The early months since President Trump's Inauguration have been a whirlwind of activity. He hit the ground running at a pace that could put younger men to shame. His State of the Union speech to Congress Tuesday night highlighted the goals already achieved, outlined those next to be tackled, and honored many of the people who played a part in the new direction of the nation.
Despite giving his speech in D.C., on the other side of the nation, many of the issues and solutions President Trump addressed impact us here in El Dorado County. Early in his speech, he noted high prices, particularly those of eggs, commenting on the failure of the previous administration while putting forward plans to bring down costs. A significant segment of his speech explained his approach to tariffs, particularly as a way to increase jobs on U.S. soil as well as U.S. manufactured goods, while decreasing our reliance on foreign trade, making us more self-sufficient as a nation. The potential increase of competitiveness for U.S. agriculture will likely bring improvements for California valley and foothills agricultural areas. Promises of increased investment into U.S. technology by companies like OpenAI and Apple could have particular impact on the many Californians who work in technology-focused industries, including many in El Dorado County.
Another substantial focus of the speech was border security and a return to law and order throughout our country. The President cited illegal border crossings down 94% from last year, with a 627% increase in ICE arrests. While El Dorado County is not a border county, we have felt the impact of the previous administration's border policies in increased drug trafficking and homelessness. At a luncheon with local law enforcement agencies, as well as El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf and Representative Tom McClintock, among others, EDSO officials discussed significant drug seizures by a tri-county team, accompanied by 73 arrests. We join President Trump in appreciating the hard work of our law enforcement, as well as our firefighters. We keep the firefighter and fire captain who were recently injured fighting a house fire in Shingle Springs in our prayers.
There were many emotional and touching moments throughout the speech, including a heartwarming hug between Secret Service Director Sean Curran and 13-year-old DJ, a resilient young man with brain cancer who was made an honorary Secret Service member by President Trump during his speech. The families of those lost in the Afghanistan withdrawal were remembered, as was the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed at a rally during the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, PA last year. Laken Riley's family was in attendance as the President recalled signing the Laken Riley Act as his 1st bill of this presidential term, promising harsh punishment for illegal immigrants who harm U.S. citizens.
A hot topic among families of El Dorado County, often brought into focus during school board meetings and similar occasions, is a concern for the education and health of our children. President Trump discussed his moves to pull funding from organizations that support teaching transgender ideology to children or allow boys in girls sports. He also removed federal funding for medical institutes that allow for the mutilation of children. He boldly announced to the children of our country that “you are perfect exactly the way God made you”. He encouraged RFK Jr. to look into the increase of health problems among our children and how this might be addressed by examining what is in our food and environment. The president highlighted the importance of the wellbeing of our nation's children and families.
Wrapping up by encouraging peace abroad, drawing attention to record high recruiting in our military, and discussing other international opportunities, President Trump made a point of emphasizing that he believes God spared his life that day in Butler, PA so that he could Make America Great Again. Our country is one of Doers, Dreamers, Fighters, and Survivors, according to the President. Residents of our county reflect these qualities as well. We join the President in his eager anticipation of a Golden Age for our country.
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