Ben Weingarten, 7 Glaring Omissions that kill The Mueller Report’s Credibility

While there is much within the Mueller report that suggests skepticism was well-founded, what is perhaps most probative is what the report omitted.

Robert Mueller’s special counsel was presented to the American public as unimpeachable. From its beginning, a distinct minority in politics and media, including several Federalist writers, were skeptical, citing the special counsel’s past prosecutorial abuses, the past alleged misconduct of its pivotal investigators, and the team’s peculiar partisan makeup.

Once in action, its seemingly limitless powers, heavy-handed usage of such powers, and more questionable if not dubious indictmentsfar removed from “collusion,” seemed to confirm our worst fears. While there is much within the Mueller report that further suggests this skepticism was well-founded, what is perhaps most probative is what the report omitted.

The following are seven of the most glaring omissions from the collusion section of the redacted Mueller report—since collusion, not obstruction, was the theory from which the investigation stemmed.

1. No Attempt to Grapple with the Investigation’s Troubling Underpinnings

Russiagate in many ways appears to be the fruit of a poisonous tree of epic proportions. Allegations of a treasonous Russian conspiracy led to beyond novel legal theories, including the ludicrous invocation of the Logan Act, pervasive unmasking, spying on a presidential campaign by a political adversary based in part on a salacious and unverified dossier gleaned from sketchy Russian sources by a foreign agent and paid for by an opposition campaign, chicanerous circularity in the warrants backing the spying, the use of informants to perhaps entrap campaign members, a deluge of leaks (some of which were illegal), and much else.

We can layer on top of these malevolent acts the biases, ethical infractions, outright criminality, and clear double standards applied by law enforcement figures common to the Trump-Russia and Hillary Clinton emails investigations.

The collusion section of the Mueller special counsel report barely addresses any of the foregoing. How could such an investigation have any credibility without dealing with any, if not all of these issues?

2. No Discussion of Whether the Special Counsel’s Appointment Was Legitimate

From the special counsel’s inception, former federal prosecutor Andrew C. McCarthy and others have harped on a single fundamental question: Was the special counsel appointed in accordance with Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations?

A special counsel must be appointed based on a criminal investigation. The Mueller special counsel stemmed from a counterintelligence investigation. A special counsel’s scope must be tailored to “a specific factual statement of the matter to be investigated.” The Mueller special counsel order did not seem to adhere to this standard, and in practice, its scope was virtually unlimited.

The Mueller report does not even attempt to address this basic challenge to its legitimacy. Nor does it deal with the arguable conflicts of interest and improper actions taken by those associated with its creation, including former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, former FBI director James Comey, and the man overseeing the special counsel, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein—who, as Sean Davis points out, was a participant, witness, and perhaps target of the investigation himself.

3. No Discussion of Special Counsel’s Perceived Bias

The appearance of conflict based upon the composition of the special counsel team is striking. To highlight the affiliations of just a few members: Andrew Weissmann attended Hillary Clinton’s election night 2016 party and cheered on Obama DOJ holdover and former acting attorney general Sally Yates’ defying of a directive from President Trump.

Jeannie Rhee represented Hillary Clinton in a lawsuit regarding her private emails, as well as the Clinton Foundation, and previously served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Obama administration. Aaron Zebley defended former Hillary Clinton staffer Justin Cooper, who installed her infamous private email server.

Democrats with deep ties to the administration under which the Russia investigations commenced, as well as Donald Trump’s presidential opponent, predominated in the special counsel’s office. Meanwhile, Mueller, as former FBI director, was a creature of the political establishment, and the institutions from which the investigations sprung. That his report does not grapple with any of the misconduct of the high-ranking individuals behind those investigations in and of itself raises questions.

One would think Mueller would have at least sought to create the appearance of neutrality among the investigators, especially given the anti-Trump biases exposed in the investigations preceding it. Yet Mueller did not, nor did he apparently feel it necessary to address this issue in his report. In fact, he fails even to discuss the circumstances surrounding the removal from his team of its most outspoken Trump hater known to the public, fired FBI agent Peter Strzok.

4. Skating Over the Papadopoulos Predicate for the Collusion Investigations

The Mueller report asserts that the investigation into collusion began when a foreign official (presumably unnamed former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer) told the FBI that Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos conveyed to him that the Russians had “dirt” on Hillary Clinton that could help the Trump campaign. There is not even an attempt to grapple with the theory that Papadopoulos was set up, based on sketchy approaches from U.S. government informants and foreign counterparts who seemed to be fishing for validation from Papadopoulos that he had knowledge about this Russian “dirt.”

The focus of Papadopoulos’ contacts is Joseph Mifsud, who is described as “a London-based professor who had connections to Russia…” The Mueller report omits that Mifsud, who made the original claim to Papadopoulos about Russian dirt that Papadopoulos then regurgitated, also had extensive ties to Western intelligence agencies.

Was Mifsud planting this information on Papadopoulos? On whose behalf? Meanwhile, such contacts seem an awfully thin starting point for such a critical investigation. Yet the Mueller report fails to give a thorough explanation for why Papadopoulos’ contacts justified the start of the Trump-Russia investigation.

