Addressing more than 7,500 graduates at the University of Maryland, former Vice President Al Gore implored graduates to “reclaim the integrity of American democracy” by turning out to vote. UM President Wallace Loh echoed his sentiment, adding that “the heart and soul of our democracy is being challenged.”
The Trump administration is an easy, albeit cliche target for liberal commencement speakers desperately seeking the applause and approval of young, indoctrinated students. President Trump represents everything that leftist academics deplore — American sovereignty, rule of law, limited government, respect for the sanctity of life, etc. — but has the Trump administration truly threatened democracy?
The painstakingly slow special counsel Robert Mueller investigation has failed thus far to prove any potential obstruction of justice or collusion with Russia in the 2016 election, so where are Gore and Loh basing their claims?
Trump is bringing government back to the people, just as he promised in his inaugural address. Rather than depending on the media, he has effectively used Twitter to speak directly to Americans.
The Trump administration has worked tirelessly to protect America’s sovereignty through his America First agenda, and this sovereignty is key to American democracy. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley has resisted multiple attempts to be bullied by the U.N.
Despite the pleas of our cowardly European allies, Trump withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran deal, and stood firmly behind our only democratic ally in the Middle East — Israel — by recognizing its one and only true capital, Jerusalem. He has turned the tables on the rogue nation of North Korea, forcing them to come to the table for the first time ever. He pulled the United States from the Paris climate accord, an international agreement that would have been a disaster for the economy.
Most important to our nation’s sovereignty, the Trump administration has taken action to secure the border and initiate policies to more effectively vet those who come to this country. Furthermore, he has worked to restore rule of law by taking sanctuary cities head-on.
As we saw with his prison reform forum, Trump is willing to reach across the table to those who hate him (like CNN’s Van Jones) and build common ground on important issues by giving them a voice.
This is the heart and soul of democracy.
Meanwhile, the Left has chipped away at democracy by isolating its opponents and spewing false information. Antifa activists have sought to instill fear in their pro-Trump opponents through violent tactics. College professors have mocked and vilified conservatives in the classrooms, while their counterparts in the administrative office have squelched conservative speakers on campus. On a broader scale, the mainstream media’s dissemination of fake news makes people ignorant, undermining the foundation of democracy.
Walter Cronkite once said, “Journalism is what we need to make democracy work.”
Unfortunately, journalism has all but died in favor of fake news.
Perhaps Gore and Loh should take a closer look at these ominous threats to democracy before levying such harsh accusations against Trump.
