‘The business of America is business’

New presidential terms bring lots of speculation, analysis, discussion and, of course, criticism about how they perform out-of-the-gate. Will policies reflect the campaign hype? Will promises get fulfilled? If you’re anything like me and have seen more than a few presidents come and go, you’re probably pretty cynical. But as each day’s passed since Jan. 20, I’m amazed.  

America’s finally gotten a guy doing as he said. Back in 1961, radio broadcaster George Sokolsky said, “(these)… are any president’s grand opportunity to create the atmosphere for himself to establish leadership.”  Twenty years later in April 1981, the late newsman Roger Mudd aired a documentary on NBC when Ronald Reagan was president, titled “Reagan: The First 100 Days,” where he called the then president’s time, “… a period unlike any other in almost 50 years.” 

In other words, setting those 14.2 weeks as a historical marker for the president’s legacy. I think it’s  a safe bet  “the Gipper” definitely left a legacy. So much, that some conservatives wear the moniker “Reagan Republican” today as a political badge of honor. But I think “the Donald” has him beat by a mile, and he’s possibly left Reagan in the historical dust. 

Trump’s first “first 100 days” starting back in January 2017, was just an appetizer for this second term. He set the tone for his leadership then. But it’s unquestionable today he’s charged the atmosphere with his vision and energy to see it gets done. He’s a leader in the true sense of not only his cabinet, staff and Republican party, but conservative voters and the MAGA movement. It harkens me back to genuine leaders I admired serving with in the Navy. Sadly even there they were too few and far between, but when one came along it was evident — and rarely subtle. It’s a hard admission for me to grant a politician a leader’s mantle. As you regular readers know, I object to us giving elected servants that title — or the power and control it implies — over us. I like my politicians knowing they operate in their wheelhouse at our pleasure, but we command the ship. But sometimes someone comes along possessing qualities needed to actually lead and they can’t be denied or ignored. We got one with Donald J. Trump. 

“Shock and awe” is what Sen. John Barrasso predicted for President Trump’s second term when candidate Trump threw down with his one-two punches promising what he would do on “Day One,” let alone the first 100. And sure as hell we got a little political reality TV just moments after he swore his oath, and inaugural parties were swirling around D.C. Because there sat Trump on stage at the Capital One Arena with cameras rolling and reporters agog signing one executive order after the other. That was just the beginning. Today we’re on Day 75. What’s been done is mind-boggling. The man told us what he was going to do and he’s doing it. Is it all done? No. But what’s not been done is being worked on. 

There’s so much accomplished it’s almost too much to relate, but here are a few.

• Our borders are now actually secure and cities safer. Between  Jan 20 and March 19, ICE and CBP made 113,000 arrests and carried out more than 100,000 deportations. The contract to continue building the southern border fence has been signed and seven more miles have been started in Hidalgo County, Texas.

• Illegals crossing the Mexican border fell in March, hitting a record low — border agents saw just 7,000 crossers — down 94 percent from 137,000 invaders who poured across the border last March. This follows February, when 8,300 illegals was the lowest number in more than 25 years. I’d say Trump’s  keeping his promise to boot illegals, gangbangers, and terrorists from the United States, all in the face of Leftist judges sticking their noses in where they don’t belong.

• On April 3, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sent teams to Washington for talks with Trump’s administration as ceasefire negotiations for the war in Ukraine are underway. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy, met with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. Yeah, it’s still not over, but it’s a lot closer to done than Biden ever would’ve gotten it. 

• The same day, the president declared “Liberation Day” from the White House Rose Garden and outlined his tariff policies, why he’s taking action and what he sees they’ll do for our trade and economy. Lefties and swamp rats are deriding the idea and fear-mongering our destruction. Well, I think they’re wrong and it’s overdue. Washington’s filling up with foreign trade negotiators as we speak. Hell, the tactic alone has already led to billions of dollars in investment (and the manufacturing growth that will come with it). Here are a few: Johnson & Johnson, $55 billion over the next 5 years. A 25 percent increase over the past four years under Biden, and they’ve already broken ground for a new 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in North Carolina; SoftBank with a $100 million four-year investment promising 100,000 related jobs for AI technologies; and the United Arab Emirates has committed to a 10-year $1.4B deal for semiconductors, energy and U.S. manufacturing. 

More include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. with another $100B and put operations in our country to avoid tariffs. How about Apple’s $500B and Nvidia putting hundreds of billions and facilities here? There’s plenty more in the high-tech industry and every other business. All of it means  lower costs and jobs, folks, American jobs. And, again, no, it won’t happen overnight, and maybe we might have some short-term pain. I’m betting we’ll be winners not long from now. Because when it comes, it’ll be like manna from Heaven.

Last week I wrote… again… about the importance of elected people in government having a philosophy, and our knowing what that is, and how it ties to our decision to vote for or reject them. But of course that’s only my opinion.  We all know Trump comes from the business world and until 2016 he wasn’t a political figure. I think that formed his philosophy for leadership. And I think business and military thinking are similar, and where I formed my own ideas of leadership. Because he built the Trump Organization, where he had responsibility for turning his personal vision (mission) into what he believed it should be and sharing that vision with others and developing its “corporate philosophy” and ensuring its strategy, culture and operations led to successful outcomes and prosperity. 

Calvin Coolidge, our 30th president, once said, “The business of America is business.” Six words I think captured the essence and spirit of America’s economy and the energy of capitalism. I think this reflects the role business, industry and manufacturing — and business leaders (like Trump) — have played in our society. It drives and fosters innovation, economic growth, opportunity and wealth. 

But I also think there’s a tie between material wealth and our spiritual well-being as people and citizens, and our confidence in ourselves and our security. You can’t have a strong Army if you’re broke. You can’t build a world-class Navy by panhandling spare change. There’s no safety without rule of law and a Constitution that protects us and sovereign borders. You can’t have a social safety net for the deserving  poor and retired with fraud and waste. It takes action, determination, a plan and a vision, a vision something like Make America Great Again. 

I say that’s real leadership, thank God. We needed it.

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Robin “Buck” Torske of Jones County is a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer and  conservative activist, currently pursued by the Thought Police. Email him 

at bosn11@outlook.com.