5. Never Mentions Steele or His Dossier in the ‘Collusion’ Section

Amazingly, in spite of the centrality of former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele’s so-called dossier to former Trump campaign advisor Carter Page’s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant applications, and the dossier’s dissemination across the highest levels of the intelligence community and law enforcement, neither Steele nor his dossier are mentioned once in the collusion section of the Mueller report. Steele and his “reporting” solely appear in the obstruction section of the report, largely in passing.

The paucity of attention to Steele’s work—and its origin, how and to whom it was disseminated, and what role it played in the “collusion” investigation—smacks of an attempt to downplay its significance.

6. Excluding Relevant Information About Numerous Actors

It is simply stunning the level of exculpatory evidence or at least needed context the Mueller report omits. While Steele and his dossier merit their own section, here are several other significant examples:

  • Steele’s benefactor and Fusion GPS colleague, its founder Glenn Simpson, are never mentioned by name.
  • Relatedly, critical information about Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya is missing. In relevant passages about Veselnitskaya and the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower “bombshell” turned dud meeting she led, the Mueller special counsel fails to mention that Veselnitskaya (i) worked with Fusion GPS on behalf of Russian clients, and (ii) met with Simpson the morning of the Trump Tower meeting, as well as the night before and after it. Was the Trump Tower meeting, as journalist Lee Smith has hypothesized, a setup? The Mueller report omits the critical details that would underpin such a theory. Also unclear, and undisclosed, is why the Justice Department granted Veselnitskaya special entry to the United States multiple times in 2015 and 2016.
  • In discussing Page’s background, the Mueller report notes his contacts with Russian agents, who supposedly tried to recruit him as an asset, beginning in 2013. The report notes that those agents were charged by U.S. authorities in 2015. What the Mueller report omits is that Page effectively served as an FBI asset in helping the bureau make the case against at least one of the agents. Further, one of the agents charged described Page in a secret recording as an “idiot.” Are not these facts relevant when Page was put under FISA surveillance and treated as a traitor?
  • The Mueller report describes Felix Sater as a “New York-based real estate advisor” who worked with and lobbied disgraced former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen extensively in an effort to execute the Trump Tower Moscow project, touting its political benefits and the ability to garner support from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Not mentioned is Sater’s colorful background: The Soviet Union-born Sater spun a stock swindling conviction into a lengthy career as a major CIA, DIA, and FBI asset, participating in numerous critical operations. Was Sater planted in the Trump organization? While he disputes it, should not the special counsel have included this full background, and sought to remove all doubt?
  • The Mueller report ties former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort to Russia by way of his prior work for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Not mentioned: Deripaska had served as an asset to Mueller’s FBI dating back to 2009; he was sought out by senior DOJ official Bruce Ohr and FBI in 2015 to help on organized crime investigations; FBI agents reportedly floated the theory of Trump-Russia collusion to Deripaska two months before the 2016 election, which Deripaska dismissed out of hand. None of this was mentioned in the Mueller report. Why?
  • The Mueller report references Roger Stone and Trump campaign advisor Michael Caputo’s contacts with a Russian citizen named Henry Oknyansky. Oknyansky and an associate supposedly came to Stone by way of Caputo seeking to sell “derogatory information” on Hillary Clinton. Stone rebuffed them. Left unstated: Oknyansky, according to federal court filings and 14 visa waivers, has been an FBI informant for nearly two decades. Did he approach the Trump campaign in such a capacity?
  • Last but not least, intelligence informant on the Trump campaign Stefan Halper, who made contact with both Papadopoulos and Page, is never mentioned in the Mueller report.

7. Raising Potential Russia Violations about Trump Not Applied to Clinton

The Mueller report explores the novel theory that the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between senior campaign officials and Veselnitskya could have had campaign finance law implications. While it ultimately declines to assert any such violations, it notes:

[C]andidate-related opposition research given to a campaign for the purpose of influencing an election could constitute a contribution to which the foreign-source ban could apply. A campaign can be assisted not only by the provision of funds, but also by the provision of derogatory information about an opponent. Political campaigns frequently conduct and pay for opposition research. A foreign entity that engaged in such research and provided resulting information to a campaign could exert a greater effect on an election, and a greater tendency to ingratiate the donor to the candidate, than a gift of money or tangible things of value.

The above well describes the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee funding of the Steele dossier. On this basis, and considering Rosenstein’s desire to “ensure a full and thorough investigation of the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election,” should not the special counsel’s office have investigated the Clinton campaign for campaign finance violations associated with the Steele dossier?

The special counsel appears to have purposely sought to exclude any details pointing to an attempt to frame the Trump campaign by doctoring a Trump-Russia collusion narrative and entrapping campaign members, in spite of the fact there was no collusion, and ample evidence backing such a theory.

It simply ignored the real or perceived deficiencies of the special counsel’s investigation. It also refused to call into question any of the defects associated with the investigations that preceded it.

These takeaways challenge the idea that the special counsel engaged in anything resembling an intellectually honest, objective, and good faith investigation. Rather, it would seem to indicate that wittingly or unwittingly, this was more politicized smear job and de facto coverup.

