WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are turning to an immigrant brought into the U.S. illegally as a child to give a Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s address to Congress. Astrid Silva, 28, said millions of people living in the United States are worried, whether it’s about being deported, losing their health insurance coverage or being […] Reported by Seattle Times 8 hours ago.

Steve Beshear, the former governor of Kentucky, has been tapped to deliver the Democratic party's response to President Donald Trump's address to both house of Congress for one big reason.

The move may seem odd. Beshear currently holds no elected office after his second term expired in 2015 (Kentucky has a two-term limit for governors) and is not the traditional idea of a "rising star" in the party that typically uses the spot to launch themselves into the national spotlight.

So why was he selected? The choice of Beshear seems to be aimed at one of the Democrats most important policy goals: the preservation of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

*Embraced Obamacare*

During Beshear's time as governor, he embraced the ACA and its numerous reforms. The government set up Kynect, a state-based Obamacare exchange after the laws passing in 2010 abd expanded Medicaid coverage for lower income people in the state.

Since then Kynect has been relatively popular. Before the state move to a federal exchange by new Republican governor Matt Bevin, 33% of Kentuckians approved of Kynect while 29% disapproved accoridng to a poll by Public Policy Polling in 2015. By comparison the Affordable Care Act had a 33% approval and 47% disapproval in the same poll. 

Additionally, between 2013 and 2016, Kentucky saw the biggest drop in its uninsured rate. Currently, just 7.8% of Kentuckians don't have health insurance, a huge drop from the 20.4% without coverage in 2013 said a recent Gallup-Healthways tracker.

This does not mean that everything was perfect, much like other states Kentucky has problems with premiums but not as much as other states. Despite this, the state was relatively successful in its roll out of the ACA.

*Senior support*

Despite the fact that Beshear is not a current office holder, his history with the ACA sets him apart to deliver the response according to most senior Democrats.

"Under Governor Beshear’s leadership, Kentucky became one of the great success stories of the Affordable Care Act in delivering quality, affordable health coverage for all," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in the press release announcing the pick. "Governor Beshear is an experienced job-creator and a uniquely credible voice on the devastating consequences of Republicans’ plans to Make America Sick Again for families across America."

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, echoed similar comments in the same release.

"Governor Beshear’s work in Kentucky is proof positive that the Affordable Care Act works; reducing costs and expanding access for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians," said Schumer.

Even former Democratic presidential candidate and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders told MSNBC's Chuck Todd that Beshear's ACA credentials were the "reason he was picked" and he was a good choice despite the fact that Beshear supported Sander's rival Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary.

*Singular focus*

The logic behind the move is also fairly clear. The repeal and replacement of the ACA is shaping up to be the first main legislative battle of the new Congress.

Republicans have pushed forward on repeal, but there are disagreements among the GOP in reguard to a replacement. Couple the discord of Republicans with polls showing that Obamacare is hitting its highest levels of popularity ever, and the Democrats may sense an opening to sway the conversation.

According to Politico, White House Correspondent Sean Spicer said that Trump's speech will not go into detail on a specific Obamacare replacement plan and the possible proposals from Republicans are still wide ranging, so it remains to be seen how granular Beshear's response will be on the ACA.

Beshear, in a Facebook post about the response, said he was excited to highlight his record as Kentucky's governor.

"During my eight years as governor, Kentucky was considered a leader in areas like health care reform, education standards and job creation, and it's exciting that our voice is still being sought out," wrote Beshear.

*SEE ALSO: Republicans are hitting more roadblocks on their Obamacare repeal*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 'It's a lie': Jake Tapper calls out Trump during a fiery interview with Kellyanne Conway Reported by Business Insider 7 hours ago.

Yesterday we asked in lieu of actual details in today's Trump speech, what adjective(s) would Trump pick to spark S&P and USDJPY momentum igniition algos, while overemphasizing his fiscal plan and deflecting from the lack of substance:



What adjective in Trump's speech tomorrow will algos react most strongly to

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 28, 2017



The answer at first glance, according to a leaked draft of select speech excerpts, appears to be "*historic*" and "*massive*" as in "*historic tax reform" *and "*massive tax relief for the middle class.*" Alas, as so many traders have dreaded, there does not appear to be any actionable detail how Trump will achieve this "historic", "massive" tax relief.

Among the other topics discussed are immigration laws, Obamacare (which Trump calls to repeal and replace), child care, promoting clean air and water, rebuilding military infrastructure, and of course, plain old rhetoric.

Here are the select excerpts from the speech which while they may lead to a kneejerk reaction higher in risk assets, will - absent elaboration - likely result in a disappointment market shortly thereafter:



My economic team is *developing historic tax reform *that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. *At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.*



* * *



*By finally enforcing our immigration laws, *we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.



* * *



*Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time provide better healthcare*.

Mandating every American to buy government approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance and that is what we will do.



* * *



My administration wants to work with members in both parties *to make child care accessible and affordable*, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women's health, *and to promote clean air and clean water and rebuild our military infrastructure.*



* * *



The time for small thinking is over, the time for trivial fights is behind us, we just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts, the bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls, and the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action. From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations not burdened by our fears.



* * *



But we know that America is better off when there is less conflict not more. We must learn from the mistakes of the past. We must have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world. The only long-term solution for these humaniatrian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding. America is willing to find new friends and to forge new partnerships were shared interest aling.



* * *



As promised I directed the department of defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS, a netrosk of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians and men women and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies including our friends and allies in the Muslim world to extinguish this file (sic) enemy from our planet.



* * *

And so on. For the full speech tune in at 9pm ET. Reported by Zero Hedge 4 hours ago.

President Donald Trump gave his first major speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Trump spoke on immigration, the economy and education.

*Read Trump’s full remarks as prepared for delivery below:*

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America:

Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation’s path toward civil rights and the work that still remains.  Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.

