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Trump’s first year in office full of ‘chaos’

 

US Rep. Joseph Kennedy III has devalued President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, saying his first year in office was beset by “chaos” and “partisanship and politics.”

The Democrat from Massachusetts, also a member of the Kennedy political dynasty, made the remarks Tuesday after he had been chosen to deliver the official Democratic response to Trump’s speech.

Trump’s maiden speech covered a range of issues from the Iran nuclear deal to tax cut reforms to immigration policy and the so-called war against terrorism.

He stood on the podium before Republican and Democratic lawmakers to elaborate on his policies over the past year.

“It would be easy to dismiss this past year as chaos. Partisanship. As politics. But it’s far, far bigger than that. This administration isn’t just targeting the laws that protect us; they are targeting the very idea that we are all worthy of protection,” Kennedy said, speaking from the town of Fall River in his Bay State district.

Trump delivers first State of Union address

US President Donald Trump has delivered his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress.

He portrayed Trump as a polarizing figure who is tearing down the nation’s institutions and dividing communities into winners and victims.

“Hatred and supremacy proudly marching in our streets; bullets tearing through our classrooms, concerts, and congregations, targeting our safest, sacred places,” he said. “And that nagging, sinking feeling, no matter your political beliefs, this is not right. This is not who we are.”

He also accused the Trump administration of targeting core American principles in such a way that transcends normal partisan politics.

“This administration isn’t just targeting the laws that protect us — they are targeting the very idea that we are all worthy of protection.”

Meanwhile, there were others who reacted both positively and negatively to Trump’s speech.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY) tweeted that the speech “stoked the fires of division instead of bringing us closer together.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky) praised Trump, saying, “We’re coming out of this economic funk that we were in throughout the Obama years and the president was right to talk about it and to take some credit for the direction America is heading in.”

Also, Sen. Dean Heller, (R-Nev.), said he was willing to work with the Trump administration “to fix our failing roads and bridges, rebuild our military, address our broken immigration system, and help Nevadans get ahead.”

The address comes following a three-day government shutdown earlier this month, with Congress facing a February 8 deadline to pass legislation to fund the government.

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