CRYSTAL BALL — what do you reveal? After a divisive, toxic and confusing election season in 2016, will it be an enlightening, hopeful and promising year for U.S. politics in 2017?
On Tuesday, January 3, Re-elected Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and the newly-elected members of Congress were sworn into office.
In his speech, Ryan said that all the elected officials, regardless of party affiliations, are in office right now because they want to help the American people and get things done to serve the country, promising to work with Democrats on things they agree on while treating each other and the institution with respect on issues they do not agree on.
Ryan is excited about the fact that the Republicans control both the Executive and the Legislative branches of government, which means that there may be more actual results and action, instead of gridlock and bickering that held the American people in the past years.
Minority Leader Democrat Nancy Pelosi affirmed the Democrats’ commitment to work with Republicans for the good of the American people, but also vowed in her speech before introducing Speaker Ryan:
“We will stand our ground wherever in good conscience we must. If there is an attempt to destroy the guarantee of Medicare, harm Medicare, Social Security or the Affordable Care Act, Democrats will stand our ground!
If there is an assault on clean air and clear water, on civil rights, women’s rights or LGBT rights, if Dreamers and their immigrant families face the nightmare of deportation.”
On January 10, President Obama is set to deliver his farewell speech to the nation in Chicago, just as the first President of the United States George Washington did before his term ended.
On January 20, Obama’s successor, President-Elect Donald Trump will take his oath, and will be America’s president, chief executive and commander-in-chief for the next four years.
However, as most political experts point out, Trump is not really an ideological President. This makes them wonder if he will really champion Republican principles and platform.
DO YOU THINK Trump will stir the country in the right direction? Do believe he will be able to fulfill his campaign promise to “make America great again”? Do you feel optimistic and excited about U.S. politics in 2017?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