That torch is now in our hands.  And we will use it to light up the world.  I am heretonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.

A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.

A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.

And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.

What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.

Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.

All the nations of the world ― friend or foe ― will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.

In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding ― 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.

It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?

I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.

For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.

We’ve financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit ― and so many other places throughout our land.

We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross ― and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.

And we’ve spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.

Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet.  The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.

But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus ― as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.

Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Dying industries will come roaring back to life.  Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.

Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.

Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.

Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.

Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.

It’s been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I’ve made in keeping those promises.

Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record.  We’ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government.  We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.

We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job‑crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines ― thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs ― and I’ve issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.

With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.

I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth ― and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security.  By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.  We want all Americans to succeed –- but that can’t happen in an environment of lawless chaos.  We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.

As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens.  Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.

To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question:  what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States.  We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country.  We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.

We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.

It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur.  Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.

We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America ― we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.

That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe ― and to keep out those who would do us harm.

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS ― a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs.  We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court ― from my list of 20 judges ― who will defend our Constitution.  I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight.  Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice.  To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law.  He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.

Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.

Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.

We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.

In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.

We’ve lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we’ve lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.

And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.

Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party.  It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.

But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy ― making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.

My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone.  At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.

We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes ― but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson.  In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business?  They said that it’s good.  I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales.  They told me ― without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it ― that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate.  They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

They weren’t even asking for change.  But I am.

I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the “abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people.”

Lincoln was right ― and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.

I am going to bring back millions of jobs.  Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration.  The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.

Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system.  It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially.  Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon.  According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America’s taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits:  it will save countless dollars, raise workers’ wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –- enter the middle class.

I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.

If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.

Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program –- the building of the interstate highway system.  The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling.  With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice.  And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States ― financed through both public and private capital –- creating millions of new jobs.

This effort will be guided by two core principles:  Buy American, and Hire American.

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.

Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America.  The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.

Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits.  As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone.  Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State ― it is unsustainable and collapsing.

One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all.

Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?

We now know that all of those promises have been broken.

Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans.  Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.

So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.

Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed.  Every problem can be solved.  And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.

Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces to finally get it done?  On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.

My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women’s health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.

True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.

An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley.  Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old.  She was not expected to live past 5.

On receiving this news, Megan’s dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child.  He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan’s life.  Today she is 20 years old ― and a sophomore at Notre Dame.

Megan’s story is about the unbounded power of a father’s love for a daughter.

But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan’s life, from reaching those in need.

If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.

In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles.

But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.

Education is the civil rights issue of our time.

I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children.  These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.

Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather.  As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice.  But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program.  Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college.  Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.

We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.

But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.

The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.

In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.

This is not acceptable in our society.

Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.

But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement.

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.

Police and sheriffs are members of our community.  They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they’ll come home safe and sound.

We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.

And we must support the victims of crime.

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims.  The office is called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement.  We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.

Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.

Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.

Jamiel’s 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison.  Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback.  But he never got the chance.  His father, who is in the audiencetonight, has become a good friend of mine.

Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis.  Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of duty in California.  They were pillars of their community.  These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.

Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna.  Jenna:  I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.

To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica:  I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for justice.  Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.

Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win.

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.

Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.

The challenges we face as a Nation are great.  But our people are even greater.

And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.

We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens.  Ryan died as he lived:  a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation.

I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, “Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies.”  Ryan’s legacy is etched into eternity.  For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom –- we will never forget him.

To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.

Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world.  It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.

We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.

But our partners must meet their financial obligations.

And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.

We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.

Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people –- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path.  My job is not to represent the world.  My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict ― not more.

We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.

The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.

America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align.  We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.

We want peace, wherever peace can be found.  America is friends today with former enemies.  Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars.  This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world.

Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.

On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America’s centennial.  At that celebration, the country’s builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.

Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.

Remington unveiled the first typewriter.  An early attempt was made at electric light.

Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.

Imagine the wonders our country could know in America’s 250th year.

Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.

Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.

American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.

Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.

And streets where mothers are safe from fear ― schools where children learn in peace ― and jobs where Americans prosper and grow ― are not too much to ask.

When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.

This is our vision. This is our mission.

But we can only get there together.

We are one people, with one destiny.

We all bleed the same blood.

We all salute the same flag.

And we are all made by the same God.

And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.

The time for small thinking is over.  The time for trivial fights is behind us.

We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.

The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.

And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears –- inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past –- and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit.  I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country.  And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and ―

Believe in yourselves.

Believe in your future.

And believe, once more, in America.

Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States.type=type=RelatedArticlesblockTitle=Related... + articlesList=5875acbce4b0db4ac4c4e923,58a7fc48e4b037d17d282c92

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While the full Trump speech transcript is below, for those curious only in the key economic/trade excerpt, it is laid out below:



My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class. We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

 

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes -- but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing. I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.

 

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it's good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me -- without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it -- that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

 

They weren't even asking for change. But I am. I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.



While this is not an explicit mention of BAT, some read into the excerpt above as validation of border adjustability.

Next, here is Trump on Obamacare:



Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity. So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.

 

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:

 

First, we should ensure that *Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage*, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

 

Secondly, *we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts *–- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

 

Thirdly, we should *give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid *to make sure no one is left out.

 

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – *and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately. *

 

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the *freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines *–- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.



* * *

The full Trump transcript is below:

*President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday as prepared for delivery.*

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and Citizens of America:

Tonight, as we mark the conclusion of our celebration of Black History Month, we are reminded of our Nation's path toward civil rights and the work that still remains.

Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week's shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a Nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms.

Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice –- in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.

That torch is now in our hands. And we will use it to light up the world. I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.

A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.

A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation.

And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.

What we are witnessing today is the Renewal of the American Spirit.

Our allies will find that America is once again ready to lead.

