Thomas Aquinas--Aristotle--Rene Descartes--Epicurus--Martin Heidegger--Thomas Hobbes--David Hume--Immanuel Kant--Soren Kierkegaard--Karl Marx--John Stuart Mill--Friedrich Nietzsche--Plato--Karl Popper--Bertrand Russell--Jean-Paul Sartre--Arthur Schopenhauer--Socrates--Baruch Spinoza--Ludwig Wittgenstein

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Undo The Undoing

How do I unsee a violation so ugly,
In a world cold, hard and lonely?
How to unlive life devoid of meaning,
Without a single joyful song to sing?

How can I unhear the wails of pain,
So horrific that it numbs my brain?
How to unfeel the guilt in my heart,
For the crimes of Man I’m a part?

How do I to untaste the bitter potion,
When spitting out is not an option?
How to unsmell the rotting stench,
When chained to the torture bench?

How to unknow inconvenient truths,
Even if I think fast and loose?
Indeed, how to undo the undoing,
If everything is coming and going?

Wednesday 29 November 2017

HOCUS POTUS

Melania is such a great FLOTUS
She’s become the new public focus,
Diverting us from the erratic POTUS
And his exasperating hocus pocus!


Friday 24 November 2017


DARLING

Darling, you set my heart on fire
By being the object of my desire.
Like a romantic song I’ll never tire,
You satisfy a need for love so dire.
Frankly, you’re all that I require.

Even if I’m in a desperate quagmire,
When my life is hanging on a wire,
You will be there to lift me higher.
You know that I’m not a liar,
To say that it’s you I truly admire.

Wednesday 25 October 2017

NOTHING’S GETTING DONE

Shooting steam from every orifice
Amidst frenzied work at the office.
Trying to find our place in the sun,
But nothing's getting done.

Saving every nickel, every dime
Just can’t make up for lost time.
Forgetting passion, forgoing fun,
Yet, nothing's getting done.

Who is there to take the blame?
No, they’ll simply raise their game.
Appearing as things nicely run,
In reality, nothing's getting done.

Waiting for a chance to have a say,
If the status quo is here to stay?
But now the non-event has begun,
You know nothing's getting done.

Slaving to the whims of the majority
Is to be part of this mass insanity.
Relieving us a duty we can’t shun
Because nothing’s getting done.

Monday 11 September 2017

SEPTEMBER ELEVEN

In America's September Eleven,
In the year Twenty O One,
The people cried to heaven
Because the terrorists won.

In Singapore's September Eleven,
In the year Twenty Seventeen,
Meritocracy went to heaven
Under a democratic smokescreen.

Sunday 3 September 2017

THE GAME

Nobody knows if it can ever be
For a Great Designer such as He
To be bothered with a man like me
Even as I cry here like a baby.

Because Long before I knew it,
I had been planted with a seed.
Onto mortality's one-way street,
Now, I'm just part of this evil deed. 

The pain and the heartbreaks I find
Are no accidents but cruel design.
As I leave joy and laughter behind,
It's to disease and old age I resign.

I wish I might as well be mad,
If the rules of the game are so sad.
I wouldn't mind dying if it's all bad,
But with love, beauty and all that?

The code of life is hard to crack.
And the clock never turns back.
O just give it a go, what the heck!
Before it all turns pitch-black!

Tuesday 29 August 2017

Dear Mum 

You taught me how to be kind
With the wisest words I can find.
Your love breaks my daily grind
With the smiles you left behind.

To the line between us, I'm blind.
Our unshakeable ties forever bind.
How I wish we can have a rewind.
Dear Mum, you live on in my mind.

Dedicated to my mum, who passed away on 29 August 2012

Sunday 27 August 2017

EYES, MINDS, HEARTS AND GUT

When we close our eyes,
We can see beyond the skies.
So never close our minds
To people of different kinds.

When we open our hearts,
Compassion flows in our innards.
So never ignore loving feelings
For all of Earth's living things.

When we follow our gut,
Reason and sophistry play no part.
So act on your good inner voice.
Make kindness your choice.

Monday 7 August 2017

WELCOME!

Welcome to a life post-modern
Where nothing is of real concern.
But for prejudice, our new god,
Reason can be safely ignored.

