, up to the current pandemic, the most successful first term in the country’s history with the possible exceptions of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Richard Nixon. He has delivered on his promises of tax cuts, deregulation, drastic reduction of illegal immigration, better trade arrangements, constitutionalist federal judges, renovation of the military, the smashing of ISIL, revival of nuclear non-proliferation in respect of Iran and North Korea (which had swindled his predecessors), elimination of unemployment and net oil imports, reduction of poverty and violent crime and expansion of manufacturing and of the workforce. Trump has effectively, if histrionically at times, managed the public health crisis and produced an economic assistance package that will provide a swift restoration of pre-coronavirus prosperity. His punch-drunk Democratic opponents, to avoid the nomination of a raving Marxist, have had to elevate a spavined wheel-horse and they are heading for the last round-up.

Trump has had, up to the current pandemic, the most successful first term in the country’s history. Conrad Black

Trump’s domestic enemies have the excuse of resenting Trump’s bone-crushing defeat of them. We have no excuse in Canada for not recognizing the resurrection of American strength. Trump’s grievance was not with Canada, but Mexico, for enticing away American factories, exporting back into the U.S., incentivizing the non-repatriation of American corporate profits from Mexico and facilitating the illegal entry into the U.S. of up to a million unskilled migrants a year. He has resolved all that. And I can assure John Ibbitson that Trump is staunchly loyal to his friends. His public personality is an acquired taste, or not, though his talents as a showman, which is always important in the U.S., are considerable. No one speaks of China’s impending elevation to primacy over America now. Canadians of all people should have noticed this, and contemplation of the Chinese alternative, especially after its shameful performance in the coronavirus crisis, is a sobering thought. In reviving America, Trump is carrying the whole of the West with him. Our failure to perceive that is more disappointing than our ingratitude.

Note: My comment on the Netherlands’ coronavirus policy here two weeks ago was obsolete. They became quite restrictive and are not proving very successful.

National Post

cmbletters@gmail.com

The spelling of Mika Brzezinski‘s name has been corrected.