All the nations of the world -- friend or foe -- will find that America is strong, America is proud, and America is free.

In 9 years, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding -- 250 years since the day we declared our Independence.

It will be one of the great milestones in the history of the world.

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year? What kind of country will we leave for our children?

I will not allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course of our future.

For too long, we've watched our middle class shrink as we've exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries.

We've financed and built one global project after another, but ignored the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit -- and so many other places throughout our land.

We've defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross -- and for drugs to pour in at a now unprecedented rate.

And we've spent trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at home has so badly crumbled.

Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair
shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.

But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus -- as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.

Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.

Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve.

Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land.

Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and ultimately, stop.

And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.

Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.

It's been a little over a month since my inauguration, and I want to take this moment to update the Nation on the progress I've made in keeping those promises.

Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. We've saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our Government. We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5 year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.

We have undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job?crushing regulations, creating a deregulation task force inside of every Government agency; imposing a new rule which mandates that for every 1 new regulation, 2 old regulations must be eliminated; and stopping a regulation that threatens the future and livelihoods of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines -- thereby creating tens of thousands of jobs -- and I've issued a new directive that new American pipelines be made with American steel.

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.

With the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have formed a Council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks, markets and capital they need to start a business and live out their financial dreams.

To protect our citizens, I have directed the Department of Justice to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.

I have further ordered the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, along with the Department of State and the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate an aggressive strategy to dismantle the criminal cartels that have spread across our Nation.

We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth -- and we will expand treatment for those who have become so badly addicted.

At the same time, my Administration has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security. By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise wages, help the unemployed, save billions of dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone. We want all Americans to succeed –- but that can't happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders.

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great wall along our southern border. It will be started ahead of schedule and, when finished, it will be a very effective weapon against drugs and crime.

As we speak, we are removing gang members, drug dealers and criminals that threaten our communities and prey on our citizens. Bad ones are going out as I speak tonight and as I have promised.

To any in Congress who do not believe we should enforce our laws, I would ask you this question: what would you say to the American family that loses their jobs, their income, or a loved one, because America refused to uphold its laws and defend its borders?

Our obligation is to serve, protect, and defend the citizens of the United States. We are also taking strong measures to protect our Nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism.

According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the vast majority of individuals convicted for terrorism-related offenses since 9/11 came here from outside of our country. We have seen the attacks at home -– from Boston to San Bernardino to the Pentagon and yes, even the World Trade Center.

We have seen the attacks in France, in Belgium, in Germany and all over the world.

It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.

We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.

That is why my Administration has been working on improved vetting procedures, and we will shortly take new steps to keep our Nation safe -- and to keep out those who would do us harm.

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS -- a network of lawless savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and men, women, and children of all faiths and beliefs. We will work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals who support Iran's ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed our unbreakable alliance with the State of Israel.

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a Justice to the United States Supreme Court -- from my list of 20 judges -- who will defend our Constitution. I am honored to have Maureen Scalia with us in the gallery tonight. Her late, great husband, Antonin Scalia, will forever be a symbol of American justice. To fill his seat, we have chosen Judge Neil Gorsuch, a man of incredible skill, and deep devotion to the law. He was confirmed unanimously to the Court of Appeals, and I am asking the Senate to swiftly approve his nomination.

Tonight, as I outline the next steps we must take as a country, we must honestly acknowledge the circumstances we inherited.

Ninety-four million Americans are out of the labor force.

Over 43 million people are now living in poverty, and over 43 million Americans are on food stamps.

More than 1 in 5 people in their prime working years are not working.

We have the worst financial recovery in 65 years.

In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.

We've lost more than one-fourth of our manufacturing jobs since NAFTA was approved, and we've lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.

Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion dollars.

And overseas, we have inherited a series of tragic foreign policy disasters.

Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party. It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.

But to accomplish our goals at home and abroad, we must restart the engine of the American economy -- making it easier for companies to do business in the United States, and much harder for companies to leave.

Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.

My economic team is developing historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies so they can compete and thrive anywhere and with anyone. At the same time, we will provide massive tax relief for the middle class.

We must create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

Currently, when we ship products out of America, many other countries make us pay very high tariffs and taxes -- but when foreign companies ship their products into America, we charge them almost nothing.

I just met with officials and workers from a great American company, Harley-Davidson. In fact, they proudly displayed five of their magnificent motorcycles, made in the USA, on the front lawn of the White House.

At our meeting, I asked them, how are you doing, how is business? They said that it's good. I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me -- without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it -- that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate. They said that in one case another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent.

They weren't even asking for change. But I am.

I believe strongly in free trade but it also has to be FAIR TRADE.

The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the "abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people."

Lincoln was right -- and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.

I am going to bring back millions of jobs. Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.

Nations around the world, like Canada, Australia and many others –- have a merit-based immigration system. It is a basic principle that those seeking to enter a country ought to be able to support themselves financially. Yet, in America, we do not enforce this rule, straining the very public resources that our poorest citizens rely upon. According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs America's taxpayers many billions of dollars a year.

Switching away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, will have many benefits: it will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages, and help struggling families –- including immigrant families –- enter the middle class.

I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.

If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.

Another Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, initiated the last truly great national infrastructure program –- the building of the interstate highway system. The time has come for a new program of national rebuilding.

America has spent approximately six trillion dollars in the Middle East, all this while our infrastructure at home is crumbling. With this six trillion dollars we could have rebuilt our country –- twice. And maybe even three times if we had people who had the ability to negotiate.

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking the Congress to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in the infrastructure of the United States -- financed through both public and private capital –- creating millions of new jobs.

This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy American, and Hire American.

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase access, lower costs, and at the same time, provide better Healthcare.

Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.

Obamacare premiums nationwide have increased by double and triple digits. As an example, Arizona went up 116 percent last year alone. Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State -- it is unsustainable and collapsing.

