Note the Fucking Differences!

As the suited assholes lined up to touch Trump on his way out the chamber door, many Republican men praised his speech as “Reaganesque” and the “best speech in 30 years.” To put their zero-term memories into nth perspective, I watched Dutch’s first Joint Sessions speech to Congress on February 18, 1981 before I went to bed. He was very specific: “I am proposing a comprehensive four-point program. Now, let me outline in detail some of the principal parts of this program. You'll each be provided with a completely detailed copy of the entire program.” He even endeavored to fix what he saw as broken with actual plans: “And I'm asking that you join me in reducing direct Federal spending by $41.4 billion in fiscal year 1982, and this goes along with another $7.7 billion in user fees and off-budget savings for a total of $49.1 billion. And this will still allow an increase of $40.8 billion over 1981 spending.” His entire speech is riddled with statistics, ideas, strategies, figures, and approaches. He conveyed the “frustrations” of many Americans, sought to ease them, and offered actual, concrete ways to solve the issues (as he saw them). Sure, the outcome of this speech coincided with Reagan's social agenda (which was a disaster on almost every level…), but he had propositions -- whether they were actually effective or, unfortunately, destructive -- and detailed implementations. From his discussion on the Trade Adjustment Assistance program to his very conservative commentary on the Department of Energy, cuts, cuts, decreased taxes, economic recovery plans, cuts, and more cuts were his means to resolutions and solutions. [Shudder.] Again and again, he offered ways to tackle everything he proposed. In fact, his speech is staggeringly adept (considering his political bent), noble, earnest, and maybe even honest. Maybe actually, really honest, in comparison! Trump is no Reagan. His was not a “Reaganesque” address. Populist ideas rained on the Joint Session last night, but nary a way to implement any of them. Stop comparing Trump to Reagan! The Gipper was, at times, terribly flawed, but [and I really, truly believe what I’m about to write] he was a legit leader, knowledgeable (at least, at first), serious (with a stand up's repertoire of one-liners), charismatically hypnotic (how did I not get swayed?), and the “Real Deal" (whether you liked him or not). Note the fucking differences!