‘America First’ – So Begins the Trump Revolution

Published in Veja
(Brazil) on 20 January 2017
by Vilma Gryzinski (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Conor Lane. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Trump's defiant inaugural address reveals how the new president is coming out of the gate swinging, exactly as he promised over the course of his successful campaign.

Michelle Obama’s embittered expression practically summed up the entire situation for adversaries of the new president. In front of outgoing President Barack Obama, as well as George Bush — who he also lambasted, albeit indirectly — Donald Trump said that everything had gone wrong for the country.

Speaking to all, but particularly to the “forgotten men and women,” Trump delivered an aggressive, provocative speech, which neither spared Obama’s feelings nor showed any desire, beyond some quickly stated platitudes for national unity, to pacify those segments of the public that didn’t vote for him.

Like a revolutionary leader haranguing the masses, Trump repeated, and even raised the ante of, his campaign speeches. And the nationalist tone increased: no one would take advantage of the American people’s good will, or rob Americans of their jobs or cheat them, he promised.

He went on to promise that the country would be completely rebuilt — even if those looking in on the United States from afar don’t see it as being in ruins — with roads, bridges, airports and railroads being reconstructed with American labor.

Among his other promises: “We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.”

But where had those dreams gone? He explained: “… we’ve defended other nations' borders while refusing to defend our own; and spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.”

In yet another jaw-dropping turn for the world, Trump laid out a personal challenge: “We will … unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.”

This populist manifesto, were certain parts of it to be removed, could be mistaken as befitting the lexicon of a leftist leader. “… [W]e are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American people,” said the leader of the Trump revolution. “… [T]his moment is your moment: it belongs to you.”


‘América em primeiro lugar’: começa a revolução trumpiana

Por Vilma Gryzinski

20 de janeiro de 2017

"Discurso desafiador da posse mostra que o novo presidente vai para a briga, exatamente como prometeu durante a campanha vitoriosa."

A expressão amarga de Michelle Obama praticamente resumiu tudo do ponto de vista dos adversários do presidente que entra: Donald Trump disse que está tudo errado no país, bem na frente do presidente que sai (George Bush também recebeu umas lambadas indiretas).

Falando a todos, mas em especial aos “homens e mulheres esquecidos”, Trump fez um discurso agressivo, provocador, sem considerações pelos sentimentos de Barack Obama nem preocupação alguma em acalmar os que não votaram nele, fora as palavras habituais, bem rápidas, sobre a união nacional.

Como um líder revolucionário arengando a massa, Trump repetiu e até aumentou o calibre de seus discursos de campanha. O tom nacionalista subiu. Ninguém vai mais se aproveitar da boa vontade dos americanos, roubar os empregos americanos, enganar os americanos, prometeu.

O país será completamente reconstruído – embora, quem olhe de fora, não ache que os Estados Unidos estejam em ruínas. Estradas, pontes, aeroportos e ferrovias serão reconstruídos com mão-de-obra americana.

Outras promessas: “Vamos trazer de volta nossas fronteiras, vamos trazer de volta nossa riqueza e trazer de volta nossos sonhos”. E para onde foi tudo isso? “Defendemos as fronteiras de outros nações ao mesmo tempo em que nos recusamos a defender as nossas e gastamos trilhões de dólares no exterior enquanto a infraestrutura da América cai aos pedaços”, explicou ele mesmo.

Em outra guinada de derrubar queixos em todo o planeta, Trump lançou um desafio a si mesmo. “Vamos erradicar o terrorismo islâmico radical completamente da face da Terra”.

O manifesto populista poderia constar do léxico de qualquer líder de esquerda, com alguns sinais trocados. “Estamos transferindo o poder de Washington de volta ao povo”, disse o líder da revolução trumpiana. “Este momento é de vocês, pertence a vocês”.
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