I wear my red Make America Great Again hat with pride — most of the time, at least. Being an outlying Trump supporter on The Uproar can be frustrating at times, but I am not blind to the President’s mistakes.

The President is far from perfect. We all are. People have to understand that there is no utopian candidate with the exact beliefs and values as the ones they have. In order for our great republic to thrive, we must always stand up for what is right. Calling out our leaders when they are wrong is important to the integrity of our great nation. For some people, Trump is the devil and can do nothing right, but the flame of this American society depends on the individual having an open mind. Think for yourselves, research issues, and be willing to talk about them. President Donald Trump is not perfect; you might have to bite your lip on some issues, and sometimes, the things he says will make your lip bleed. 

Before continuing, I believe that a quick backstory about the President’s announcement of his candidacy is important. After his speech, I had that gut feeling that this was the guy to take the fight to Washington, D.C. This was the guy to give the power back to the broken, the left behind, and the patriots of this extraordinary nation. Someone finally grew the backbone to say what we were thinking and stand up to the elites, the media, and the corruption in our system. The American people were tired of the elitists and the dishonesty they brought to the swamp of Washington, D.C.

So after three years, where has he gone wrong and where do I remain a proud supporter?

The right to bear arms:

For most gun-supporting Republicans, any restriction on guns is contrary to the Second Amendment. Firearms owners are one of the largest groups of single-issue voters, and the right to bear arms never fails to be one of the most important issues to voters. A smart candidate would not aims alienate these voters, but Democrats have ramped up gun control rhetoric. Though he has banned bump stocks, Trump has so far defended the Second Amendment effectively. I would award the President a seven out of ten on the Second Amendment. 

Vaping ban:

It’s hard to deny that vaping is becoming an epidemic, but Americans of legal age have long enjoyed the freedom to consume tobacco and related products as they please.  The proposed ban on flavored vape juices hurts Trump’s chances with younger voters who take part in the habit. While I do believe that the FDA should assume authority over vaping. I hope his administration does not follow through with the ban.  After all, you’re free to destroy your body. This is a four out of ten.

The conservative movement:

To the Judicial Branch we go. Trump’s achievements for the conservative movement that elected him are paramount. The Supreme Court, District Courts, and Circuit Courts have experienced a full turn-around in ideology. The Supreme Court has shifted back to the conservatives with the addition of Judges Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. The Trump Administration has confirmed the most judges in history with more on the way. This is a major win for the 80% of evangelicals who overwhelmingly voted for the President. The Supreme Court has given religious groups wins on many fronts. He has delivered on his promises to defund Planned Parenthood, protect persecuted Christians across the globe, and sign an executive order to protect religious business owners. Mr. Trump, I award you a ten out of ten on these enormous accomplishments for the conservative movement. 

Immigration:

Shifting gears to immigration, slowly but surely his immigration promises have been fulfilled. Hundreds of miles of border wall have been constructed along the southern border. However, he is still beat by President Obama for the most illegal aliens deported. For Trump to recapture the same base, he must keep a hard stance on illegal immigration. His truly moderate stance on immigration has been painted as an extremist, xenophobic belief, but newsflash: it is not. As the President of the United States of America, Trump has the solemn duty to defend the nation’s borders and be the “Law and Order” president he was elected to be. He has asked for Congress to work with him to make the immigration system faster, more efficient and safer for our communities. The United States is the most generous country on the issue of immigration as we spend near $135 billion dollars on illegal immigration annually. I am with the President here: America First.  I give the President a nine out of ten for not backing down and pushing every day to have a lawful immigration system.

The environment:

Before I say any of this, I would like you to know that protecting the environment is and should be a conservative ideal. Believe it or not, I try my best to take care of the Earth. I just don’t believe that we should surrender our economy for extreme regulations seen in the Paris Climate Agreement. Cutting an estimated $2.5 trillion out of our GDP is not worth the small gains this agreement makes, especially since the US has become energy independent. Why should we surrender that to the rest of the world and be dependent on other nations? Additionally, carbon emissions are at an all-time low in the United States. The main polluters of water and air are China and India, and they are not doing their fair share in cleaning up our God-given Earth. The United States is ranked 26th with an Environmental Performance Index of 71.19, while China and India sit at 120 and 177. I would like to see the President be more pro-environment vocally– maybe send out a few tweets? Mr. President, I give you a six out of ten. 

American values:

One of my favorite achievements of the President is bringing back American values. He has brought back the American spirit, family values, and patriotism. He has brought back and instilled pride in being American. He has brought back the tradition of respecting the flag, saying, “American children will be taught to love their country and take pride in our American flag.” This message should resonate with every American and we should be proud of who we are. No matter what the mainstream media may say, this President believes that “[w]hether we are black, brown, or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.” I think he has done exceptionally well in making Americans patriotic again. This is something I think every American can get behind. On that note, I award the President a nine out of ten.

Sure, the President can be a lunatic at times and sometimes I cannot and will not defend him; however, I will continue to support the President. When you head to the polls in 2020, remember the achievements of this President. Do not let this country plummet into socialist disaster. With that said, President Trump gets an eight out of ten overall. Keep fighting for the silent majority, settle down on Twitter, and Keep America Great.