If upside down is downside up,
Logic sinks in our lazy bathtub.
If every corner is a place to pee,
We'll have to pretend not to see.

Fights for rights and freedom
Become devices to kill boredom.
Acts of honour and morality
Provide the baits for profitability.

As truth has become a travesty,
Honesty is open to mockery.
But if every answer is wrong,
This is a world we cannot belong.

Friday 30 June 2017

THE SAND CASTLE

One day, Pa Pa made a sand castle,
Mixing loving care with big muscle.
When it became creme de la creme,
Everyone was so proud of him.

A work of perfection out of our reach,
It shone like a rare gem on the beach.
A stunning feat never to be repeated,
With worldwide applause he was feted.

But, someone kicked a heavy ball.
Oh dear, just look at where it did fall!
It was really hard to show no emotion
When we saw a great sandy demolition.

A total sadness came after the shock.
For a while, we just couldn't talk.
We begged Pa Pa to build us another.
But he told us to ask Big Brother.

But, no matter how Big Brother tried,
The best sand castle had truly died.
So when Pa Pa left us shortly after,
We could offer only sorrow at his altar.

One night, Pa Pa appeared in a dream.
He told us never again to cry for him.
For he had embedded glory in the sand,
Everybody just needs to lend a hand.


Singapore is best described as a sand castle. No matter how glorious it was in the past, its sharp edges will be blunted by the wind, its design will grow weary, its purpose will be eroded by the passage of time and its structure will be destroyed when the tide comes in. It needs constant re-building by everyone.

Monday 19 June 2017

LEE FAMILY SAGA
When will it end? 

"When will it end? Please let it end." Everyone seems to be saying this. Well, very simple - just answer these 3 questions first and it will surely end.

1. Is the demolishment of 38, Oxley Road negotiable or non-negotiable?

2. Is LKY's final will valid or invalid?

3. Has the PM been defamed, and if so, what action should be taken?

If these questions are evaded, ignored or suppressed, they will forever cast a shadow over the integrity of the government, the reputation of Singapore and the state of health of Singapore society.

Saturday 17 June 2017

Lee Family Dispute
It's either a non-issue or the biggest crisis in Singapore

There are 2 parallel stories here:
(1) This is purely a private family dispute about LKY's will. It is counter-productive and mischievous to blow up the matter into a national crisis.  So, citizens should try not to be too nosy or dig too deeply into the details of the quarrel. We should have the courtesy to leave the family to privately resolve their differences. That is the smart thing to do.

(2) No, like it or not, this is already a national issue. The crux of the matter is this: is the PM guilty of abuse of power, nepotism, conflict of interest and dishonesty? The dispute over the will serves only to provide the background and evidence for such accusations. This question ought to be answered because it concerns the reputation of PM Lee and the reputation of Singapore. That is the right thing to do.

Which side of the story do you prefer? Which side of the story concerns you?

Thursday 8 June 2017

Global Warming - The Scam of the Century

Is the belief in global warming and climate change a religious or scientific belief? Is it a planetary emergency or is it a political hoax? What can possibly motivate "scientists" to betray science itself to push the ridiculous claim of a man-made carbon dioxide-driven climate change of global warming leading to catastrophic consequences? Money, power, influence or politics? It even led to the equally fraudulent Paris Climate Agreement in 2015!



Friday 2 June 2017

TRUMP'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT

There is much dishonesty in this false liberal narrative about Trump not knowing or not caring about climate change. Trump does care very much about global warming and the environment. He is only objecting to the terms of the agreement that are unfair to the US. It favours China, India and Europe at the expense of the US. In fact, the whole agreement is a scam for a global redistribution of wealth. The climate is only a cover for an economic agenda. Trump is open for a renegotiation or a new fair agreement, but if the UN and the other European nations flatly refuse to renegotiate those unfair terms, what choice does Trump have except to withdraw from the agreement altogether? I'm 100% behind Trump.

Just watch this to get the facts: https://youtu.be/ck84Y_wWnUc

Wednesday 31 May 2017

Covfefe - A most popular, elegant, useful and needed word!

