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Hats off to Donald Trump for giving the American people what they want

by Ronna McDaniel, opinion contributor - 11/08/17 11:00 AM ET

One year ago today, Donald Trump defied expectations of the radical left, mainstream media, pollsters and political pundits: He won the presidency. He got straight to work, nominating Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, rolling back years of harmful Obama-era regulations, and crafting the biggest tax-cut plan in a generation.

President Trump has reached across the aisle time and again to make the American people’s priorities a reality. He has hosted leaders of the Democratic Party at the White House to discuss solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing problems, seeking results over partisan politics.

{mosads}There’s no question that President Trump is not the standard politician we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. But that difference is what Americans celebrated last November when they elected an outsider to shake up Washington. They stood by a president who could create jobs, grow the economy, and help each person attain the American dream.

Since he took office, the economy has added nearly 1.5 million jobs, consumer confidence has skyrocketed, and unemployment has reached record lows. The Trump administration is promoting American industry and supporting our businesses, workers and families by increasing U.S. energy exports to the global market and investing hundreds of millions of dollars to support STEM education. Our veterans are finally getting greater access to quality health care.

President Trump is making America safer, enacting tough immigration policies that have driven down illegal border crossings by more than 41 percent since the same time last year. He is cracking down on convicted criminals who have plagued our communities for far too long.

He recently joined the House and Senate to develop a tax-cut plan that will help families across the country keep more of their paychecks. It will relieve financial burdens unfairly placed on the backs of hardworking Americans and will save the average family $1,182 more each year.

The Trump administration’s policies to improve the lives of all Americans have created a ripple effect, boosting our grass-roots operation and creating a surge of enthusiasm across the country that continues to this day. This broad support has translated into unprecedented investment, even in what is considered an “off year” election.

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The Republican National Committee recently announced we have raised more than $100 million so far this year, the fastest we’ve ever reached that amount in a nonpresidential election year. Our small dollar donors are responsible for much of that success, with 60 percent of contributions coming in the form of donations of $200 or less.

Our grass-roots support has enabled us to hire state directors in 17 states so far, as we continue to staff up nationwide in preparation for next year’s midterm elections. Most importantly, every single dollar we’ve raised represents a vote of confidence in President Trump’s agenda.

Compare that to the Democratic National Committee’s anemic fundraising operation, which has only raised half as much and has nearly seven times less cash on hand. Democrats are sorely lagging behind not just in fundraising, but also in generating enthusiasm for their cause.

The Democrats and their divisive messages to the country, ongoing calls for resistance and obstruction of major pro-growth policies have driven their party to unprecedented lows. Even they know what this means. The American people simply aren’t buying what they’re selling. They’re turning to the party that drives progress, not the one playing politics.

The same people who defied the odds and elected Donald Trump last year continue to support him because he’s kept them at the core of his every decision. He is fighting for the steelworkers in Pittsburgh, the working moms in Michigan, and all those whose voices are discredited and silenced by Washington elites. Americans appreciate President Trump’s reliable, direct communication with them, and they recognize that he has made their priorities his own.

This, above all else, is what demonstrates his integrity and makes his agenda sustainable. Pundits and talking heads are not the ones who decide what is or isn’t working in our country and which agenda is most sustainable. This is a right reserved for the American people, and they already decided that they wanted a fighter back in the White House. One year ago today, they elected one.

Ronna McDaniel is chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.