Then, although “collusion” was the starting point for the special counsel’s investigation, when the Mueller team found none it nevertheless proceeded to obstruction. But there was nothing to obstruct. The Mueller special counsel could have ended its report at Volume I because absent Volume I there could be no Volume 2.

By presenting the collusion section as it did, similarly to the obstruction section, the counsel damaged the Trump administration to the greatest extent possible without affirming its criminality. It seems that Mueller pulled a Comey.

We must have a thorough investigation of the investigators. The growing cacophonyof attacks on Attorney General William Barr are a testament to it.

Ben Weingarten
Ben Weingarten is a senior contributor at The Federalist and senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research. He is the founder and CEO of ChangeUp Media, a media consulting and production company dedicated to advancing conservative principles. You can find his work at benweingarten.com, and follow him on Twitter @bhweingarten.
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68 thoughts on “Ben Weingarten, 7 Glaring Omissions that kill The Mueller Report’s Credibility”

  1. Toni…Tried to reply to your post…just will not take…sorry….maybe it will here;
    Toni….Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…
    Purposo was working with us for a bit, but he seems to have taken a hiatus.
    I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
    This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
    If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.
    Btw, I just received two RZ CDs I had worn out…Bob Dylan…1st album and Freewheelin’. Next purchase will be his big gray book of lyrics…I have his lyrics 62-85, but that is way outdated.

    moderated
  2. Toni…Tried to reply to your post…just will not take…sorry….maybe it will here;
    Toni….Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…
    Purposo was working with us for a bit, but he seems to have taken a hiatus.
    I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
    This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
    If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.
    Btw, I just received two RZ CDs I had worn out…Bob Dylan…1st album and Freewheelin’. Next purchase will be his big gray book of lyrics…I have his lyrics 62-85, but that is way outdated.

    moderated
  3. I will contact Prof. Fetzer. The hacker is stalking me. They are in my phone, had a camera set up in my dictionary app, camera set up in email spam account. They’ve taken over my Disqus account and I’m unable to log in. They listen to my phone calls. I will find out who it is and plan on filing a lawsuit. This is the first time I have posted this comment.

  4. Just posting this here because it’s presently the first article. It’s becoming ridiculously difficult to post on this site. I understand it’s not James’ fault, but someone….webmaster or whomever should look into it. Tried to post some links to pictures of Notre Dame post fire 4 times and nothing showed up…not even any kind of notice. Where’s Proposo when we need him?

    moderated
    1. Just posting this here because it\’s presently the first article. It\’s becoming ridiculously difficult to post on this site. I understand it\’s not James\’ fault, but someone….webmaster or whomever should look into it. Tried to post some links to pictures of Notre Dame post fire 4 times and nothing showed up…not even any kind of notice. Where\’s Proposo when we need him?

      moderated
      1. I had one comment rejected yesterday as Spam. Next comment was posted with no problem. Glitch ?
        Always make a copy before you post so that you can repost it later.

      2. I will contact Prof. Fetzer. The hacker is stalking me. They are in my phone, had a camera set up in my dictionary app, camera set up in email spam account. They’ve taken over my Disqus account and I’m unable to log in. They listen to my phone calls. I will find out who it is and plan on filing a lawsuit.

      3. This reply wouldn’t take on your original comment, so I’m trying it here.
        If you haven’t found the age-restricted mosque attacker/mannequin arrest video yet, try this one, Willy.

        I can get nothing to post at all! Maybe it’s the x’s on the address so try it like this:
        eblnews-dot-com-slash-video-slash-moment-arrest-christchurch-mosque-attacker-634198

      4. Toni….Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…
        Purposo was working with us for a bit, but he seems to have taken a hiatus.
        I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
        This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
        If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.
        Btw, I just received two RZ CDs I had worn out…Bob Dylan…1st album and Freewheelin’. Next purchase will be his big gray book of lyrics…I have his lyrics 62-85, but that is way outdated.

      5. Toni….Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…
        Purposo was working with us for a bit, but he seems to have taken a hiatus.
        I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
        This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
        If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.
        Btw, I just received two RZ CDs I had worn out…Bob Dylan…1st album and Freewheelin’. Next purchase will be his big gray book of lyrics…I have his lyrics 62-85, but that is way outdated.

      6. Toni….Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…
        Purposo was working with us for a bit, but he seems to have taken a hiatus.
        I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
        This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
        If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.

      7. Thank you for that…I’ll check it out. I just found this post. The Dr. is doing his best with this system, but it just is really difficult to deal with. I have emailed him and he said he’s working on it. I’ve had countless posts disappear…no captcha…no links…no explanation…

        I am always up for reconciliation hence this reply….it’s late, but I have no way of knowing it posted without going through all the articles…which I am sure you will admit is ridiculous.
        This is nothing against the Dr,…he’s doing the best with what he has.
        If I can get to that vid without going through some age ID thing, I’ll get back to you.

      8. I tried a longer reply and it would not post so…..Thank you…I’ll check that out
        Peace!.

      9. Got it! Yep…If that’s not a Mannequin, someone has no bones and Gawd didn’t make little green apples!

  5. President Trump is the best President in U.S. History. We now have prison reform called the First Step Act and Juvenile Justice Reform. Stock market continues to hit record highs and unemployment is lowest in 50 years. Too many good things to list.

