Galaxy News Network

Thank you all for coming. Thank you Mr. Derenberger for moderating. It’s great to see you here, GNN. I’m looking forward to your retraction of the sourceless and libelous article you wrote about me. You were supposed to double-check your sources, but I guess you can’t when you don’t have a source.

Anyways, my opponents will make you big promises with simple words and bright smiles. My opponents will tell you that their vision for America is brighter, better, and newer than anyone else’s. My opponents are hell bent on describing America as a broken, unfixable country heading for its grave. I don’t think so. Admittedly, we have some corrupt government, and our education system has room for improvement. Our health care could use some reform, and our tax systems could be easier to understand. However, all is not lost. I have detailed plans to improve our country, plans that have been tried and tested, plans that will work for our country. A plan to listen.

Listening is not easy. It’s not only hearing. Listening is understanding and interpreting the ideas given to us. Listening is not going back into the annex of history and stealing a hated President’s slogan and repackaging it with progressive ideals. Listening is not blatantly ignoring your moderator when they say you are out of time. Listening is not easy! I know this, I know that listening is hard to do, but I swear that as your president I will try my best to carefully consider every single voice, every single vote, and every single option. That is what true listening is.

I have solid views and solid plans, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to what the opposing party has to say. Contrary to many previous presidents, I will work with those who are staunchly against my views, and understand why they are against them. As Lincoln once said, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” By understanding my political opposition, I neutralize them, because I have arguments to use against them. I will work with the opposition to the best of my ability, with even the most unreasonable, unwilling people. People like Andrew Shiman, who blamed the FEC for rigging the election after he was unable to express his ideas in a clearly communicated time-limit. He reeks of a Trump temperament. He in fact reminds me of Willie Stark, from All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren. There is something about him, his combination of a genuine idealism, bottomless corruption, and lust for power, that will destroy the democratic structure of America while he shouts his championship to the common man. Could you tell if I was talking about Willie or Andrew? That’s the scary part. I’m not like that. I want to preserve our nation, not destroy it. And I’ll do this by listening.

I will listen to the teachers of America, who are frustrated by how core subjects are taught. I have heard numerous times from my own teachers how frustrating each ineffective change is, without even consulting them first. To this I propose appointing experienced educators to the stage, who can give first hand knowledge and practical policies. Educators that can offer insight into how to best serve the disabled children in our schools. Educators that know how kids are learning. Educators that have worked with youth for years.

I will listen to the injured and sick of America, who struggle to pay for treatment and are forced into bankruptcy. According to a report by the Commonwealth Fund, 95% of the French population is covered by complementary insurance and services. According to the United States Census Bureau, the American population currently stands at approximately 325 million. If we were to take after the French, then over 308 million people would have access to clinical care. 308 million people would not have to live in fear of emergency room costs and not getting treatment.

I will listen to those worried about the security of America, who fear that ISIS and other sharia-governed states pose an immediate threat to our country. Obviously, Mr. Rones doesn’t believe that America should be safe from those threats. As he so eloquently said in his last speech, he does not want, “to stop ISIS in its tracks.” Instead he wants to pull all of our troops out of a terrorist state hell-bent on destroying our country. Um… do I need to explain why this is a bad idea? Not since the War of 1812 have we fought a war against another nation on American soil. Apparently, Rones wants to change that. I don’t. I want to make sure that no international threat can get to our soil. That being said, I don’t want to risk American lives unless there is an undoubtable risk to our country. I’m not a warhawk, nor am I a delusional, egotistical, dishonest pacifist. It all comes down to American lives. Protecting, preserving, and defending American lives.

I will listen to both environmentalists and businesses, and will work to compromise with both to the best of my abilities. Now I’m no Rachel Carson, but I do recognise that our earth is the most important earth we have. I mean, it is the only earth we have. Let’s face it; we have one planet to live on. And with rising global temperatures, carbon emissions, and sea levels, it looks pretty bleak out there. Businesses might be prospering, but at what cost? Our future generation? Our lives? The only viable solution is to compromise. We obviously can’t suffocate businesses with unrealistic restrictions, but we can’t let them go unregulated.

And finally, I will listen to you. The tax systems have long been dubbed complicated and unfair, and it is high time to change our antiquated views. There should be a balance between the upper class and the rest of the population. There should be proportion, and those who are wealthy should not feel entitled to skip out on our progress as a country because they have more money. Quite the opposite. They have an obligation to help our country more than a homeless, disabled veteran does.

America is a powerful nation in need of reform. We need to lower taxes on the poor and raise taxes on the rich. We need to balance regulation and business relations for the sake of our environment. We need to protect our nation, but limit the wars we are involved in. We need to reform our healthcare to provide better services. We need to educate our children better. But most of all, we need to remember that America is great, and together, we can make an America for a New Generation.