1. Most popular

The most commonly used word in the English language world used to be "the", but no longer! "Covfefe" is now the official most popular word ... at least over the last 24 hours. So, Guinness Book of Records and Wikipedia - please update your records. Just don't ask me how the word has the knack of sticking to the corner of our lips and mainly the lips of Trump's enemies. Isn't it ironical that a word that first originated from Trump's lips ended up on the lips of his enemies? Isn't such lip-to-lip association anathema among enemies? Well, strange happenings do occur in Trump's quantum world.

2. Most elegant

Just look at its spelling: c-o-v-f-e-f-e ... so beautiful. Just say it: cov-fe-fe ... how sensual and sexy. It sounds French, or even Russian (oops!). In my opinion, it is the most elegant word to be coined over the last 400 years!

3. Most useful

For the uninitiated, the word's meaning has already been properly defined and documented (by me). Please see Covfefe - Its Real Meaning

But even I was foxed by its versatility. It was first thought that it refers to the practice of creating, propagating and the false verification and corroboration of fake news (noun). Now I think it can refer to the very fake news thus concocted (noun). It can also be an adjective to describe news outlets or other perpetrators of fake news or even a verb whereby to covfefe something is to commit a crime of fakery. Let me give you an example: "The covfefe (adjective) mainstream media do not hesitate to covfefe (verb) cofefe (noun) against Trump, so much so that covfefe (noun) has become standard industry practice in America! Or is that too much?

4. Most needed

Well, for the last year or two, everybody has been bewildered and agonized by the widespread dissemination of fake news and the difficulty in differentiating truth from falsehood both in the print and the electronic media. Like terrorism, it is something that befuddles our minds. Thank God, for "covfefe" - now we have a simple word for it and is undoubtedly the first step in our quest to banish the cancer of fake news.
Covfefe - Its Real Meaning!




Covfefe (noun) is a new word coined by President Donald Trump of the United States in a dawn tweet on 31 May 2017 when he cryptically wrote "Despite the constant negative press covfefe  ", a half sentence that got the whole internet puzzled.

For more about this earth-shaking event, please read BBC's report: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40104063

Even Trump himself has issued a challenge for anyone to figure out the true meaning of the word: 


Many people think that it is a typo for "coverage". I don't think so. Even Merriam-Webster, the dictionary, has given up on deciphering the word. It appears that everyone is having sleepless nights agonizing over it! Believe me, I'm perhaps one of only two persons in this whole wide world who actually know the meaning of "covfefe" (the other person is Trump himself, of course). So, to save the sanity of the universe, I've decided to reveal its meaning sooner rather than later.

So, here goes:

The word "covfefe" is formed by the amalgamation of two terms: "COV" which is an acronym standing for 'Confirmation Of Victory', a reference to having successfully getting yourself laid for the night; and "fefe", a prison contraption made from a piece of cloth, rubber glove and sock to create a substitute functional female genital organ for the purpose of sexual stimulation and release by prisoners in the absence of a female sex partner.

So, "COV"-"fefe" or covfefe is the word used by President Trump to refer to the practice of the mainstream media to create fake negative news about him, to believe in the news that they themselves created, to indulge in false obsessive analyses until they reach a frenzied climactic declaration of self-validated victory against him.

This is a deep word, but its meaning is clear.

Eg.: 1. Despite the constant negative press covfefe against Donald Trump, he seems unruffled. 
        2. In fact, the unrelenting covfefe against Donald Trump has the opposite effect of increasing the people's support for him!

As in all things Trump, things run even deeper than this, because in case you're wondering how to pronounce the word, let me help you: covfefe = "cough-fee-fee". It's like you're having a cup of coffee in your hand now, sipping it quietly, and when this true meaning of the word finally dawns on you, it is also at the same instant when a small stream of coffee hits the top of your windpipe causing you to have a long coughing fit (like Hillary). See - this word is so deep that even its pronunciation has several conspiring inter-connections. This word is such a brilliant one that I'll be surprised if "covfefe" don't win "Word Of The Year"!

Monday 1 May 2017

I'VE NEVER

I've never seen fireworks so dark,
With blackness in every spark.

I've never had to strain my ears out
Trying in vain to hear you shout.

I've never been left so cold
By your chunks of molten gold.

