Twelve hours after the State of the Union speech by President Trump, the response demonstrates the likely situation for the next year. Trump delivered a well-crafted speech for one hour and 20 minutes that provided many personal illustrations via gallery guests of his vision of America and the world. While the Republican response to the speech is overwhelmingly positive, the Democrats and mainstream media are desperately searching for negatives to lead the narrative. Yet general citizen response is also positive.

Except for Senator Joe Manchin (D. WV) the Democratic legislators refused to stand and rarely clapped. The left’s politicians’ dour faces will have an impact upon the regular Americans watching and voting in November 2018. As the 2017 tax reform and reduction bill impacts average Americans starting in February, support for Trump will markedly increase. Already the polling data shows some upticks in approval ratings. While the anti-Trump media focuses on his personal likeability, which is depressed due to his tone and direct style, normal people will note the impact upon their daily lives.

Trump delivered a decidedly conservative speech. He repeated his stance on a border wall, limiting chain migration and the visa lottery before any DACA solution can be reached. He stated that terrorists are not just criminals. He put America first and proudly proclaimed his foreign policy to aid our friends and not reward those that oppose our positions. He drew the distinctions between strategic opponents such as North Korea and Iran and our nation.

He offered some carrots to the moderate left such as infrastructure funding, immigration reforms including DACA amnesty (detested by many conservatives), prison reform, and more efforts within minority communities. Yet, few Democrats chose to accept these overtures. Today, Nancy Pelosi delivered a sharp rebuttal to the president and rejected his offerings. Senator Charles Schumer sat uncomfortably during the speech. Democrats have socialism to offer in contrast to the prosperity (but lack of personal certainty) of free markets.

Trump delivered strong support of capitalism and free markets. In this regard, he differs from some (including Mitt Romney) in his party who find it uncomfortable to praise American exceptionalism and economic preeminence. The establishment tries to limit damage from media attacks upon their success. This is the real divide within our nation. The left is not just liberal or progressive, but socialist in its outlook. Listening to Democratic response delivered by Joe Kennedy III leaves one dispirited. As a man of privilege and a celebrity family, it stretches credibility to hear his speech of woe.

Trump had an important job to accomplish in the SOTU speech. He succeeded in giving the independents and moderates a reason to follow his programs and not his personality. His more subdued manner and less fiery approach allowed openminded people to see his rational and optimistic message for the country.

Trump want to restore sanity to government operations. This means striking at the establishment (left and right) swamp of Washington. The changes coming at the FBI and Justice are but a beginning. This effort will remove some of the fear of corrupt penal power that threatens honest brokers within the government. It is one of the many steps necessary to restore the greatness of America.