One third of counties have only one insurer on the exchanges –- leaving many Americans with no choice at all.

Remember when you were told that you could keep your doctor, and keep your plan?

We now know that all of those promises have been broken.

Obamacare is collapsing –- and we must act decisively to protect all Americans. Action is not a choice –- it is a necessity.

So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster.

Here are the principles that should guide the Congress as we move to create a better healthcare system for all Americans:

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.

Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved. And every hurting family can find healing, and hope.

Our citizens deserve this, and so much more –- so why not join forces to finally get it done? On this and so many other things, Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country, and for the good of the American people.

My administration wants to work with members in both parties to make childcare accessible and affordable, to help ensure new parents have paid family leave, to invest in women's health, and to promote clean air and clear water, and to rebuild our military and our infrastructure.

True love for our people requires us to find common ground, to advance the common good, and to cooperate on behalf of every American child who deserves a brighter future.

An incredible young woman is with us this evening who should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Today is Rare Disease day, and joining us in the gallery is a Rare Disease Survivor, Megan Crowley. Megan was diagnosed with Pompe Disease, a rare and serious illness, when she was 15 months old. She was not expected to live past 5.

On receiving this news, Megan's dad, John, fought with everything he had to save the life of his precious child. He founded a company to look for a cure, and helped develop the drug that saved Megan's life. Today she is 20 years old -- and a sophomore at Notre Dame.

Megan's story is about the unbounded power of a father's love for a daughter.

But our slow and burdensome approval process at the Food and Drug Administration keeps too many advances, like the one that saved Megan's life, from reaching those in need.

If we slash the restraints, not just at the FDA but across our Government, then we will be blessed with far more miracles like Megan.

In fact, our children will grow up in a Nation of miracles.

But to achieve this future, we must enrich the mind –- and the souls –- of every American child.

Education is the civil rights issue of our time.

I am calling upon Members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.

Joining us tonight in the gallery is a remarkable woman, Denisha Merriweather. As a young girl, Denisha struggled in school and failed third grade twice. But then she was able to enroll in a private center for learning, with the help of a tax credit scholarship program. Today, she is the first in her family to graduate, not just from high school, but from college. Later this year she will get her masters degree in social work.

We want all children to be able to break the cycle of poverty just like Denisha.

But to break the cycle of poverty, we must also break the cycle of violence.

The murder rate in 2015 experienced its largest single-year increase in nearly half a century.

In Chicago, more than 4,000 people were shot last year alone –- and the murder rate so far this year has been even higher.

This is not acceptable in our society.

Every American child should be able to grow up in a safe community, to attend a great school, and to have access to a high-paying job.

But to create this future, we must work with –- not against -– the men and women of law enforcement.

We must build bridges of cooperation and trust –- not drive the wedge of disunity and division.

Police and sheriffs are members of our community. They are friends and neighbors, they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters – and they leave behind loved ones every day who worry whether or not they'll come home safe and sound.

We must support the incredible men and women of law enforcement.

And we must support the victims of crime.

I have ordered the Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve American Victims. The office is called VOICE –- Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement. We are providing a voice to those who have been ignored by our media, and silenced by special interests.

Joining us in the audience tonight are four very brave Americans whose government failed them.

Their names are Jamiel Shaw, Susan Oliver, Jenna Oliver, and Jessica Davis.
Jamiel's 17-year-old son was viciously murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member, who had just been released from prison. Jamiel Shaw Jr. was an incredible young man, with unlimited potential who was getting ready to go to college where he would have excelled as a great quarterback. But he never got the chance. His father, who is in the audience tonight, has become a good friend of mine.

Also with us are Susan Oliver and Jessica Davis. Their husbands –- Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver and Detective Michael Davis –- were slain in the line of duty in California. They were pillars of their community. These brave men were viciously gunned down by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record and two prior deportations.
Sitting with Susan is her daughter, Jenna. Jenna: I want you to know that your father was a hero, and that tonight you have the love of an entire country supporting you and praying for you.

To Jamiel, Jenna, Susan and Jessica: I want you to know –- we will never stop fighting for justice. Your loved ones will never be forgotten, we will always honor their memory.

Finally, to keep America Safe we must provide the men and women of the United States military with the tools they need to prevent war and –- if they must –- to fight and to win.

I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history.

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.

Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.

The challenges we face as a Nation are great. But our people are even greater.

And none are greater or braver than those who fight for America in uniform.

We are blessed to be joined tonight by Carryn Owens, the widow of a U.S. Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William "Ryan" Owens. Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero –- battling against terrorism and securing our Nation.

I just spoke to General Mattis, who reconfirmed that, and I quote, "Ryan was a part of a highly successful raid that generated large amounts of vital intelligence that will lead to many more victories in the future against our enemies." Ryan's legacy is etched into eternity. For as the Bible teaches us, there is no greater act of love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Ryan laid down his life for his friends, for his country, and for our freedom –- we will never forget him.

To those allies who wonder what kind of friend America will be, look no further than the heroes who wear our uniform.

Our foreign policy calls for a direct, robust and meaningful engagement with the world. It is American leadership based on vital security interests that we share with our allies across the globe.

We strongly support NATO, an alliance forged through the bonds of two World Wars that dethroned fascism, and a Cold War that defeated communism.

But our partners must meet their financial obligations.

And now, based on our very strong and frank discussions, they are beginning to do just that.

We expect our partners, whether in NATO, in the Middle East, or the Pacific –- to take a direct and meaningful role in both strategic and military operations, and pay their fair share of the cost.

We will respect historic institutions, but we will also respect the sovereign rights of nations.

Free nations are the best vehicle for expressing the will of the people –- and America respects the right of all nations to chart their own path. My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America. But we know that America is better off, when there is less conflict -- not more.