I've never sniffed a smell so bad,
As the best perfumes ever had.

I've never tasted food so bland,
But only at Restaurant Ultra Grand.

I've never known a power so tame,
Always playing the nuclear game.

Sunday 23 April 2017

A TYCOON, A BUFFOON AND A BALLOON

A tycoon,
Sitting in his luxury saloon,
Sees the world in a cocoon.
A boon
To be born with a silver spoon,
Living an endless honeymoon.

A buffoon,
Fawned by his loyal platoon,
Sees agreement all too soon.
A loon,
Looking like a cute raccoon,
Lives inside his own cartoon.

A balloon,
Deflated by a stray harpoon,
Flies like a leaf in a monsoon.
A moon
That floods the night lagoon
Will vanish in the afternoon.

The tycoon 
Uses the balloon
To suffocate the buffoon
Aided by his raccoon
In a random cartoon
I drew one lazy afternoon!

Saturday 25 March 2017

HOW TO STOP TERRORISM

The present approach


The present approach leaves much to be desired. Simplified, it consists of two arms: the pre-emptive arm of having constant surveillance of certain high-risk individuals and groups using national and cross-border intelligence; and the reactive arm of responding to an actual terrorist event by belatedly tightening security around the area of operation and to mop up the perpetrators and their accomplices. From experience, the unpredictability of terrorist source and target render such an approach ineffective. Meanwhile, the highly predictable public response of expressing outrage, wide condemnation, generous conveyance of condolences for the victims, pledges of unity in the face of divisive pressures and the defiant breast-beating of trying to live life as before, all really cut no ice with the terrorists. This present approach, if carried forward, is unlikely to bring us any closer to a solution. In effect, it is merely waiting for the next act of terror to happen somewhere, sometime ... It is just an endless cycle of frustration and powerlessness for both sides.

A need for a new approach


There is really no short-cut to a solution to terrorism. To be forthright, the roots of the present terrorist conflict are actually centuries-old. Therefore, we need the triple requirements of honesty, patience and persistence to get anywhere near a solution. Bombs and firepower alone is certainly not the key to a solution. Truthfully, it is going to be a long hard road. We need the honesty to acknowledge that the present problem is the result of intractable religious bigotry and the conflicting religious duties imposed by rival narratives increasingly translated into a cultural war. We need the patience to let the process of healing and building of trust between communities run at their own time. And we need to believe that we can persist in our efforts to see the whole project through to the next generation.

The diagram above illustrates the structure of one of the possible ways we can proceed. It may be faulty, but it is just my suggestion. I propose to tackle terrorism peacefully using two arms. The cultural arm consists of efforts to persuade humanity to look at religion differently - that it is merely a device to help individuals come to terms with their own mortality and to make sense of their existence. Since there are many irreconcilable contradictions between religious precepts, religion should not invade the public space, but should become a personalized indulgence practiced in a private space. For this to become acceptable, all individuals must have perfect freedom to practice their religion without any form of discrimination, persecution or repression. The political arm needs worldwide cooperation, for example, being under the auspices of the United Nations, to pledge universal religious freedom, non-interference and peaceful co-existence. Such efforts should be reinforced locally through education and the passage of relevant laws. The goal is to de-politicize religion. Only when religion and politics are separated can religious wars be stopped.

Monday 13 March 2017

EIGHT STEPS OF PURE GOLD
(Dedicated to Ms Priyageetha Dia, who in a spontaneous act of benevolent artistic expression, spent 5 hours laying gold foil over 8 steps of the 20th floor staircase of Block 103, Jalan Rajah where Ms Dia lives.)

BEFORE

AFTER


How could you be so bold,
To ever let passion take hold?
Breaching every threshold
In iron rules now tired and old.

Didn't you hear them scold,
That your art left them cold?
There's no return to the fold,
If your soul cannot be sold.

As now you're on the scaffold,
How should the truth be told?
That it was glorious to behold,
Your eight steps of pure gold!


BEFORE

AFTER

Sunday 26 February 2017

UNDERSTANDING ANTI-TRUMPISM

Anti-Trumpism is a global mass hysterical movement triggered by the election of Mr Donald Trump as the President of the United States who took office on 20 January 2017. Though its adherents call themselves liberals and are purportedly the supporters of Hillary Clinton and her Democratic Party, they are neither liberal not democratic.

