As we celebrate our nation’s founding, it comes to mind that newscaster after newscaster has been reporting that we have been living through the worst of times in our nation’s history the last two years. Of course those talking heads are referring to the years that President Trump has been in the White House. Their goal is clearly trying to convince you, the listener, to think the way they do.

HISTORY

If one harkens back to our nation’s founding, assuming that folks are still being taught history, they will read story after story of patriots fighting in the most dismal of situations to gain this nation’s freedom. Stories like those of Washington’s army at Valley Forge who fought and turned back the British army while suffering the bitter cold, sometimes with no shoes. Or they may consider the Whiskey Rebellion that almost brought down our nation in those early years of President Washington’s term that could easily have broken our nation apart. Those who think that now is the worst of times of our history must be ignorant of the War Between the States that, in some cases, had brothers and families split apart as they had to choose between loyalties to their nation and their home state. For those who consider this all old history, one only needs to look at the 1970s when the division was not among states or political parties but rather over the issue of should we be fighting and dying to stop the spread of communism.

Those talking heads, often referred to as the mainstream media, want you to focus on the bad news and the problems that we have. I will freely concede that there are problems in our country and world, yet I will not concede that the problems this nation faces are because President Trump was elected. Some of those problems have been hidden under bandages and only now are being addressed because he has brought them to our attention.

TRADE

The issues surrounding trade have existed for years, whether the issue is German cars that could be bought cheaper in Europe and shipped back to the United States than they could have been bought here, while not so for cars built in America and shipped to Europe.

Likewise, we have known and not addressed that everything that is made in this country is taken to China and broken down and created as Chinese products for years with no action to stop it or to remunerate those American companies that originally created the product. Thankfully, President Trump is trying to address this one-sided issue in trade.

IMMIGRATION

The media would have you believe that President Trump is opposed to immigration and wants to stop all coming from elsewhere in the world. This is not the case. Few believe that we should eliminate all migration. Most sane people, however, do believe that we should control our borders. Most of us believe that, like Mexico, we should not allow people to come here that do not add to our nation; that no one should be allowed entry who will be a drain on those who pay the taxes that pay for such services as education and welfare. Those that come to our border or want to come to America should be invited based on our agreed upon criteria, not theirs.

JOBS

The media is so focused on damaging the president that they completely ignore the successful rebound of our economy. After having been told that we should expect 1 percent annual growth for eight years, we have seen the economy grow three times faster than that for the last two years. You would not know that if you watch much of our national media. Nor would you know that wages are rising and jobs are going unfilled because of lower unemployment.

INVESTIGATIONS

It would be needless to write anything about endless accusations and investigations of the same issues over and over again.

Be proud that you are an American and we live in a great time. Ignore the self-serving media with an agenda. What is important is that we have a great nation and we will get past all of this hate and animosity.

FRANK RUFF JR. serves as the 15th District senator in Virginia. He can be reached at Sen.Ruff@verizon.net, (434) 374-5129 or P.O. Box 332, Clarksville, VA 23927.