We must learn from the mistakes of the past –- we have seen the war and destruction that have raged across our world.

The only long-term solution for these humanitarian disasters is to create the conditions where displaced persons can safely return home and begin the long process of rebuilding.

America is willing to find new friends, and to forge new partnerships, where shared interests align. We want harmony and stability, not war and conflict.

We want peace, wherever peace can be found. America is friends today with former enemies. Some of our closest allies, decades ago, fought on the opposite side of these World Wars. This history should give us all faith in the possibilities for a better world.

Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free.

On our 100th anniversary, in 1876, citizens from across our Nation came to Philadelphia to celebrate America's centennial. At that celebration, the country's builders and artists and inventors showed off their creations.

Alexander Graham Bell displayed his telephone for the first time.

Remington unveiled the first typewriter. An early attempt was made at electric light.

Thomas Edison showed an automatic telegraph and an electric pen.

Imagine the wonders our country could know in America's 250th year.

Think of the marvels we can achieve if we simply set free the dreams of our people.

Cures to illnesses that have always plagued us are not too much to hope.

American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream.

Millions lifted from welfare to work is not too much to expect.

And streets where mothers are safe from fear -- schools where children learn in peace -- and jobs where Americans prosper and grow -- are not too much to ask.

When we have all of this, we will have made America greater than ever before. For all Americans.

This is our vision. This is our mission.

But we can only get there together.

We are one people, with one destiny.

We all bleed the same blood.

We all salute the same flag.

And we are all made by the same God.

And when we fulfill this vision; when we celebrate our 250 years of glorious freedom, we will look back on tonight as when this new chapter of American Greatness began.

The time for small thinking is over. The time for trivial fights is behind us.

We just need the courage to share the dreams that fill our hearts.

The bravery to express the hopes that stir our souls.

And the confidence to turn those hopes and dreams to action.

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations, not burdened by our fears –- inspired by the future, not bound by the failures of the past –- and guided by our vision, not blinded by our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this Renewal of the American Spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country. And I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this moment and --

Believe in yourselves.

Believe in your future.

And believe, once more, in America.

Thank you, God bless you, and God Bless these United States. Reported by Zero Hedge 4 hours ago.

The health law offers subsidized private health insurance along with a state option to expand Medicaid for low-income people. Republican governors whose states have expanded Medicaid are trying to find a way to persuade Congress and the administration to keep the expansion, and maybe even build on it, while imposing limits on the long-term costs of Medicaid. [...] affected are millions of people who buy individual policies outside the government markets, and face the same high premiums with no financial help from the health law. Reported by SeattlePI.com 4 hours ago.

President Donald Trump's vision for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) backs away from earlier pledges to guarantee coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and leans on tax credits to ensure Americans can afford to pay for insurance premiums.

Trump is speaking to both houses of Congress and laid out five principles for the replacement of the law better known as Obamacare.

Trump cited increasing premiums, withdrawals of insurers from the ACA's individual insurance exchanges, and the promise from former President Barack Obama.

"Obamacare is collapsing — and we must act decisively to protect all Americans.  Action is not a choice — it is a necessity," he said. "So I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster."

Additionally, Trump laid out five broad ideas that he wants the Republican Obamacare replacement to address they are:

· *"Ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage": *Importantly Trump refers to "access" for those with pre-existing conditions, not a guarantee that there will be coverage. This is backing down from previous statements Trump has made that everyone would be covered.
· *"[H]elp Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts": *Currently, Republicans are favoring block tax credits that would allow people to buy health coverage, rather than the current ACA tax cuts that are tied to a households level of income.
· *"[G]ive our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid": *This is the biggest sticking point for many Republican lawmakers, as those states that have expanded Medicaid wish to keep it, while more conservative members of Congress want to remove funding for that expansion. Trump's speech did not particularly clarify which side of the issue the president falls on.
· *"[I]mplement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance": *This is unclear what Trump is referencing other than a promise to "bring down the artificially high price of drugs."
· *"[G]**ive Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines":* The ACA actually has a provision that already allows interstate insurance sales, though few insurers or states have taken advantage of the provision. Additionally, many healthcare experts think this will do little to bring down insurance costs.

Democrats booed and responded by holding their thumbs down during the speech. They are expected to respond to Trump's ACA pledge with former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear, who embraced the ACA during his time in office to a relatively high level of success.

Interestingly, Trump used the example of the current governor of Kentucky saying "Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky just said Obamacare is failing in his State." Kentucky has seen the largest drop in the percentage uninsured people between 2013 and 2016 due to the ACA.

*SEE ALSO: Democrats' pick to respond to Trump's speech was selected for one huge reason*

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Trump's doctor and a hair surgeon explain what's going on with his hair Reported by Business Insider 4 hours ago.

Just under 70 minutes, 4,825 words, and the message was clear - the speech was about* "will" *and *"Americans"*

Additionally "Obamacare" was mentioned 5 times, "Historic" was mentioned 3 times, and "massive" twice.

..



I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. #JointAddress

— President Trump (@POTUS) March 1, 2017



President Trump got a warm welcome...



An extended standing ovation for the president as he takes his place on the rostrum. pic.twitter.com/lxGDA2m3wK

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 1, 2017



To start with, for some reason Nancy Pelosi thought that Democratic women wearing white would make a statement...



Tonight, our Democratic #WomenWearWhite in support of women's rights -- in spite of a @POTUS who doesn't! pic.twitter.com/kKJpfV5iUE

— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 28, 2017



President Trump did not wear a red tie!!!



THE TIE PIVOT HAS ARRIVED!#JointSession pic.twitter.com/2UqLdLyWLo

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 1, 2017



 



.@POTUS: "A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning. A new national pride is sweeping across our Nation." https://t.co/dAlG7hq9Sd pic.twitter.com/oEN3rESfts

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 1, 2017



Trump began by referring to* his election as a "rebellion" against "mistakes of recent decades"*...



