The second night of the Republican National Convention featured several speakers few had heard of before tonight: Jason Joyce, a lobster fisherman from Maine; Cris Peterson, a dairy farmer in Wisconsin; John Peterson, the owner of a metal fabrication business from Wisconsin; and more.
These are ordinary people who have worked for what they’ve built, often underappreciated but important nonetheless. They perform vital services that many of us take for granted, and the RNC gave them a much-needed voice.
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To his credit, President Trump promised in 2016 that he would do just that. Even so, Joyce and John Peterson admitted that they were skeptical of Trump four years ago. But his economic policies and his administration’s efforts to deregulate certain industries proved that he does value blue-collar workers, Joyce asserted.
John Peterson agreed: “When I hear that Joe Biden is ready to raise taxes, crush us with regulations, and weaken our international trade position, I shudder. We simply cannot do that again. Business can’t endure a Biden-induced recession. Some will struggle, some will not survive. And that means the working men and women of America will get crushed yet again.”
Not every blue-collar worker will agree with Joyce’s and John Peterson’s assessment of Trump’s policies. But it is important that the Republican Party gave these men and women a platform, and it is even more important that they advocated the policies Trump’s administration implemented. Blue-collar workers are currently leaning toward Biden, according to recent polls. But tonight’s testimonies are a reminder that policy matters much more than rhetoric — and Trump has the policy to back it up.
