Tim Newark
idea of a secure barrier along the border is not new. Democratic senators Obama, Clinton and Schumer all voted in support of the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which included strengthening barriers, checkpoints and deploying technology to curb illegal immigration. A third of this secured border has already been constructed.
When it came to his attempted ban on refugees travelling to the USA from seven mainly Muslim countries, it faced many legal challenges but it was not the first time that legislation had been used to protect the country’s security. President Obama signed off on the Terrorist Travel Prevention Act in 2015 which restricted travellers from what were then termed “countries of concern” in the Middle East.
Trump is a World Wrestling Entertainment fan and was inspired to enter politics by wrestling star Jesse Ventura, who became governor of Minnesota from 1999 as a member of the independent Reform Party. Trump considered joining him as a candidate but could see no real countrywide success for the movement, preferring to stick with one of the main parties. For a long time he’d been a supporter of the Democratic Party. When asked in 2015 he preferred president Clinton over the two Bushes.
So if Trump is carrying on the work of previous US administrations, albeit with more vigour, and is in many ways a New York Democrat at heart, why does he continue to infuriate and upset?
Undoubtedly it is his style of communication. He talks and thinks like his core voters. He was once asked: “What is this ‘White Trash?’” Trump said: “They’re people just like me, only they’re poor.” His taste for fast food confirms this. He speaks as though he’s on a building site.
As the Democrats have become the party of the wealthy elite, it views him with undiluted snobbery. How could he allow less well-educated people to have political control? This has been amplified by the mainstream media, which is acting as a more effective opposition party, setting the agenda for liberal politicians to follow in their assault on Trump.
Rather than sucking up to the media he has further outraged them by communicating directly to the American people via Twitter.
PERSONALLY I wish Mr Trump would act with a little more dignity and not snap back at every criticism. I think people would have more time for his agenda if he acted with more grace. But then I have to remind myself that this is exactly the disruptive style so many fed-up voters wanted from the next resident of the White House.
Pioneering punk John Lydon put it very well. “One journalist once said to me, ‘Is he the political Sex Pistol?’ In a way.” He then went on to say: “There are many, many problems with him as a human being but he’s not [a racist] and there just might be a chance something good will come out of that situation because he terrifies politicians. This is a joy to behold for me.”
As a working class boy who backed Brexit I think he’s got it right and that’s why I still like old punk records – and won’t be getting any banners out when Trump does visit the UK.
‘After his first year, is he really that bad?’
From Apprentice To President: Donald Trump, One Year On, published by the British Library on January 26 2018