Can President Trump ‘Make America Great Again’ or can Americans do it by themselves?
By Chris M. Ingram, LL.M., ESQ
Like millions of other U.S. Immigrants, when I relocated to the US in 1999, my wife and I did not make our decision to relocate based on who was in the White House. Indeed, we did not make our decision based on the state of the economy at the time. We made our decision because we knew that America was the land of the most opportunity for us. In other words, the allure of America was based on its historical position as being the place of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Even as a legal scholar from the UK, I had long admired the US Constitution and how it protected the liberty of its citizens.
Every U.S. Immigrant is potentially a future American – It’s always been that way, all the way back to the Native Americans, right?
In this age of YouTube, 24-hour news cycles and cell phone cameras, so much is now captured and shared by everyone, everywhere (and all the time) to the extent that it’s possible to lose complete sight of what America is all about and what “Makes America Great”. By the way, I absolutely love the mantra of “Let’s Make America Great Again.” Why, because it’s a motivational cry for Americans and US Immigrants, who are future Americans, to do better, to look forwards not backwards, to reinvigorate ourselves to strive for the American Dream.
Whatever your political views, there is a news channel that will cater to it.
So why Trump vs. America? In my view, there are two realties of America. The first is the realty of Trump as President. Incidentally, in all honesty I’m really talking about the office of President as opposed to the current office holder as President, but bear with me. Can the President shape America? I guess so to some degree, however the extent to which the President can shape America is very limited, it’s more perception than reality. Let’s take a look at this question.
Our Forefathers framed the US Constitution that protected liberty and created such Freedom for all that it set America up to be; a global magnet for anyone with a hope and ambition to experience the American Dream.
The President of America cannot create any laws. In essence, laws are made by either the Senate or the House of Representatives; introducing a Bill on the floor of each House and then if it passes, it must go to the other house and from there if it passes, the Bill goes to the President to either sign or to veto. The President cannot tell Congress that they must pass any law. The President can say what his legislative agenda is, but if Congress does not agree, it will never happen; it’s that simple.
The President can sign Executive Orders, but these are not laws, instead these are directives to various branches of government to adopt certain policies. For example, President Obama directed Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) not to go after undocumented aliens who were minors. President Obama on his own could not declare that all undocumented aliens should be declared documented, as this would require the creation of a law ‘amnesty’ to change the legal status of any alien. President Trump signed several Executive Orders trying to instruct Customs Border Patrol (CBP) to not let in any aliens from various Muslim majority countries. When President Obama tried to extend protection to undocumented parents, legal action was taken and was granted in Federal Court to block this Presidential move. Similarly, President Trump’s so called Muslim Ban was also blocked in Federal Court.
Yes, America is diverse. In melting pots like New York and California, over 100 different languages are spoken. The economies of New York and California combined account for 21.4% of the nation’s total economy. Accident? You decide.
So, if the President cannot make real laws, what powers does the President have? Plenty. The President of the United States is the Brand Ambassador of the United States. The President is America’s greatest spokesperson. The President works to serve the interests of Americans. The President can ask Congress to pursue a certain legislative agenda and lobby them to do so. “If you pass this particular law, I will or will not sign it.” The President can lead trade delegations to various parts of the world where multi-million dollar deals can be signed because the President was able to open certain doors for US companies just because they felt they had the backing of the President.
Most of all, the President as America’s Brand Ambassador, sets the global tone. When America sends its troops into a war zone, that sends a tone; often allies from around the world will join in the fight. Should the President decide that we need to push towards electric cars and push Congress to create subsidies to spur innovation that has global consequences. Whether this particular President is a good brand Ambassador, is for others to judge. My point in exploring Presidential powers is to look at what powers a President has to shape America.
Trump The Master Brand Ambassador? Sure, for Trump Enterprises, but can he transfer those masterful skills to America Inc?
Now let’s look at America, in my view the real America. When Americans and Immigrants to America wake up every morning they are not focused on what the President has said or done the night before, since whatever the President says or does for the most part, does not affect every day American’s ability to pay their daily bills. The President cannot personally give you a job, neither can he personally take your job away. The American Dream by definition is your ability, by your own hard work, to build the life you want to have because America has given you the freedom and protection to do just that.
Many people look at the Trump family and say, ‘Trump personifies the American Dream – maybe he can help other to achieve the same’.
When onlookers get consumed with the titillation of Trump’s latest tweets instead of looking at the greatness of the American people who go to work every day to make their lives better, that’s the real America. America that leads the world in innovative technology and leads the world in so many other areas; solving global problems. I do not want that America to be lost or buried under a sea of sensational news cycles.
Americans and Immigrants to America are making America great, every day. What is driving America’s greatness, is not the politicians, it’s Americans and Immigrants, future Americans themselves. America will be great no matter who is in the White House. America will be great no matter the economic cycle. No matter who is in the White House there will be economic upswings and down turns.
The genius of America is simple. If you work hard you can be hugely successful. Getting a Green Card, for many is literally like winning the lottery. In fact America does indeed have a Green Card Lottery program and ironically it’s actually called – the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.
I’m not saying that Politics does not matter, or whoever is in the White House does not matter? What I’m saying is, the resilience of the American people as a whole, will thrive regardless and that’s what makes America great.
By Chris M. Ingram., LL.M., ESQ.
Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
US Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
Chris M. Ingram LL.M., ESQ – Immigration Attorney
Admitted in New York.
Practice Specializing in US Immigration Law
401 Wilshire Boulevard, 12th Floor,
[Cross Streets 4th and Wilshire]
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292
Copyright 2017
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