I have gotten a kick today reading a few columns about Donald Trump saying that he believes in America first and telling a New York Times reporter that he likes that slogan, "America First". Trump says that what that slogan means is that in our alliances, it will no longer be the USA that does all the heavy lifting. Our allies will either have to contribute military forces or at least cash for the cost of the alliance. We won't "get ripped off" anymore according to Trump. The columnists, however, mostly ignore what Trump has to say and instead talk about the America First movement that predates US involvement in World War II. America First in the 1930s was isolationist and tried to keep the USA out of the impending and then actual war. It fell apart once the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941. The columnists take Trump to task for using such an "unsavory" name for his position and brand him a know-nothing for doing so.
It's pretty funny. I wonder how many American citizens have any idea what the America First movement of the pre-war era stood for. My guess is that less than 20% of the American people would be able to name which countries fought in World War II. I don't mean all the countries, just the USA, UK, USSR, France (for part), Australia, Canada, and China against Germany, Italy and Japan. If even 2% of the American people know what the pre-war America First movement was, I would be surprised. It's not even something taught in most high school history courses. In other words, the pundits today are criticizing Trump for something no one cares about in the least.
Let me put it this way: If Hillary Clinton were to adopt a new slogan for her campaign of "Stand Up For America!" would you care? Is there something inherently wrong with that sentiment? I don't think so. It was the slogan adopted, however, by the 1968 presidential campaign of George Wallace, the segregationist Democrat who was governor of Alabama. But does anyone really remember that? Not likely.
There are a lot of things out there for which Trump deserves criticism. Using the phrase "America First" is, however, not one of them.
It's pretty funny. I wonder how many American citizens have any idea what the America First movement of the pre-war era stood for. My guess is that less than 20% of the American people would be able to name which countries fought in World War II. I don't mean all the countries, just the USA, UK, USSR, France (for part), Australia, Canada, and China against Germany, Italy and Japan. If even 2% of the American people know what the pre-war America First movement was, I would be surprised. It's not even something taught in most high school history courses. In other words, the pundits today are criticizing Trump for something no one cares about in the least.
Let me put it this way: If Hillary Clinton were to adopt a new slogan for her campaign of "Stand Up For America!" would you care? Is there something inherently wrong with that sentiment? I don't think so. It was the slogan adopted, however, by the 1968 presidential campaign of George Wallace, the segregationist Democrat who was governor of Alabama. But does anyone really remember that? Not likely.
There are a lot of things out there for which Trump deserves criticism. Using the phrase "America First" is, however, not one of them.
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