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  6. Trump is, was, and always will be a slimeball sicko. However, deep digging into the likes of Obama and the Clintons will only expose their underpinnings, namely, the Deep Staters who they work for. Can’t have that. Mueller is bigtime dirty, if he can dodge all the bullets Weingarten threw at him, it will be a miracle. Not gonna happen, Mueller will step into a dark basement somewhere and be gone from view.
    I cannot fathom the deep trust, if we can call it that, that wise individuals like Robert David Steele can bestow on Trump. VT has tarred and feathered Trump over and over. Besides being a horrid individual, he’s an even more mediocre POTUS. OK, some people feel the Dems or Deep Staters are making his life impossible. Maybe so, maybe not. Trump is only different from Obama in skin color.WE’ve gotten the same dirtbags for many, many years and as long as Zionist money backers help elect cooperative fools as POTUS, we can never get out of impossible debt and war that beseiges us. Mueller is merely the bum of the month, what else is new?

    1. Trump is the best President America has ever had, a true American. Obviously you don’t have a savings account, like a 401K, as stock markets continues to hit records highs. Unemployment is at an all time 50 year low, he has done prison reform (First Step Act) and Juvenile Justice Reform, among many pro-America policies.

      moderated
    2. President Trump is the best President in U.S. History. We now have prison reform called the First Step Act and Juvenile Justice Reform. Stock market continues to hit record highs and unemployment is lowest in 50 years. Too many good things to list.

      moderated
    3. President Trump is the best President in U.S. History. We now have prison reform called the First Step Act and Juvenile Justice Reform. Stock market continues to hit record highs and unemployment is lowest in 50 years. Too many good things to list.

      moderated
    4. President Trump is the best President in U.S. History. We now have prison reform called the First Step Act and Juvenile Justice Reform. Stock market continues to hit record highs and unemployment is lowest in 50 years. Too many good things to list. Let’s see if the hacker allows this to post.

      moderated
    5. President Trump is the best President in U.S. History. We now have prison reform called the First Step Act and Juvenile Justice Reform. Stock market continues to hit record highs and unemployment is lowest in 50 years. Too many good things to list.

      moderated
    6. If Robert David Steele were wise, he would have an open mind and keep his emotions under control. Steele was born and raised in Asia and ignorant of European culture, his language is filled with crude vulgarities.
      If one criticizes something he says, he will
      attack by cheap personal insult.

      1. As Steele is former CIA, or so he states, I’ve always reserved a corner of my skepticism for him.VT, for instance, insists that Assange is Mossad trained, that Snowden is also CIA, I cannot prove/disprove those two statements.
        Disinfo is everywhere, one cannot be totally sure of many accepted individuals. I always felt Steele came upon the scene gangbusters and seemed to have “too many answers too fast”. I could be totally wrong. I’ve heard far worse profanities than Steele utters, c’mon, let’s not be pantywaists here…..

      2. As I had said previously, all of these ex-alphabet agency characters should be taken with a grain of salt. Once NSA, CIA, FBI, et al…..ALWAYS that, eh?
        Also agree re Bolwell’s posts…I called him out in the beginning, but he reacted childishly, so I just kept quiet. I think it’s good to stay on topic. That is not to say a thread will take various turns, (for example my discussing Dylan with Toni), but inserting incidents re someone’s personal experiences seem counter-productive. It’s difficult enough of late to get a pertinent post up without captchas or disappearances…or being labeled spam.

  7. The uncertain appearance of Mueller before Congress will be like this. He will strike a very serious, grave facial expression and will spend a day or two telling whopper deceptions and evasions ad infinitum.

    What will the American people learn from this farce….nothing.

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  8. Sounds to me like the appearance of Mueller before Congress will be the real Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (great analogy). Crazed Dem orcs will create a circus when these questions all get aired by sentient questioners. I don’t doubt that certain Republicans will use the opportunity to drop a truth turd in the committee hearings punchbowl. Unfortunately, the bought and corrupt media will continue to run interference for the real criminals. If Mueller was a blockade, which I believe he was, then it ultimately failed.
    Excellent summation Mr. Weingarten.

    1. The media was corrupted by the CIA’s Operation Mockingbird [plus many other names]. The media of the USA is more controlled than the USSR, Red China, commie Cuba and Nazi Germany combined.

      Ninety-nine plus % of the American people STILL believe that 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook School. In 2019 this lie is STILL being reported in Google as a fact and on all radio and TV in the US.
      BTW Google reports that ALL of the school shootings and others were factual events.

      This lie will continue for the next 100+ years unless……….

      1. So you see no chance of reaching some critical mass level of awareness with Americans rising to the occasion and saying, “We’re not going to take it any more”, throwing their Tee Vees in the gutter and marching on DC, eh?

      2. You make some good points but I feel that the American people as a critical mass are a long way from forming a cohesive unit to march on DC. The American people, except for a very small minority, are very passive. They are fat and happy with their amusements and distractions. In human history very few groups of dissatisfied people have had the guts to take on their government.
        An entrenched government the size of the US is a daunting adversary. If the entire military of the US rebels, then that is a different story.