If being liberal means being "willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own and an openness to new ideas", they certainly are illiberal because they are unwilling to respect or accept a candidate who did not come from their favored Democratic Party and are unable to open their minds to the nationalist and conservative ideas of Trump. If being democratic requires at the very least a respect for the outcome of a fair and democratic election process conducted in accordance with the US constitution, they certainly are undemocratic by stubbornly denying the legitimacy and reality of Trump's appointment and actively seeking to use all available means to reverse it. Of course, these anti-Trumps do not consider being logical, being consistent, being fair-minded and, if I daresay, being morally-responsible as the minimal pre-requisites for fruitful political engagement with their opponents. Inevitably, to their discredit, the movement looks more like a disorganized exercise of mass insanity and stupidity that is not averse to using public misinformation, crime, social disruption, violence and sabotage to further their confusing objectives. Though the anti-Trumps are still clueless, it doesn't take a fool to realize that once assassination or the threat of assassination is used as a weapon, the movement immediately loses its legitimacy.

If we, for an unwise moment, take them seriously and try to find some evidence for the accusations of "radicalism, racism and sexism" directed at Trump, we would be hard-pressed to find any objective evidence except for their persistent and repeated assertions. Assertions, of course, do not constitute evidence. 

In the final analysis, the domestic anti-Trump movement represents the most extreme and the most objectionable product of partisan politics, a monster when energized by blind political rivalry and an uncivilized obsession with power, is willing even to sabotage the national interest and ultimately, their own interests.

Mind you, this anti-Trump movement is by no means restricted within the shores of America as there is a strong international dimension to it. Could it be that young people everywhere have also been long afflicted with a similar liberal cultural confusion through social media which is only now rearing its ugly head? Has this Trump moment presented a perfect opportunity for its cathartic  manifestation of intransigence? I do not think so. More likely, this apparent international collusion is more the result of the bandwagon effect whereby people psychologically ignore or override their better judgement to join the chorus of hatred towards Trump because they thought everyone else is doing it.

So, I'll leave you to look at 30 of Trump's most significant actions in the first 30 days of his presidency and judge for yourself whether there is any trace of radicalism, racism or sexism in anything he has done:

1. He jump-started job creation. President Trump is looking out for American workers that Washington has left behind.
2. He signed a Presidential Memorandum ordering the United States to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and agreement.
3. He hosted the CEO of Intel to announce Intel’s plan to invest $7 billion in a United States factory that will create 10,000 American jobs.
4. He signed a Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and another declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
5. He signed a Presidential Memorandum ordering that all new pipeline construction and repair work use materials and equipment from the United States.
6. He signed legislation, House Joint Resolution 38, to block the burdensome Stream Protection Rule from causing further harm to the coal industry.
7. He signed legislation, House Joint Resolution 41, to eliminate a costly regulation that threatened to put domestic extraction companies and their employees at an unfair disadvantage.
8. He is saving taxpayers' money. President Trump is fighting to save Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars. He saved Americans $700 million on a new batch of F-35 fighters.
9. He capped the cost of Boeing’s next-generation Air Force One fleet at millions below that which was agreed to by the Obama administration.
10. He is restoring public safety. President Trump will work to reduce the threats of crime and illegal immigration to public safety.
11. He signed an Executive Order to enhance the safety and security of the United States by, among other things, constructing a wall on the southern border.
12. He signed an Executive Order to make sure Federal immigration laws are faithfully enforced throughout the country and that Americans’ tax dollars do not go to jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of immigration laws.
13. He signed an Executive Order that directs the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who engage in crimes against law enforcement officers.
14. He signed an Executive Order that establishes a task force, led by the new Attorney General, to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across America
15. He signed an Executive Order that re-focuses the Federal Government’s energy and resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations, such as drug cartels.
16. He is getting Government out of the way. President Trump understands that excessive regulations stifle job-creation and harm our businesses.
17. He signed an Executive Order instructing Federal agencies “to minimize the burden” of the Affordable Care Act and required that for every new Federal regulation, two existing regulations be eliminated.
18. He directed the Commerce Department to streamline Federal permitting processes for domestic manufacturing and to reduce regulatory burdens on domestic manufacturers.
19. He signed an Executive Order expediting the environmental review and approval processes for domestic infrastructure projects.
20. He has an America First foreign policy. The President’s first priority is the safety and security of the American people.
21. His Department of the Treasury sanctioned 25 entities and individuals involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
22. He signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Defense to work with other Cabinet members to develop a plan to defeat ISIS.
23. He called or met with more than 30 foreign leaders
24. He is "draining the swamp". President Trump has taken action to ensure that all members of his Administration are working for the American people.
25. He signed an Executive Order establishing new ethics commitments for all Executive branch appointees, putting in place a five-year lobbying ban and a permanent ban on lobbying for foreign governments, so appointees serve the American people instead of their own interests
26. He put in place a hiring freeze for Federal civilian employees to stop the growth of a bloated government.
27. He is keeping his promise to defend the Constitution. President Trump promised a Supreme Court justice in the mold of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. 
28. He nominated Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court because of his consistent record defending the Constitution.
29. He is helping women succeed in business. President Trump knows the country cannot reach its potential unless every American has a chance to prosper.
30. He launched the United States-Canada Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.