*Then, in 2016, the earth shifted beneath our feet. The rebellion started as a quiet protest, *spoken by families of all colors and creeds -– families who just wanted a fair shot for their children, and a fair hearing for their concerns.

 

But then the quiet voices became a loud chorus -- as thousands of citizens now spoke out together, from cities small and large, all across our country.

 

*Finally, the chorus became an earthquake – and the people turned out by the tens of millions, and they were all united by one very simple, but crucial demand, that America must put its own citizens first ... because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.*



Trump then reminded Congress of his market gains...



Since my election, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, General Motors, Sprint, Softbank, Lockheed, Intel, Walmart, and many others, have announced that they will invest billions of dollars in the United States and will create tens of thousands of new American jobs.

*The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record. *We’ve saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of the fantastic new F-35 jet fighter, and will be saving billions more dollars on contracts all across our government.

We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential federal workers.



Which Nancy Pelosi did not appreciate...

*"Draining the swamp"* got a somewhat subdued rund of applause...



We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a five year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials –- and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government.



*Nancy Pelosi* was not impressed...



This reaction by @NancyPelosi is EVERYTHING #SOTU @Shareblue pic.twitter.com/nW9Qf8tSZS

— Tommy Christopher (@tommyxtopher) March 1, 2017



As Trump turned to *immigration*...



Trump will not allow "terrorism to form inside America. We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary of extremists." #JointAddress pic.twitter.com/eNslYVTIqu

— New York Times Video (@nytvideo) March 1, 2017



 



It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values.

 

*We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.*

 

*I believe that real and positive immigration reform is possible*, as long as we focus on the following goals: to improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation’s security, and to restore respect for our laws.

 

*If we are guided by the well-being of American citizens then I believe Republicans and Democrats can work together to achieve an outcome that has eluded our country for decades.*



And *free trade*, quoting Lincoln...



*“The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, warned that the “abandonment of the protective policy by the American Government [will] produce want and ruin among our people,” *he says.

 

*Lincoln was right *-- and it is time we heeded his words. I am not going to let America and its great companies and workers, be taken advantage of anymore.

 

*I am going to bring back millions of jobs. *Protecting our workers also means reforming our system of legal immigration. The current, outdated system depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers.



*Obamacare *was up next...The Republican side of the chamber jumps to their feet and cheers.



Check out Nancy Pelosi's reaction to Trump calling Obamacare a "disaster" pic.twitter.com/h4r0T7kabf

— Axios (@axios) March 1, 2017



The Democrats all remain seated, with some female politicians in white suits seen giving the thumbs down to Trump’s comments.



Big applause from Republicans on "repeal and replace Obamacare." Some Dems signal thumbs down https://t.co/5iBV2jtl98 pic.twitter.com/ZTWDBrKNtS

— Bloomberg (@business) March 1, 2017



 



*Mandating every American to buy government-approved health insurance was never the right solution for America. *The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.



Trump offers some details on this...



First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to coverage, and that we have a stable transition for Americans currently enrolled in the healthcare exchanges.

 

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts –- but it must be the plan they want, not the plan forced on them by the Government.

 

Thirdly, we should give our great State Governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.

 

Fourthly, we should implement legal reforms that protect patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the price of insurance – and work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

 

Finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across State lines –- creating a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring cost way down and provide far better care.



Trump then discusses *education*, positioning it as a race issue.



*Education is the civil rights issue of our time.*

 

I am calling upon members of both parties to pass an education bill that funds school choice for* disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. *These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.



Ron Paul had some things to say on that...



If you really want to reduce the violence in our cities...get rid of the drug war!

— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) March 1, 2017



Trump then turned to *Military *and veterans:



“I am sending the Congress a budget that rebuilds the military, eliminates the Defense sequester, and calls for one of the largest increases in national defense spending in American history,” says Trump.

 

“My budget will also increase funding for our veterans.

 

“Our veterans have delivered for this Nation –- and now we must deliver for them.”



*Carryn Owens, the widow of a US Navy Special Operator, Senior Chief William “Ryan” Owens*, who died in a raid in Yemen in January, shortly after Trump’s inauguration, was in attendance and received a very length standing ovation as Trump paid him (and her) tribute...



Widow of Ryan Owens, Navy SEAL slain in Yemen raid, acknowledged by Pres. Trump at #JointAddress https://t.co/abn2wubjTr pic.twitter.com/ysEatnaXyr

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 1, 2017



But Ron Paul once again made a noteworthy point...



Warmongering is alive and well. Tragically. Focus on the widow. What a terrible use of tragedy for political purposes.

— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) March 1, 2017



Trump ended on a much more upbeat optimistic tone (especialy compared to his inaugural address)

*"My job is not to represent the world. My job is to represent the United States of America."*

*"Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed"*



.@POTUS: "Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed" https://t.co/4ddqDrFK9s pic.twitter.com/fjfDJ6AhV4

— POLITICO (@politico) March 1, 2017



 
 

 

 



.@POTUS: "We all bleed the same blood. We all salute the same flag. And we are all made by the same God." https://t.co/OJYBoBsiIM pic.twitter.com/l6TJ3oGut9

— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) March 1, 2017



 

*  *  *

*Read the full Transcript here: President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday as prepared for delivery. *

We leave it to Ron Paul - who has been very vocal tonight - to sum it up:



Now the grades: His vision for the US at its 250th anniversary: A-
His methods to achieve it? He gets: F.

— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) March 1, 2017





Final grade on libertarian scale: Plans/strategy: F
Overall: D-

— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) March 1, 2017

Reported by Zero Hedge 3 hours ago.