      3. So, short of hunger, starvation or Divine Intervention the masses will continue along this path as they have since the days of Rome; enslaved believing they are free….unable or unwilling to grasp the duality into which they were born?

      4. In reply to Don ….April 24, 2019 at 4:16 pm

        So, little or nothing has actually changed since the days of Rome and Bread and Circus.
        As long as the masses are well fed (even the homeless eat well), the chances of Americans rising to the occasion are nil. They will tolerate just about anything…….including sacrificing their children to the state via poisonous vaccines, equally poisonous bankers wars and societal conditioning disguised as education. Do I read you correctly?

      5. In reply to Don ….April 24, 2019 at 4:16 pm

        So, little or nothing has actually changed since the days of Rome and Bread and Circus.
        As long as the masses are well fed (even the homeless eat well), the chances of Americans rising to the occasion are nil. They will tolerate just about anything…….including sacrificing their children to the state via poisonous vaccines, equally poisonous bankers wars and societal conditioning disguised as education. Do I read you correctly?

      6. You are right on target about Sandy Hook. The false flag lies keep being repeated and referenced ad nauseam until they are so deeply embedded in the public consciousness that they are nigh impossible to root out, and that boys and girls is how history is written and your reality is shaped

  9. Will Trump prosecute anybody for corruption, never mind the Clinton Foundation?
    ….Possibly a few small players…..but never Obama, Clinton et al…they are above the law….

    Will he secure the borders?
    …..Impossible….common sense.

    Will he cure vote fraud?
    …..If he did not do it before the midterms, it just will not happen. We need multi-copy paper ballots and that system will always be portrayed as some anachronism…

    Will he stop any wars?
    ….Seriously?……Not as long as Israel has a say.

    Will he give Israel the entire Middle East in addition to billions of dollars?
    …seems likely….. the Golan heights?…..

    Will he insure installation of 5G————- the nail in the coffin?
    …Just LOVES that idea!

    AND MORE….

    What’s he doing about chemtrails, mandated vaccination, endless false flags, a 911 ‘re-investigation’, Assange, out of control alphabet agencies, police overreach, the Patriot Act, repeal of the Smith Mundt Act…..

    moderated
  10. Will Trump prosecute anybody for corruption, never mind the Clinton Foundation?
    Will he secure the borders?
    Will he cure vote fraud?
    Will he stop any wars?
    Will he give Israel the entire Middle East in addition to billions of dollars?
    Will he insure installation of 5G————- the nail in the coffin?

    1. Will Trump prosecute anybody for corruption, never mind the Clinton Foundation?
      ….Possibly a few small players…..but never Obama, Clinton et al…they are above the law….

      Will he secure the borders?
      …..Impossible….common sense.

      Will he cure vote fraud?
      …..If he did not do it before the midterms, it just will not happen. We need multi-copy paper ballots and that system will always be portrayed as some anachronism…

      Will he stop any wars?
      ….Seriously?……Not as long as Israel has a say.

      Will he give Israel the entire Middle East in addition to billions of dollars?
      …seems likely….. the Golan heights?…..

      Will he insure installation of 5G————- the nail in the coffin?
      …Just LOVES that idea!

      AND MORE….

      What\’s he doing about chemtrails, mandated vaccination, endless false flags, a 911 \’re-investigation\’, Assange, out of control alphabet agencies, police overreach, the Patriot Act, repeal of the Smith Mundt Act…..

      moderated
    2. Will Trump prosecute anybody for corruption, never mind the Clinton Foundation?
      ….Possibly a few small players…..but never Obama, Clinton et al…they are above the law….

      Will he secure the borders?
      …..Impossible….common sense.

      Will he cure vote fraud?
      …..If he did not do it before the midterms, it just will not happen. We need multi-copy paper ballots and that system will always be portrayed as some anachronism…

      Will he stop any wars?
      ….Seriously?……Not as long as Israel has a say.

      Will he give Israel the entire Middle East in addition to billions of dollars?
      …seems likely….. the Golan heights?…..

      Will he insure installation of 5G————- the nail in the coffin?
      …Seems to just LOVE that idea!

      AND MORE….

      What’s he doing about chemtrails, mandated vaccination, endless false flags, a 911 ‘re-investigation’, Assange, out of control alphabet agencies, police overreach, the Patriot Act, repeal of the Smith Mundt Act…..

      1. Yes, of course. The patriot act and the police state!

        This does not seem to be on his mind.

      2. Here we have a glaring example of the POLICE STATE in which we live:

        xxxxxhttps://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-24/police-state-madness-cops-dui-vans-drawing-motorists-bloodxxxxx

      3. Here we have a glaring example of the POLICE STATE in which we live:

        xxxxxhttps://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-24/police-state-madness-cops-dui-vans-drawing-motorists-bloodxxxxx

      4. Here we have a glaring example of the POLICE STATE in which we live:

        xxxxxhttps://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-24/police-state-madness-cops-dui-vans-drawing-motorists-bloodxxxxx

      5. Trump is our most blitheringest president ever, EVER. The man has done ZERO for the American public ‘cuz he’s one of them, NOT one of us.He’s always been Deep State, who we kiddin’ here anyway? Each of us can probably run off a shopping list of things he promised to attend to, but NO, he’s too busy putting our embassy in J-Town and making an illegal gift of Golan to NuttyYahoo. Trump was our only defense against the Witch from Waukegan, but Trump has proven to be our own private Trojan horse. Now, I hope he never touches or does anything more for fear of putting us even farther behind the 8Ball. With Dems promising free communism in the election of 2020, we have nobody to turn to, the nation is on the rocks and The Donald can rightly take his place as the worse ever. Are we lucky or what?

