Guy Ciarrocchi: Trump didn’t start the fire. He’s the fireman.
Gage Skidmore
Former President Donald Trump. Maybe you like him, maybe you don’t.
Of all the attacks on Trump, the line of attack that is most bizarre, backward, and most disconnected from reality is that he’s the cause of America’s tension, chaos and division.
That’s like blaming the firemen rushing to the scene — with their alarms blaring — for making too much noise or causing the fire. Whether or not the siren is too loud, or whether it offends you or brings you comfort knowing help is on the way, the firemen are the response.
Whether you think the fire is just smoke, a well-intended bonfire, or a five-alarm-fire, the firemen came because someone pulled the alarm and the fire needs to be put out — whether you think the call was unnecessary or helpful, or are unsure.
Trump is the fireman. The fireman that much of the nation has been waiting for. To millions of Americans, too many of the fires are still burning. Biden and Harris allowed or encouraged some arsonists, poured gasoline on the fires, and now sit powerless watching our enemies set fires around the world.
To many Americans, it was as if Hollywood, higher education, Big Tech, legacy media and the Democrats had conspired for years to tear down, rip apart, or mock the most important, functional, and essential parts of our lives, our communities, and our nation.
It wasn’t Trump that allowed millions of illegal immigrants into our nation. It wasn’t he who didn’t vet them, or who handed them a slip of paper asking them to report to a court hearing date two years from when they crossed over. He didn’t create “sanctuary cities” or refuse to deport known criminals — even after they were arrested. He didn’t choose to deposit tens of thousands of them in small towns, allow known felons and terrorists into our nation, give them free housing, cell phones, cash and medical care — or, suggested that taxpayers pay for their gender transition surgery.
It wasn’t Trump that passed legislation that helped put American manufacturers out of business — that encouraged manufacturing to move to Mexico and China.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters that thought it was a good idea to have drag queen story time with elementary and middle schoolers. They didn’t support pornographically explicit books in middle schools and teachers discussing sexual orientation — and their personal sex lives — with students. They didn’t allow students to change their names, clothes and gender at school, with all of it purposefully kept away from the students’ own parents.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters that decided — after the overwhelming election and re-election of a black President — that America was systemically racist. They didn’t judge that CRT was needed or helpful and that school children should be divided into “victims” and “oppressors,” separating and dividing children who had been friends, teammates and even prom dates. they didn’t create DEI departments on college campuses and in corporate America to further divide us, or introduce bizarre allegations of discrimination with word games developed to play “gotcha.”
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters that created “hate-speech” word lists, invented the silliness of “cultural appropriation,” the term “micro-aggressions” and “cancel culture,” causing division and anxiety.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters or his Party that decided to elect DAs who focused on decriminalizing felonies, letting criminals out of jail, and harassing the police, or allowed Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland and even Philadelphia to burn for days.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who created mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports. It wasn’t them who fired our military, first responders and nurses (among others) who refused the Covid vaccine, or paid people not to work, or created “snitch lines” to encourage citizens to rat on each other, or ordered local police and national guard to shoot paint balls at people who dared to go outdoors.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who developed the “climate crisis,” threw paint at artwork, tied-up traffic, declared expiration dates for gasoline-powered cars and trucks, impeded American gas and oil, called for fracking and fossil-fuel bans, forced prices to skyrocket and caused America to import oil, batteries and solar panels from our enemies — who are getting rich and making the air dirtier.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who chant anti-Semitic filth, wave Hamas banners, build encampments on our colleges, march through our cities, or stand silent in the face of antisemitism and violence.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who said that you can’t define a woman; that there are more than two genders and that grown men should compete against women in high school, college, and Olympic sports.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who changed the focus of our military, so that generals now give speeches and testify about our military’s focus on fighting “climate change” and run classes on DEI, genders and pronouns while terrorists infiltrate our nation, develop drone warfare, use cyber attacks, and let China steal our data and build the world’s largest navy.
And despite the nonsensical name-calling and shameless rhetoric throwing around the word “democracy,” it wasn’t Trump or his allies who have given speeches calling for limits on the First Amendment, colluded with Big Tech and legacy media to suppress opinions that challenge the White House, squashed opposing points of view during Covid (many of which were proven correct), and planned to pack the Supreme Court by expanding it and adding more and more justices until they get the politically motivated results that they want to achieve.
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who called Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, or Kamala Harris supporters “deplorables,” or attacked them for “clinging to their guns and God,” let alone ever called his fellow Americans “Nazis,” or his opponents “Hitler.”
It wasn’t Trump or his supporters who used the justice system to attack, harass, and prosecute his campaign opponent or his former staff and supporters — for the first time in American history. He let Hillary Clinton walk away and told his Justice department to stand down.
