CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY JANUARY 16,2017
DID HE SAY IT, OR DIDN’T HE? THE LANGUAGE WHILE SPEAKING WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ABOUT IMMIGRATION AT A CLOSED MEETING. THE PRESIDENT CLAIMS HE DIDN’T SAY IT – AND I WONT REPEAT IT HERE, BUT STILL ACKOWLEDGED USING WJHAT HE CALLED “STRONG LANGUAGE.” YOU KNOW BECAUSE YOU’VE READ ABOUT IT.
ON SUBSTANCE, THE PRESIDENT WAS RIGHT. WE DO LET TOO MANY PEOPLE INTO AMERICA WHO ARE FROM FAILED COUNTRIES. TOO OFTEN THEY HAVE LOW OR NO SKILLS, BECOMING A BURDEN TO THE COUNTRY AND TO THEMSELVES. BUT THE WAY HE FRAMED IT ALLOWED HIS POLITICAL ENEMIES TO LABEL HIM A RACIST.
LANGUAGE, ESPECIALLY LANGUAGE COMING FROM A PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATES SOMETHING MORE POWERFUL THAN WORDS. THE POINT IS THIS. WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID AND OFTEN SAYS IS UNNECESSARY TO ACHIEVING HIS POLITICAL GOALS, WHICH HE IS DOING WITH CONSIDERABLE SKILL. IT IS A DISTRACTION AND ALLOWS THE NEVER-TRUMPERS TO SAY “SEE, I TOLD YOU,” RATHER THAN “LOOK AT ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE IS DOING.” CLEAN UP YOUR ACT, MR. PRESIDENT. PLEASE. I’M CAL THOMAS IN WASHINGTON.