      6. Trump has failed on a few levels (the worse being, for me, his catering to Israel), but he did accomplish more than previous presidents in the first two years:
        Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

        American Income
        Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
        Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
        Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
        Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
        Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
        Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
        Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
        Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

        American Optimism
        Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
        NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35-year-old record in August.
        SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
        Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
        95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
        Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
        12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
        Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

        American Business
        Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
        Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
        Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
        ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
        Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
        Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
        Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
        Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

        Deregulation
        Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
        Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
        Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
        Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
        Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

        Tax Cuts
        Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
        Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
        Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
        Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
        Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
        Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
        Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
        Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
        Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
        9 in 10 American workers are expected to see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
        More than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
        Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
        Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
        Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

        Worker Development
        Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
        Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
        Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
        Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

        Domestic Infrastructure
        Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
        Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
        Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
        Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

        Health Care
        Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
        Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
        Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
        Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
        FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
        Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
        Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
        Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
        Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
        Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
        USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
        Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
        Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
        HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
        Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
        Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

        Combating Opioids
        Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
        Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
        $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
        DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
        Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
        Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
        Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
        Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
        Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
        Led two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
        $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
        Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

        Law and Order
        More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
        Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
        Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
        Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
        Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
        Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
        Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
        $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
        Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
        Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
        Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
        Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
        Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
        New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

        Border Security and Immigration
        Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
        Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
        Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
        ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
        Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
        Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
        Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
        ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
        ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
        ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
        Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
        Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
        Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
        Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
        These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
        ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
        ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
        In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
        Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
        More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
        More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
        More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
        More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
        Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
        Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
        More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

        Trade
        Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
        Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies.
        Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
        Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
        Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
        Negotiated a historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
        Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
        Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
        Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
        Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
        Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
        Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
        25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
        Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
        Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
        Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
        Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
        Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
        Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
        Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
        Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
        Opened up Argentina to American pork exports for the first time in a quarter-century
        American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more than a decade
        OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

        Energy
        Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
        Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
        Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
        Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
        Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
        Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
        Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
        U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
        United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
        U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
        Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
        Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
        Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
        Proposed expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy
        Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
        Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
        Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

        Foreign Policy
        Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
        Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
        Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
        Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
        All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
        Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
        The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
        North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
        Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
        Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
        Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
        Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
        Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
        Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
        Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
        New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
        Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
        Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
        ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
        ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
        All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
        More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
        Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
        Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
        Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
        Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
        Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
        Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
        Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
        Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
        Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

        Defense
        Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
        $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
        Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
        Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
        Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
        New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
        The administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
        Released an America first National Security Strategy.
        Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
        Encouraged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agreed-upon levels.
        In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
        Every member state has increased defense spending.
        Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
        NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
        Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

        Veterans affairs
        Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
        Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
        Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
        Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
        VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
        Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
        Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
        Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
        Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
        Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
        Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
        Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
        Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades-old priority.
        Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
        Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
        Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
        Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
        Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
        Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
        VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
        Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

      7. Trump has failed on a few levels (the worse being, for me, his catering to Israel), but he did accomplish more than previous presidents in the first two years:
        Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

        American Income
        Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
        Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
        Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
        Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
        Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
        Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
        Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
        Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

        American Optimism
        Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
        NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35-year-old record in August.
        SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
        Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
        95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
        Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
        12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
        Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

        American Business
        Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
        Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
        Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
        ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
        Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
        Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
        Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
        Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

        Deregulation
        Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
        Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
        Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
        Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
        Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

        Tax Cuts
        Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
        Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
        Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
        Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
        Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
        Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
        Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
        Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
        Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
        9 in 10 American workers are expected to see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
        More than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
        Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
        Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
        Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

        Worker Development
        Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
        Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
        Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
        Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

        Domestic Infrastructure
        Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
        Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
        Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
        Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

        Health Care
        Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
        Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
        Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
        Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
        FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
        Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
        Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
        Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
        Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
        Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
        USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
        Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
        Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
        HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
        Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
        Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

        Combating Opioids
        Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
        Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
        $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
        DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
        Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
        Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
        Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
        Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
        Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
        Led two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
        $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
        Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

        Law and Order
        More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
        Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
        Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
        Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
        Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
        Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
        Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
        $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
        Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
        Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
        Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
        Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
        Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
        New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

        Border Security and Immigration
        Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
        Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
        Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
        ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
        Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
        Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
        Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
        ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
        ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
        ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
        Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
        Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
        Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
        Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
        These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
        ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
        ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
        In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
        Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
        More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
        More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
        More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
        More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
        Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
        Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
        More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

        Trade
        Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
        Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies.
        Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
        Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
        Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
        Negotiated a historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
        Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
        Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
        Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
        Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
        Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
        Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
        25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
        Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
        Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
        Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
        Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
        Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
        Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
        Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
        Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
        Opened up Argentina to American pork exports for the first time in a quarter-century
        American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more than a decade
        OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

        Energy
        Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
        Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
        Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
        Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
        Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
        Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
        Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
        U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
        United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
        U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
        Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
        Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
        Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
        Proposed expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy
        Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
        Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
        Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

        Foreign Policy
        Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
        Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
        Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
        Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
        All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
        Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
        The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
        North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
        Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
        Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
        Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
        Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
        Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
        Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
        Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
        New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
        Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
        Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
        ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
        ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
        All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
        More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
        Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
        Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
        Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
        Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
        Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
        Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
        Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
        Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
        Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