Neither Trump nor conservatives — whatever their flaws in language, tone or policies — have worked to purposefully challenge, undermine, or eliminate so much of our shared American traditions and customs, or attack the very Constitution that has been the basis of stability and liberty.
Trump is the response. And seeing more fires, more people are sounding the alarm so he’s back.
Like him or not. Support him or not. But millions want these fires put out. He’s shown us how we can fight back, how America can and should be great again.
As long as anyone inside or out of America sets fire to our shared culture, our institutions and our Constitution, we’ll always need firemen — and contractors — to put things back together. The way they were —and should be.
He’s the responder, not the arsonist. Anyone suggesting otherwise either helped start the fires, likes the fires burning, or cares only about power and not people.
With Kamala’s help, they broke it. He’s here to fix it — again. And now, Trump no longer stands alone.
Guy Ciarrocchi is a writer for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. He is a former Republican nominee for Congress and strategist. The views expressed may not necessarily represent any of his affiliated organizations. Follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.
Trump is a fireman, like the ones described in Fahrenheit 451.
There are lot of things he did do.
Trump negotiated with terrorists, released 5000 terrorists from prison, excluded the Afghan government, drew down the troops to a dangerous level, and invited the terrorists to Camp David.
Trump led the drive to create a vaccine for Covid and then told people not to take it.
Trump threatened elected officials and poll workers over the 2020 election.
Trump created the lie of Birtherism, in attempt to defame a Black American President.
Trump lied about losing the 2020 election.
Trump lied about the election and he and his team led an insurrection.
Trump’s entire 2016, 2020, and 2024 election campaign has revolved around false grievances and personal attacks.
Mexico did not pay for the wall.
Trump defamed those who died in combat and those who survived. Including John McCain and Army Captain Luis Avila. Because they are suckers and loser.
Trump failed to create a healthcare plan better than Obama’s.
Trump shared compartmentalized classified information with Russia and China.
Trump failed to get North Korea to give up their nuclear weapons and he did give them a huge propaganda victory. With two international conferences and crossing the 38th parallel.
Trump stated he grabbed women by the pussy.
Trump had multiple affairs, including when Melania was pregnant.
Trump raped close to 24 women.
Trump gave permanent tax cuts to the wealthy and the middle class tax cuts will expire in 2025.
Trump added 8.4 trillion dollars to the national debt.
Thank you. Sadly, if past is prologue, your list will be longer.
The nearly — oh so very nearly — of the voting public who agree will be keeping tally.
But the biggest danger, that got glancing thought, is that it will not be a Trump presidency to keep track of.
Vance is younger with a more agile mind. Once he pardons Trump for Federal crimes, wait to see the nonsense.
Judah,
We agree. Tax cuts and pandemic relief measures enacted during the Trump administration added $8.4 trillion to the national debt over the 10-year budget window. “Of that $8.4 trillion President Trump added to the debt, $3.6 trillion came from COVID relief laws and executive orders, $2.5 trillion from tax cut laws, and $2.3 trillion from spending increases, with the remaining executive orders having costs and savings that largely offset each other,” budget experts with the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), a Washington think tank, found in a study released earlier this month.
You and I disagree that Trump raped anyone. Yet, we agree upon most of your other points… although they test reality and are laden with heavy exaggeration. But I understand where you are coming from on each point.
And still Trump is vastly better than Biden, Harris, or any other Democrat candidate they could find. Trump is better than any option those corrupt Democrat leaders could select (because they wouldn’t let the people vote themselves.) You love quoting the bible. Remember when Moses went up the mountain and returned back to find the majority of the people wanted to return to Egypt because the food in the desert wasn’t the best? You are one of those people. You desire to be under the control of tyrants. It is sad.
Trump made mistakes. Trump did great things, too. Isn’t it weird to be so biased that you have trouble giving Trump credit for anything good? That should be a huge warning sign that you have been hoodwinked by a cult.
I don’t agree with you. So please stop putting words in my mouth. Tell me, what good things did Trump do while in office and where di I quote the Bible in my reply?
That’s what happens when a lying liberal gets fact-checked.
1.5% inflation and the lowest unemployment in 40 years.
No wars.
Low crime.
Economic growth.
Secure border.
That’s what we had.
Just as an FYI, Trump inherited that economy. If you think he did any of that you know nothing about economics and how it works.
And subsequently Biden inherited the dumpster fire that was the Trump economy.
That dumpster fire was Covid. The restrictions ended at he beginning of Biden / Harris, then they started their own dumpster fire with an additional 2Trill we didn’t need exploding inflation. Key indicators were receding during Obama’s last term, especially GDP (1%). Trump tripled it his second year in office to 3% increase. Your statement is mostly false.