Repeal could end coverage for 1.8 million people who have undergone addiction or mental health treatment, and cut $5.5 billion in spending on such services, according to estimates by economist Richard Frank, a former Obama administration official now at Harvard Medical School. Broadly speaking, Republicans want to transform the health insurance program for low-income people from an open-ended federal entitlement to a system that provides states with a limited amount of financing and gives them latitude on how to spend it. Reported by SeattlePI.com 3 hours ago.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale says private health insurance is a total waste of money and has questioned why any Australian would take out a policy. Reported by SBS 3 hours ago.

In his response to Trump's address to the joint session of Congress, former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear accuses Trump of planning to rip affordable health insurance from Americans Reported by CBS News 3 hours ago.

In his speech to Congress tonight Donald Trump once again showed that he lacks the basic understanding of policy issues expected of a president of either party. While this lack of understanding comes through in every area of public policy he addresses, nowhere is it clearer than in his discussion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Throughout his campaign he denounced the ACA in the strongest possible terms. He routinely pronounced it as a disaster and used other equally strong terms. He promised the public that he would replace the ACA with something terrific.

In the course of the campaign he never gave any specifics of a replacement for the ACA. Nor did he produce any specifics in the period between the election and his inauguration. Now, more than a month after he has taken office as president, he still has not produced even an outline of how he intends to replace the ACA, although he continues to affirm his commitment to ending the program.

This is an incredibly cruel hoax on the American people. More than twenty million people now have insurance through the ACA. Many of these people have serious health conditions that would have made it difficult or impossible to get insurance in the pre-ACA market.

However, the importance of the ACA goes well beyond the number of people who have insurance at any point in time. Five million people lose or leave their jobs every month. These people often leave jobs with employer-provided insurance and either go through a period of unemployment or get a new job that doesn’t provide insurance.

The ACA provides security to these workers and to tens of millions of others who know they now have the option to get insurance if they leave their job. This is the reason that the number of people choosing to work part-time has risen by more than two million since the ACA effect. The impact has been strongest among young parents and older workers who are still pre-Medicare age.

President Trump and the Republicans in Congress are threatening to take away this security with their promise to repeal the ACA. People need to make plans – some are considering retirement, others want to start a business. Unfortunately, President Trump still has not given even an outline of what his final plan might look like.

It is inconceivable that any prior president would have been so irresponsible in dealing with an issue that is both enormously important to the American people and that he himself has put front and center in his political agenda.

Trump and his Republican supporters must start to put some concrete proposals on the table. If Donald Trump isn’t prepared to be serious about health insurance then the adult Republicans in Congress will inevitably take the lead. Reported by Eurasia Review 3 hours ago.

President Donald Trump renewed his call to repeal and “replace” the Affordable Care Act during his address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, but he once again did not offer any real details about what should succeed the landmark health care overhaul.

Throughout his campaign and ever since his surprising Election Day victory, Trump has promised to produce a plan that would reduce cost and increase access, a vow he restated Monday. But outside of some general platitudes that Trump has long endorsed, the president offered no new guidelines for a replacement to former President Barack Obama’s 2010 law, which extended coverage to 20 million previously uninsured Americans.

While Trump’s speech will likely win praise from congressional Republicans, and his general principles for health care may allay some in the general public, Trump didn’t say anything likely to quell the discontent among the House and Senate GOP as they wade into policy specifics that have left them reeling.

In his remarks to lawmakers, Trump disappointed anyone hoping he would take the lead on the Obamacare repeal and “replace” effort amid the increasingly difficult political atmosphere characterized by angry citizens storming lawmakers’ town halls and the suddenly rising popularity of the health care law.

Republicans applauded Trump’s exhortation to gut Obamacare, and they found other things to cheer during the five-minute health care portion of his speech. But for the lawmakers actually familiar with the complexity of “replacing” the Affordable Care Act, it will be revealing that the president put the onus on Congress to resolve this issue.

Compare that vague, lead-from-behind approach to Trump’s section on a tax overhaul, where he said, “My economic team is developing historic tax reform.”

Where tax reform is his, Obamacare is on Congress, Trump seemed to be saying.

Tellingly, Trump also made a plea for bipartisan action on health care reform. “I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster,” he said.

Part of this is mere math: Republicans hold a slim majority in the Senate and will need Democratic votes to advance major parts of their health care agenda.

But it also calls to mind Trump’s repeated statements ― including just a day ago ― that his best political course would be to stand pat and do nothing to address the health care system, in hopes any further troubles will be blamed on the Democrats who created the Affordable Care Act.

Trump mostly recounted common talking points about the shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act and the promises that Republican policies would be superior. Unlike he repeatedly has vowed, however, Trump shied away from promising universal health care coverage.

As he did during his presidential campaign, Trump hit several major themes that broadly adhere to Republican orthodoxy on health care policy:

Health insurance costs are too high. Consumers have too few insurers to choose from. States need more flexibility to alter their Medicaid programs. Americans should have greater access to tax-free health savings accounts. Health insurers should be permitted to sell policies to out-of-state customers. Trump also called for limits on medical malpractice lawsuits and lower prescription drug prices.

One part that Republicans will certainly take note of will be Trump’s endorsement of tax credits. Conservatives are currently locked in a fight with GOP leadership over the idea of advance refundable tax credits.

But Trump’s speech didn’t wade deeply enough into the weeds for anyone to really determine whether he supports the specific tax credits proposed by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and opposed by conservative factions in Congress, or some other type of tax credit.

Trump said he favors tax credits to defray the cost of insurance and access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, but failed to say how.

And plans circulating on Capitol Hill so far would lead to far fewer people covered by health insurance and to higher out-of-pocket costs, especially for older people and those with low incomes. A draft House Republican bill ― since disavowed by GOP leadership ― would offer financial assistance to some Americans and a form of protections for people with pre-existing conditions, but they fall far short of what the Affordable Care Act already provides.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

Watch VideoPresident Trump wants to overhaul Obamacare — just as the program is getting more popular. 