        Defense
        Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
        $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
        Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
        Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
        Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
        New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
        The administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
        Released an America first National Security Strategy.
        Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
        Encouraged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agreed-upon levels.
        In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
        Every member state has increased defense spending.
        Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
        NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
        Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

        Veterans affairs
        Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
        Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
        Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
        Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
        VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
        Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
        Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
        Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
        Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
        Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
        Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
        Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
        Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades-old priority.
        Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
        Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
        Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
        Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
        Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
        Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
        VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
        Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

      8. Trump has failed on a few levels (the worse being, for me, his catering to Israel), but he did accomplish more than previous presidents in the first two years:
        Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

        American Income
        Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
        Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
        Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
        Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
        Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
        Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
        Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
        Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

        American Optimism
        Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
        NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35-year-old record in August.
        SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
        Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
        95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
        Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
        12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
        Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

        American Business
        Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
        Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
        Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
        ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
        Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
        Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
        Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
        Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

        Deregulation
        Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
        Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
        Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
        Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
        Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

        Tax Cuts
        Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
        Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
        Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
        Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
        Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
        Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
        Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
        Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
        Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
        9 in 10 American workers are expected to see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
        More than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
        Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
        Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
        Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

        Worker Development
        Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
        Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
        Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
        Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

        Domestic Infrastructure
        Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
        Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
        Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
        Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

        Health Care
        Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
        Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
        Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
        Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
        FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
        Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
        Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
        Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
        Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
        Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
        USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
        Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
        Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
        HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
        Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
        Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

        Combating Opioids
        Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
        Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
        $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
        DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
        Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
        Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
        Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
        Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
        Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
        Led two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
        $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
        Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

        Law and Order
        More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
        Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
        Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
        Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
        Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
        Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
        Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
        $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
        Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
        Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
        Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
        Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
        Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
        New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

        Border Security and Immigration
        Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
        Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
        Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
        ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
        Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
        Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
        Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
        ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
        ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
        ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
        Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
        Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
        Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
        Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
        These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
        ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
        ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
        In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
        Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
        More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
        More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
        More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
        More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
        Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
        Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
        More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

        Trade
        Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
        Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies.
        Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
        Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
        Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
        Negotiated a historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
        Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
        Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
        Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
        Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
        Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
        Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
        25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
        Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
        Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
        Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
        Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
        Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
        Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
        Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
        Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
        Opened up Argentina to American pork exports for the first time in a quarter-century
        American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more than a decade
        OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

        Energy
        Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
        Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
        Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
        Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
        Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
        Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
        Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
        U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
        United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
        U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
        Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
        Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
        Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
        Proposed expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy
        Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
        Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
        Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

        Foreign Policy
        Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
        Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
        Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
        Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
        All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
        Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
        The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
        North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
        Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
        Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
        Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
        Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
        Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
        Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
        Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
        New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
        Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
        Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
        ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
        ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
        All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
        More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
        Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
        Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
        Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
        Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
        Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
        Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
        Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
        Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
        Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

        Defense
        Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
        $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
        Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
        Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
        Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
        New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
        The administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
        Released an America first National Security Strategy.
        Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
        Encouraged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agreed-upon levels.
        In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
        Every member state has increased defense spending.
        Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
        NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
        Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

        Veterans affairs
        Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
        Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
        Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
        Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
        VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
        Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
        Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
        Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
        Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
        Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
        Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
        Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
        Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades-old priority.
        Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
        Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
        Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
        Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
        Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
        Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
        VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
        Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

      9. Trump has failed on a few levels (the worse being, for me, his catering to Israel), but he did accomplish more than previous presidents in the first two years:
        Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

        American Income
        Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
        Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
        Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
        Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
        Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
        Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
        Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
        Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

        American Optimism
        Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
        NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35-year-old record in August.
        SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
        Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
        95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
        Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
        12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
        Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

        American Business
        Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
        Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
        Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
        ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
        Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
        Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
        Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
        Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

        Deregulation
        Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
        Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
        Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
        Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
        Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

        Tax Cuts
        Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
        Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
        Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
        Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
        Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
        Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
        Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
        Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
        Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
        9 in 10 American workers are expected to see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
        More than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
        Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
        Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
        Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

        Worker Development
        Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
        Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
        Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
        Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

        Domestic Infrastructure
        Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
        Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
        Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
        Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

        Health Care
        Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
        Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
        Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
        Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
        FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
        Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
        Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
        Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
        Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
        Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
        USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
        Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
        Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
        HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
        Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
        Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

        Combating Opioids
        Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
        Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
        $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
        DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
        Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
        Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
        Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
        Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
        Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
        Led two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
        $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
        Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

        Law and Order
        More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
        Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
        Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
        Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
        Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
        Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
        Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
        $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
        Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
        Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
        Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
        Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
        Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
        New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

        Border Security and Immigration
        Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
        Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
        Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
        ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
        Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
        Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
        Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
        ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
        ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
        ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
        Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
        Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
        Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
        Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
        These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
        ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
        ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
        In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
        Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
        More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
        More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
        More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
        More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
        Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
        Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
        More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

        Trade
        Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
        Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies.
        Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
        Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
        Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
        Negotiated a historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
        Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
        Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
        Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
        Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
        Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
        Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
        25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
        Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
        Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
        Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
        Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
        Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
        Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
        Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
        Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
        Opened up Argentina to American pork exports for the first time in a quarter-century
        American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more than a decade
        OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

        Energy
        Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
        Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
        Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
        Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
        Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
        Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
        Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
        U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
        United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
        U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
        Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
        Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
        Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
        Proposed expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy
        Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
        Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
        Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

        Foreign Policy
        Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
        Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
        Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
        Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
        All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
        Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
        The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
        North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
        Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
        Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
        Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
        Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
        Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
        Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
        Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
        New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
        Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
        Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
        ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
        ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
        All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
        More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
        Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
        Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
        Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
        Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
        Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
        Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
        Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
        Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
        Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