Guy, you certainly provided a time for laughs to start our day. I am thankful and be sure to follow up with more of the same.
I believe we are of the same age period and supposed you are familiar with the Simon and Garfunkel song “The Boxer”
“……the man sees what he wants to see and disregards the rest…..”
EXCELLENT article Guy. You are right-on! America will never be the same if the incompetent, vapid and phony Kamala and her far-Left (dare I say Marxist) VP choice are elected. Trump is our only chance to save our country, Unfortunately he has an enormous amount work to do to clean up the total MESS that Biden and Harris have made. I could elaborate but it would take too long and shouldn’t be necessary to any knowledgeable, fair-minded person.
It isn’t a stretch to assume that the vast majority of those who are voting for Kamala also voted for Biden in 2020. How did THAT work out for you? We have an obviously demented, unhinged, vindictive pathological liar of a president with his hands on the nuclear trigger. Any sensible person should have realized that his disabilities that were apparent in 2020 would only get worse. It is ironic that many on the Left spoke of invoking the 25th amendment on President Trump which was patently absurd. Where are they all now when this is ESSENTIAL for Biden and our country’s safety in the next few months?
I fully expect to receive comments from Judah who seems to have designated himself to be the opposer-in-chief for any rational comments posted on this site that don’t fit his personal viewpoints. You needn’t bother since your comments are totally predictable.
definition of Fascism here to be clear. Trump speaks about the enemy within, vermin who are poisoning the blood of America, ‘shooting’ or roughing up his opponents. etc. etc.
Fascism (/ˈfæʃɪzəm/ FASH-iz-əm) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement,[1][2][3] characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.[2][3] Opposed to anarchism, democracy, pluralism, egalitarianism, liberalism, socialism, and Marxism,[4][5] fascism is placed on the far right-wing within the traditional left–right spectrum.[6][5][7]
This is what I am afraid of… It is not name calling for me it is what Trump stands for?
PLease tell me what were the Trump policies that benefited the country so much.
I believe our multiculturalism is likely to be our greatest strength. We can be stronger, smarter, more innovative because of it.
Congress had a chance to pass immigration reform under Biden but did not at the behest of Trump.
My taxes went up under Trump, we are middle class.
Climate change is pretty much settled science at this point. We need to move aways from fossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions. Still US oil production has increased under Obama, Trump, and Biden. Climate change will continue to displace many humans globally and only serve to exacerbate migration. Superstorms are devastating communities and costing state and federal government billions of dollars in clean up, What do you propose we do to reduce C02 emissions? Are electric cars and renewable energy a bad thing. I see it as a great economic opportunity for American to lead.
Perhaps our divide is more culture then?
At time I do wrangle at being lectured on gender, sexual orientation and race by my young and vibrant daughters but you know what I have been humbled by what they have to say and what they have to teach me. These are areas that I need to listen more and learn. I have learned so much from my daughters, and for what it is worth, I am less afraid of discussions of pronouns, race, gender and sexual orientation than I am by Trumps disposition to characterize his opponents and the ‘other’ as un American, as vermin, as less than human? And women are dying under state abortion bans. Mothers, sisters, daughters deserve better.
PLease tell me why you think Trump and or his policies will benefit America… I don’t see him as good for America at all?
I really disagree with this article and its assertion that Trump is the firefighter. I know I am on the other side of the divide. I hope some day we are more united.
The one thing I can acknowledge is that in our democracy we can agree to disagree. No matter what happens next Tuesday I hope we will continue in that spirit. Civil discourse leads to better policy. We can commit to a civil discourse even if our leaders do not.
Peace
Abby
Thank you, Abby.
How half of the electorate can see one thing — largely based on personal grievances — while the other half can see an historically dangerous tilt is the mystery for both sides. We are now so far from meeting in the middle that there seems to be no way to stop the juggernaut.
Had the patriots who provided us with this country based their decisions on personal finance, I think it is unlikely that we would be an independent nation today. True patriots risked life and fortune to birth the country and had keen minds. Many died penniless for their efforts. Thank God that they supported country over self.
The sad truth is that the Biden administration failed largely in not making it abundantly clear that they had economic success. Without doubt, the economy was going to take a major hit after COVID. But when you compare the US to pretty much the rest of the world, we came back better and stronger. Their utter inability to explain what they were faced with, what they were doing, and the results will forever be a stain on the Democratic side because it was a horrifically missed opportunity.
