By Ray Garrett

This week the presidency of Donald J. Trump begins. Among the millions of citizens who supported his election there is excited speculation as to the changes a Trump administration may bring to America.  Meanwhile, social progressives are seeking counseling regarding the upcoming efforts of our new president to make America great again.

The excitement among Christian and conservative citizens is fueled by a desire to restore America. Building on the foundation of traditional American values in a capitalist economy our grandparents and those before them created the greatest nation in history. This excited anticipation is rooted in a desire to see our nation return to the level of greatness and international respect it formerly held.

Fortunately, the fears of many Americans regarding the election of Trump are unfounded. These fears arise from the efforts of his unsuccessful political rivals to discredit him and his ideas combined with the impact of reckless and sometimes outright false reporting by many in the media.

There is little doubt that the Trump administration will be unconventional, but this does not automatically make the incoming administration dangerous or bad. All citizens should actually make an investigation of Trump before prejudging his administration.

Consideration of his past statements quickly reveals that Trump is not and never has been politically correct. Likewise, citizens can also learn much about his ideas and beliefs by considering what he has actually done instead of merely repeating what he is accused of having said or done.

Trump made a great deal of money in real estate development and casino operations. Interestingly, his political opponents did discuss how Trump made money in these areas. In his book “The Art of the Deal,” which was published in 1987, he states that he made money by completing projects on time and under budget.

Given the seemingly endless reports of cost overruns and delays in government projects, there is little doubt that we can do better.  Apparently, Trump can, and will, deliver savings to taxpaying citizens considering the speed with which Boeing agreed the Air Force One project could be completed much less expensively.

He has repeatedly been called a racist. However, no substantial evidence supporting these claims has been presented. Interestingly, those loudly proclaiming that Trump was sued for discrimination never discussed the lack of evidence produced by those who brought the lawsuit.

Many also claim that Trump’s stance on illegal immigration equates to racism. These people are simply wrong. Race and citizenship are not the same thing. Illegal immigration is not about race. Rather, it is the problem of people from other countries entering the United States illegally and the resulting burdens upon our citizens.

The democrats decried his campaign promise to secure our national border. Those opposing a wall should be required to explain why America should be less secure than other countries. It should be noted that Mexico is already paying for the wall in terms of jobs that have remained in American or are about to return.  Carrier, Ford and Chrysler each announced post-election decisions to either keep jobs in America or move jobs back from Mexico. This means more jobs for citizens and fewer citizens depending on welfare.

In his book, Trump revealed that he prefers to just see what develops each day rather than planning a bunch of meetings.  Such an approach can result in mistakes, but as was evidenced by the second presidential debate Trump learns very quickly.

This same book reveals that he not only put a woman in charge of his campaign, but has a history of putting women in positions of authority.  This should silence those claiming he is a sexist.

Our citizens could learn a great deal about Trump by reading his book.  While “The Art of the Deal” is certainly not a great literary work, it does provide much insight into our new president.  Had the democrats read his book they would have known much more about Trump. Then again, they may have concluded that their only chance was a massive campaign of false information.

Ray Garrett is a columnist and local blogger who can be reached at flyovercountrycitizen.com.