How I Went From 'Trump Skeptic' to 'Trump Fan'

In 2016, I was not a Donald Trump fan. I’d fully planned on writing in some joke name or whatever because, well, I didn’t trust Trump. There was no way on God’s green earth I was ever going to vote for Hillary Clinton, and third parties are pathetic. I lived in Maryland, so I could justify it to myself as it not really mattering in the grand scheme of things – Maryland is so blue it would vote for Stalin.

I also believed, as did most everyone else, that Clinton would win. In the primary, I was originally a Marco Rubio supporter, then a Ted Cruz fan as the field winnowed. I never dreamed this guy whose TV show I’d been a fan of could do anything but humiliate himself and the party. I was wrong.

Before election day, I did some soul-searching. My wife was pregnant with our first child and I knew a Hillary Clinton presidency would be horrible for the country. Democrats had big plans to “fundamentally transform” the country, ruining much of what made the country the envy of the world in the name of “progressive” politics. What would I tell my child about life before, about the country before? And what would I tell them about what I did to try to stop it.

In a column that went viral, I’d changed my mind. I knew I had to do everything I could, including voting for someone I didn’t think would be a good president but was the only realistic alternative, to register my opposition to the damage to come.

After that, I thought it would be four years of working to mitigate the damage he would do, peppered with a few good things. I was wrong.

Three Supreme Court Justices, countless needless regulations repealed, tax cuts for everyone, unthinkably low unemployment, a booming economy, no new wars, Middle East peace deals, ISIS decimated, NAFTA gone, and American pride rising. I was very wrong.

Sure, there were tweets I wished weren’t sent, points that could have been made clearer or more directly – I’m not going to agree with anyone 100 percent of the time except me. But Donald Trump, quite simply, has been an excellent president of the United States.

Most surprisingly of all, and evident in his overall accomplishments, he was easily one of the most conservative presidents we’ve ever had. Whether it was, as some never Trumpers whine, all an act, I couldn’t care less. Results matter, and the results are beyond dispute.

When it comes to 2020, were it not for coronavirus, President Trump would coast to victory. Democrats and the media would still have coordinated all their lies and attacks, but they would’ve been seen clearly as the pathetic character assassinations they are.

The fog of the pandemic has clouded everyone’s vision, empowering left wing lies. Joe Biden, Democrats, and the media gleefully accuse the president of being responsible for 200,000 deaths.

It’s an easy attack, and a cheap shot. But when the media memory holes the fact that Dr. Deborah Birx said back in March that we would experience 200,000 deaths “if we do things almost perfectly,” as NBC News did, it makes it an even easier lie to tell.

These people, who’d exploit the pain of loss of American families for their political advantage, sickly promising their loved ones would still be alive if only Democrats were in charge, deserve every ounce of scorn human beings can heap upon them.

Add to that the demonization of treatments, the belittling of vaccines, and the contempt for hope and I’m left with only disgust. These people cannot be allowed anywhere near power.

So this time, I will vote against Democrats with just as much eagerness and even more urgency now that their party has moved even further to the left and embraced even crazier, anti-American values. The difference is, this time I will vote for Donald Trump with a level of enthusiasm I did not in 2016, with a level of enthusiasm with which I’ve never voted for any other candidate before. The record is too good, the stakes too damn high, and the alternative too damn crazy and corrupt to do anything else.

Jimmy Carter pulled off the impossible — double digit inflation, double digit interest rates, and double digit unemployment all at the same time. Reagan inherited one of the worst economies ever and built it into such as thriving machine that even bill Clinton benefitted from it. And he did so while bringing down the Soviet Empire.

Trump also inherited a horrible economy — also one of the worst ever. They said it would take “a magic wand” to fix it. Well, he must have had one, because we had so many jobs that we didn’t have enough candidates to fill them. He strengthened border security. He’s worked out many peace agreements. He’s withdrawing troops.

I don’t always like President Trump’s tweets. I think sometimes he could be more presidential, but I’m from New York, too, and I understand the way he talks. But he’s been a terrific president, one of the two best in my lifetime, and I wouldn’t compare one to the other, but appreciate both.

I was way down in front, right-side facing the stage just at the entrance to the VIP section. Next to me was the guy with two Dalmatians he claimed were service dogs. He kept trying to give one of the security guys a handwritten manifesto.

The only good thing about him was the dogs spread out on the floor so a bit of breathing room. I’ve need been that close to that many people in that kind of heat, but I got a good look at Trump and that’s what I wanted.

I got within 4 people of having him sign my campaign sign after the rally. If I had just zigged instead of zagged I would have been closer to the start of the line. But I’ve probably been closer to Trump than most other people. I was about the feet away when he stopped autographing and had to leave.

Well, since you asked...

I agree, the comparison is a bit like the "is The Who or Zeppelin better?" debates. Nothing ever gets solved, nobody is ever swayed. But rarely do the debate parties say neither band is worthy of being in the ring at the same time.

It's the same with Trump/Reagan comparisons. The point isn't to declare a winner, but to raise the concept that the stature of Trump is on-par with that of Reagan.

I recall an editorial in NR in 1991 where they went full pro-Bush over something he did that NR had trashed a few months prior. That was when I first saw that the right was capable of being inconsistent and stupid just like the left.

Reagan was a bitchin' cup of hot coffee. Then, for 30 years we've been presented a pale collection of lukewarm beverages. Every President along the way - except for Bush from 9/11/2001 until Iraq - has been a disappointment, and every candidacy - with the possible exception of Dole who was at least honorable - has been as satisfying as lukewarm herbal tea. Trump has been like a 24oz mug of 180-degree espresso.

In the early 1980s I lamented the loss of Zeppelin and The Who...I whined that I never saw Bonzo or Moonie live. While I was whining I saw Live Aid, Zappa, Van Halen, Yes, and others that, today, people say "you saw them in the 80s? Dude, that is epic." It is a similar thing with Trump - we are in the midst of history and we don't want to lose sight of it.

I can't speak for others, but that why that comparison may make it to my posts. Others' mileage may vary.

They said it would take “a magic wand” to fix it. Well, he must have had one, because we had so many jobs that we didn’t have enough candidates to fill them.

He does. WE are the magic wand:

Really.

That magic wand is the collective power of tens of millions of enterprising Americans yearning to do better, desperate to start new businesses, it’s a cook who wants his own food truck, a doctor wanting her own practice, a plumber wanting to run a florist shop, all being held down by taxes that get progressively [‘progressive’ isn’t necessarily a good thing!] worse with every extra dollar earned, massive layer after layer of oppressive and unnecessary regulations, Byzantine permitting processes, and vast overreach by any number of federal agencies.

Trump eliminated many of those impediments and the took the lid off the pressure cooker of people yearning to do better, and let them.

And by golly, they, we did!

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