We shall see how Trump enjoys this term. We now all know that every single thing that happens is the sitting president’s fault — as well as the vice president’s. With any guard rails gone, and a merry band of authoritarian wannabees in support, it should be a wild ride…and half the country failed to drink the Kool-Aid.
I am resubmitting my comments again as they are not posting…
Here we see how truly divided we are. I am very afraid of a second Trump administration and see him as a facist threat to our democracy. Many conservative republicans also see it that way, so much so that they are willing to vote for Kamala Harris. I am including a definition of Fascism here to be clear. Trump speaks about the enemy within, vermin who are poisoning the blood of America, ‘shooting’ or roughing up his opponents. etc. etc.
Fascism (/ˈfæʃɪzəm/ FASH-iz-əm) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement,[1][2][3] characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.[2][3] Opposed to anarchism, democracy, pluralism, egalitarianism, liberalism, socialism, and Marxism,[4][5] fascism is placed on the far right-wing within the traditional left–right spectrum.[6][5][7]
This is what I am afraid of… It is not name calling for me it is what Trump stands for?
PLease tell me what were the Trump policies that benefited the country so much.
Congress had a chance to pass immigration reform under Biden but did not at the behest of Trump.
My taxes went up under Trump, we are middle class.
Climate change is pretty much settled science at this point. We need to move aways from fossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions. Still US oil production has increased under Obama, Trump, and Biden. Climate change will continue to displace many humans globally and only serve to exacerbate migration. Superstorms are devastating communities and costing state and federal government billions of dollars in clean up, Not to mention the cost of human life. What do you propose we do to reduce C02 emissions? Are electric cars and renewable energy a bad thing?
Perhaps our divide is more over culture then?
I too at times struggle with being lectured on gender, sexual orientation and race by my young and vibrant daughters but you know what I have been humbled by what they have to say and what they have to teach me. I have learned so much from my daughters on that topic. I am less afraid of discussions on pronouns, race, gender and sexual orientation than I am by Trumps disposition to characterize his opponents and the ‘other’ as un American, as vermin, as less than human? Why not learn more about how race, gender and sexual orientation has impacted our fellow citizens. Is this something to fear?
PLease tell me why you think Trump and or his policies will benefit America… I don’t see him as good for America at all?
I really disagree with this article and its assertion that Trump is the firefighter. I know I am on the other side of the divide. I hope some day we are more united.
The one thing I can acknowledge is that in our democracy we can agree to disagree. No matter what happens next Tuesday I hope we will continue in that spirit. Civil discourse leads to better policy. We can commit to a civil discourse even if our leaders do not.
Peace
Abby
Dear Abby: Please limit your expert responses for the personal etiquette advice and relationships column that’s usually found in the comic section of the Sunday paper. I’m not surprised that you have allowed yourself to be ‘enlightened’ by your daughters’ worldly experience that’s been drilled into them by leftist teaching indoctrination tactics in our public school and ‘hallowed’ halls of higher education. Be a parent – not a best friend.
Climate change is settled: the climate has been changing for millions of years – way before any modern industry inhabited the planet. It has nothing to do with fossil fuels and more to do with moisture and the sun. The Earth was hotter 500,000 years ago than it is today. Solar and wind are wasteful gimmick taxpayer money laundering grabs by politicians and hired science industry funding boondoggles that benefit our enemies (China) who supply practically all the battery material and are still burning coal. Wait until your daughters have to dispose of all those busted windmill blades and dead, heavy metal batteries. Those electric cars are great until they burst into flames or die in colder climates. The car industry is dropping production of EVs in droves. Don’t confuse fascism with protecting the American Citizen taxpayers from radical Islamist regimes and invading illegal criminal aliens, and preventing spending their tax money recklessly. I think it would be more appropriate as a term that describes democrats: socialists who weaponize the justice department against their political enemies, attacks their religion, threatens their decision making of their own children, and usurps the democracy of the people in choosing who they want as political candidates. And tell me: How is civil discourse supposed to work when one side calls the other side Nazis, garbage, and deplorables – so much so as to encourage not one, but 2 assassination attempts on Trump? Well at least we’re not Baby Killers. It’s bad enough if we only had to see your post once: you had to double down, Abby Normal.
Hey FedUp,
Glad to see you’re keeping up with the deplorable responses living up to the name.
Hey antiguy – What exactly do you find ‘deplorable’ in my response?
Thought so…
Thank you. Sadly, if past is prologue, your list will be longer.
The nearly — oh so very nearly — of the voting public who agree will be keeping tally.
But the biggest danger, that got glancing thought, is that it will not be a Trump presidency to keep track of.
Vance is younger with a more agile mind. Once he pardons Trump for Federal crimes, wait to see the nonsense.