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Recently, news headlines read more like a game of Risk than genuine political discourse. President-elect Trump, in his efforts to poke and prod at outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, remarked that Canada becoming the 51st state would be a “great idea.”
There are also Trump’s claims that once he’s in office, he’ll rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” President-elect Trump is a real estate mogul, and branding is important, after all...
But perhaps the most provocative of these recent statements concerns the Danish-controlled territory of Greenland. In recent weeks, Trump has been entertaining the idea of the United States purchasing Greenland.During a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump stated that he couldn’t rule out using military or economic force to facilitate this.
The argument that Greenland poses a national security risk seems misguided, especially given Denmark is a foundingNATO member and a liberal democracy. This leaves us with the economic allure of Greenland, a territory rich in rare earth minerals. Due to recent global temperature changes,Greenland’s ice sheets and glaciers are retreating, exposing more of these critical minerals, including copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This development led Denmark to publish a 2023report citing the country’s raw material potential.
But the new fixation on acquiring Greenland suggests that the incoming administration has already forgotten the issues that propelled them to gain control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives.
Voters expressed frustration with the Biden administration’s woeful track record on inflation and affordability. A nationwide poll conducted by the Independent Center discovered that 67 percent of respondents identified affordability/inflation as their primary concern.
Remember, the prevailing feeling among the electorate is that politicians are disconnected from the average American. Further polling by the Independent Center confirms this, showing that 66 percent of respondents believe their voices are not being heard by elected officials.
Political independents are the swing voters that pushedRepublicans over the top in the November election. Indeed, Trump won independent voters in seven(or eight)of the nine critical swing states.
These independents, above all else, prioritize the most pressing issues for themselves and their families: the cost of buying a house, the price of gas, the size of their grocery bills, the status of their401(k), and so on. They are the pragmatic middle who, more so than partisans, demand a plan from their elected leaders. And not just a pie-in-the-sky plan, a realistic plan.
Mr. President, independents want to know what you plan to do about the economy. We need more than just "concepts of a plan” at this point. Don’t waste your newly minted political capital. Focusing attention outside of America and away from us Americans will do just that.
This administration has a genuine opportunity to foster innovation, create a favorable environment for entrepreneurship, and stimulate economic dynamism that will significantly enhance the quality of life for every individual in this country.
Instead, we’re discussing whether Greenland is for sale or renaming the Gulf of Mexico.While these ideas might spark reactions on cable media and garner attention onX, they won’t assist the average American in paying their bills.
We have witnessed the White House flip from Donald Trump to Joe Biden and then back to Donald Trump. Similarly, control ofCongress has oscillated back and forth between the two parties during this period as well. This highlights independent voters’ willingness to change their vote in two or four years if they’re unhappy with the results of the current administration.
In other words, it is independent voters who hold our elected leaders accountable, not partisans. Act accordingly.
This incoming administration needs to remember what it promised voters: working to reduce inflation and help Americans achieve the economic mobility for which the American Dream is known. Donald Trump Jr.’s recent comments of “MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN” suggest that a refocusing of sorts is needed.
President-elect Trump was chosen to kick start the American economy. Focusing on our untapped potential at home is the natural place to start.