        Defense
        Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
        $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
        Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
        Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
        Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
        New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
        The administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
        Released an America first National Security Strategy.
        Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
        Encouraged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agreed-upon levels.
        In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
        Every member state has increased defense spending.
        Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
        NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
        Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

        Veterans affairs
        Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
        Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
        Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
        Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
        VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
        Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
        Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
        Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
        Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
        Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
        Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
        Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
        Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades-old priority.
        Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
        Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
        Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
        Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
        Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
        Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
        VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
        Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

      10. He’s not as bad as it seems when you look at the details. I grant it that his affiliation with Israel leaves much to be desired, but here’s a list of what he has done in the past two years or so (broken into several parts so it will post without glitches):

        Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

      11. Economic Growth
        4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
        For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

        Jobs
        4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
        More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
        Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
        The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
        Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
        Unemployment claims at 50 year low
        African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.
        African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018.
        Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
        Asian-American unemployment at a record low of 2 percent.
        Women’s unemployment recently at the lowest rate in nearly 65 years.
        Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.
        Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.
        July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.
        Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
        July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.
        Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
        Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
        Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
        Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”
        68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.
        Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
        Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.
        Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.
        Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.
        Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.
        100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

      12. ..(Continued Part) 2:

        American Income
        Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
        Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
        Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
        Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
        Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
        Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.
        Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.
        Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

        American Optimism
        Small business optimism has hit historic highs.
        NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35-year-old record in August.
        SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.
        Manufacturers are more confident than ever.
        95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.
        Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
        12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
        Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

        American Business
        Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.
        Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.
        Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
        ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
        Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
        Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
        Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.
        Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.

        Deregulation
        Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
        Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
        Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
        Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
        Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

      13. …(continued) Part 3:

        Tax Cuts
        Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law
        Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families.
        Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
        Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
        Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
        Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
        Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
        Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
        Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.
        9 in 10 American workers are expected to see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
        More than 6 million American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
        Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
        Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
        Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

        Worker Development
        Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
        Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
        Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
        Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

        Domestic Infrastructure
        Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
        Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
        Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
        Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

        Health Care
        Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
        Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
        Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
        Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
        FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
        Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
        Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
        Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
        Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
        Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
        USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
        Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
        Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
        HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
        Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
        Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

        Combating Opioids
        Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
        Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
        $6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
        DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
        Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
        Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
        Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
        Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
        Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
        Led two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
        $485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
        Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

      14. ..(continued) Part 4:
        Law and Order
        More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
        Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
        Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution
        Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
        Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
        Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
        Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
        Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
        $137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
        Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
        Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
        Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
        Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
        Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
        New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

        Border Security and Immigration
        Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
        Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
        Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.
        ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year.
        Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
        Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.
        Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.
        ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
        ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
        ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
        Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
        Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
        DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
        DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
        Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
        Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
        Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.
        These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.
        ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.
        ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.
        In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for
        Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses.
        More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
        More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
        More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
        More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
        Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.
        Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
        More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

        Trade
        Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.
        Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsidies.
        Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
        Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
        Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
        Negotiated a historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
        Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
        Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
        Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.
        Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
        Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
        Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.
        25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods.
        Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
        Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies
        Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
        Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.
        Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly.
        Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
        Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
        Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
        Opened up Argentina to American pork exports for the first time in a quarter-century
        American beef exports have returned to China for the first time in more than a decade
        OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

      15. …(continued) Part 5:

        Energy
        Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
        Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
        Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
        Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
        Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
        Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
        Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
        U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
        United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
        U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
        Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
        Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
        Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
        Proposed expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy
        Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.
        Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
        Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

        Foreign Policy
        Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
        Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.
        Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
        Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
        All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.
        Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.
        The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress.
        North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
        Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.
        Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
        Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
        Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
        Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program.
        Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
        Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.
        New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.
        Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.
        Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.
        ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump.
        ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
        All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.
        More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
        Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.
        Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA.
        Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
        Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
        Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
        Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
        Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.
        Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
        Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

      16. …(continued, final part) Part 6:

        Defense
        Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
        $700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
        Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
        Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
        Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
        New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
        The administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
        Released an America first National Security Strategy.
        Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
        Encouraged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agreed-upon levels.
        In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies.
        Every member state has increased defense spending.
        Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
        NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.
        Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

        Veterans affairs
        Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
        Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.
        Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
        Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
        VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:
        Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs.
        Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
        Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
        Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
        Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
        Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.
        Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
        Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades-old priority.
        Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
        Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
        Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
        Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.
        Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.
        Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
        VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
        Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.

      17. I most definitely dispute that…look, I\’m disappointed with his Israel intimacy and his stand against Iran and what\’s going on in Yemen…BUT to say he\’s accomplished nothing is far from the truth.

        Read this and get back to me if you wish:

        https:slash slash jimbakkershow.com/news/president-donald-trumps-accomplishments-the-list-is-growing slash

      18. I cannot post a link, but check out the Jim Baker Show as to T\’s accomplishments…the list is HUGE!

        Look, I am not happy with many of his policies…Israel…Iran…Yemen…but to say he has accomplished nothing is a bit much.

      19. I cannot post a link, but check out the Jim Baker Show as to T’s accomplishments…the list is HUGE!

        Look, I am not happy with many of his policies…Israel…Iran…Yemen…but to say he has accomplished nothing is a bit much.

  11. Mueller and his stooges had a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party for two years and avoided the real issues. The Report is a vile 448 page sick joke on the American people who paid 25 million dollars for a nothing burger.

    Key witnesses like Corsi and Stone have said that they never even met or talked with Mueller.

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