"I am calling on all Democrats and Republicans in the Congress to work with us to save Americans from this imploding Obamacare disaster," Trump said in his first address to a joint session of Congress.

This comes as support for the Affordable Care Act is at a new high. A majority of Americans approve of it for the first time since it passed in 2010 — 54 percent of Americans approve, while 43 percent disapprove. 

But in October, the Obama administration announced the cost of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act was expected to rise an average of 22 percent in 2017.

"Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare," Trump said in his address.

*SEE MORE: New Polls Show Protesters Aren't Alone In Support Of Obamacare*

According to the Pew Research Center, of those American adults who disapprove of Obamacare, more think GOP leaders should modify the law rather than repeal it — 25 percent to 17 percent.

Trump laid out five principles for a health care overhaul. Those included coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, tax credits and expanded health savings accounts to pay for coverage, working to bring down the price of drugs and allowing Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines. Reported by Newsy 2 hours ago.

President Donald Trump told Congress Tuesday night that Americans with pre-existing conditions won't lose their coverage in his efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare. He also wants to offer tax credits and Health Savings Accounts to help keep down the costs of health insurance premiums. Trump told Congress he would like to give states the flexibility to administer their Medicaid programs the way they see fit, but made no mention of block grants that many fear would create a financial burden on… Reported by bizjournals 2 hours ago.

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump didn’t insult any war heroes. He didn’t pitch conspiracy theories about millions of illegal votes. He didn’t call the news media the “enemies of the American people.”

For Republicans nervously watching the new president for signs of calm leadership, that was the good news, as Trump stuck to his teleprompter for nearly all of his 5,000-word, hourlong address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, the first of his term.

“I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the American spirit,” Trump read, using language almost any president of either party might have used. “I am asking all members of Congress to join me in dreaming big, and bold and daring things for our country.”

Now for the bad news: Trump provided no details on how a promised replacement of the Affordable Care Act would work; how, precisely, tax reform would be structured or paid for; or even the functioning of his “trillion-dollar” infrastructure plan.

And all of that’s before Trump has had the chance to return to Twitter, as he is wont to do, where he’s not reading off a prepared script and can say what he really feels.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) blasted out praise immediately after Trump had glad-handed his way out the House chamber, calling the speech “a home run” and thanking Trump for taking the lead on repealing Obamacare and reforming the tax code, long a priority for the congressman.“I want to thank President Trump for putting us on a path to a better future,” Ryan said in the statement.

Ryan, though, may come to rethink that enthusiasm in the coming weeks and months.

Because Trump in many ways boxed in his Capitol Hill party mates even as he provided scant details on what should be done.

On health care, for example, Trump called for a replacement of the Affordable Care Act that would “expand choice, increase access, lower costs and at the same time provide better health care” ― an impossible combination.

His new plan, he said, would continue to insure those with preexisting conditions and use tax credits and health savings accounts to help Americans pay for them. How big would the tax credits be, and who would be eligible? Trump didn’t say, but he did promise: “The way to make health insurance available to everyone is to lower the cost of health insurance, and that is what we will do.”

On tax reform, Trump voiced continued support for lower rates on both corporations and individuals ― an idea that Republicans leaders like Ryan can easily support. “It will be a big, big, cut,” Trump promised. But then Trump added his support for including a feature to tax imports and subsidize exports, an idea that has Ryan is backing, but it’s already seeing powerful opponents in the business community and the Senate lining up.

On his much touted, trillion-dollar plan to rebuild roads, bridges and tunnels, Trump dispensed with it in 56 words. The only details offered were that it would include both public and private capital, and would create “millions of new jobs.”

As for a “compromise” on immigration reform with a pathway to at least legalization for undocumented immigrants ― as Trump earlier Tuesday had suggested he could support ― there was not a word, making it easy for Democrats to conclude there was no reason to work with Trump at all.

“Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed. Every problem can be solved,” Trump said. “Democrats and Republicans should get together and unite for the good of our country and for the good of the American people.”

Trump probably should not be surprised if the reality of making that happen is a good deal harder than reading words off of his teleprompter.type=type=RelatedArticlesblockTitle=Related... + articlesList=58b6348fe4b0a8a9b7871d92,58b631a5e4b0780bac2e3f3c,58b630dee4b0a8a9b7871b12

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 2 hours ago.

*By The Canadian Press*

WASHINGTON — Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear took a populist tenor in Democrats' formal response to President Donald Trump's speech to Congress on Tuesday, accusing him of planning to "rip affordable health insurance" from Americans and being "Wall Street's champion."

Seated at a diner in Lexington, Kentucky, Beshear assailed Trump for "ignoring serious threats to our national security from Russia, who's not our friend, while alienating our allies." Democrats have berated Trump for... // Read Full Article Reported by CJME 6 minutes ago.

Maximum Paid Surveys, a leading source of Paid Survey opportunities, receives the highest ranking available from TopConsumerReviews.com.

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About TopConsumerReviews.com
TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of independent reviews and rankings of hundreds of consumer products and services. From Paid Surveys to Mortgage Refinance and Credit Repair, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier. Reported by PRWeb 23 hours ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear took a populist tenor in the Democrats’ formal response to President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress, accusing him of planning to “rip affordable health insurance” from Americans and being “Wall Street’s champion.” Seated at a diner in Lexington, Kentucky, Beshear assailed Trump for “ignoring serious threats to […] Reported by Seattle Times 21 hours ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear took a populist tenor in the Democrats' formal response to President Donald Trump's speech to Congress, accusing him of planning to "rip affordable health insurance" from Americans and being "Wall Street's champion." Reported by CNSNews.com 21 hours ago.