During my teaching career, covering most of the four decades from 1974 through 2014, my colleagues and I were almost constantly introduced to new educational vocabulary by educational experts and school administrators.  These often became the annual buzzwords of our  administrators.  The words, repeated often during that particular school year represented an idea to be emphasized in the classroom presentations of any highly effective teacher.  Often, it seemed to be a one year theme only to be replaced at the beginning of the next school year by the current latest and greatest.  At other times, the terminology changed, but the idea stayed the same.  I feel certain that this process occurs in every vocation.

Toward the end of my career, one of the common themes of school district in-service programs was based on the idea that American business leaders were continually stressing the fact that young entry level workers lacked critical thinking skills.  Unlike many new trends, at least the need for critical thinking skills was one idea that I could get behind.  It is a worthy ability.  One might say, the most necessary of all abilities crucial to success in life itself.  I had witnessed the lack of critical thinking skills on the part of younger Americans for quite some time, so acceptance was not difficult.   As a naturally conservative person, I am slow to change.  That, by the way, and despite current belief, is the definition of conservative.  Slow to change.   Because I am slow to change, I have never immediately accepted any new idea or concept, in any area of life.  Before I accept any new idea, even when that idea seems to be the very answer to all of life’s problems, I take the time to examine not only the plausibility of the concept, but also to make an attempt to reasonably predict all consequences, including the unintended consequences.  Even to a conservative, critical thinking skills would not be a new concept, but rather a more elite replacement for a term that I heard often as a youth.  That term would be, common sense.

The idea of being able to apply knowledge is the very essence of the definition of common sense, or, if you prefer, critical thinking skills.  Why then, I ask, is common sense so uncommon?  Readers may falsely jump to the conclusion that, based upon the title of this piece, it is Donald Trump’s common sense in question here.  It is not Trump’s common sense that I question, but rather the common sense of many American citizens.  Before I continue, might I add that like many Americans I too question Trump’s Tweets, Trump’s vocabulary, and Trump’s ego.  Never, however, do I question Trump’s intention to return America to it’s former position as the financial and political envy of the World.  I believe that the President of these United States has been very clear on his position in that regard.

More than a year ago, in the midst of a brutal race for the Presidency Donald Trump stressed that the welfare of  American citizens was being damaged by current foreign trade policies.  Policies he felt had been enacted during any number of previous administrations and to the determent of it’s citizens.  Trump’s views included America being financially raped by the Chinese.  At the time, Trump’s detractors bristled at this idea.  Recently, President Donald Trump was on a diplomatic trip to the East.  This trip included a lengthy stop in China.  During an early address to the Chinese,  the President mentioned those very allegations.  Trump went on to say that he did not blame the Chinese government for taking advantage of trade policies detrimental to American citizens and beneficial to Chinese citizens.  Many of Trump’s detractors, be they media, celebrities, or elected officials, were beside themselves claiming that Donald Trump was back tracking, bowing down to Chinese officials.  But was he.

Did you catch the President’s next line.  Immediately after declaring he didn’t blame the Chinese government for putting their people first, the President finished with and so I don’t expect the Chinese to blame me when the policies are revised and are beneficial to Americans to the detriment of the Chinese.  Why would any American disagree with this.  I can see how the Chinese would disagree.

And so I ask all American citizens, how are your critical thinking skills?  The powers that be in the United States, apparently believe that the majority of Americans accept what they say as truth.  Truth without question, and just because a reporter, a celebrity, an elected official or some combination of the previously mentioned said so.  You don’t have to like the President to agree with his belief that the America government should put Americans first.  You don’t have to agree that he’s the type of guy you would your daughter to marry, or that he would make a good boss or even an ideal neighbor in order to agree with the concept that a country should look after it’s citizenship before caring for the citizens of other countries.  I will admit that putting Americans first to the point of selfishly taking advantage of others would be wrong.  At the same time, isn’t it possible to put Americans first without selfishly taking advantage of others?

Critical thinking skills, or common sense.  Call it what you like.  Do you possess that ability?