Sunday 29 January 2017

A WORLD WITHOUT PAIN

Imagine a world without pain,
No stress, injury or strain.
Sheltered safely from the rain,
Nothing's there to lose or gain.

Without a spot or a stain,
Though it's all been in vain.
Hope's all you need to sustain,
In the quest to catch the last train.

There's no need to explain,
If there's nothing to complain.
From all decisions you abstain.
"No comment" is your refrain.

On the sofa that you're lain
Sits the very life you disdain.
For all to see, it's very plain,
Only pulse and breath remain.

Friday 20 January 2017

TRUMP'S FIVE KEY MESSAGES TO AMERICANS

1. UNITY
America is one nation and this will be a joint national effort to make America great again. This unity is forged by open, honest dialogue facilitated by a common patriotism for America. Prejudice will be  banished and divisions will be healed when a new national pride develops.

2. RULE BY THE PEOPLE
Democracy will be returned to its roots by transferring power back to the people. Government will be controlled by the people, not vice versa.

3. IMMEDIATE CHANGE
Change to stop American carnage is from right here and right now.

4. AMERICA FIRST
All American policies will be governed by a new vision of America first. There will only be two simple rules: buy American and hire American.

5. POLITICAL PRAGMATISM
Politics in America will not be determined by party allegiance or by liberal or conservative ideological dogmatism. Policies will be driven by big-thinking, pragmatic business problem-solving principles and brought to fruition by timely concrete action.
45TH US PRESIDENT MR DONALD TRUMP'S
INAUGURAL SPEECH


Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: thank you.
We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.
Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.
We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.
Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.
Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one Administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.
For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.
Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth.
Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed.
The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.
Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation’s Capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.
That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.
It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America. 
This is your day. This is your celebration.
And this, the United States of America, is your country.
What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.
January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. 
The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.
Everyone is listening to you now.
You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before.
At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.
Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves.
These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.
But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system, flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.
This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
We are one nation – and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.
The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.
For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry;
Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military;
We’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own;
And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.
We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.
One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.
The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.
But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future.
We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.
From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.
From this moment on, it’s going to be America First.
Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.
We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.
I will fight for you with every breath in my body – and I will never, ever let you down.
America will start winning again, winning like never before.
We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.
We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.
We will get our people off of welfare and back to work – rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.
We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and Hire American.
We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world – but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.
We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.
We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against Radical Islamic Terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.
At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.
When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.
The Bible tells us, “how good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”
We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.
When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.
There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected.
We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.
Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.
In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.
We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.
The time for empty talk is over.
Now arrives the hour of action.
Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.
We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.
We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.
A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.
It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.
And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.
So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:
You will never be ignored again.
Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams, will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.
Together, We Will Make America Strong Again.
We Will Make America Wealthy Again.
We Will Make America Proud Again.
We Will Make America Safe Again.
And, Yes, Together, We Will Make America Great Again. Thank you, God Bless You, And God Bless America.