by Congresswoman Val Demings
Airforce One will descend on Orlando Friday afternoon, with President Donald Trump’s first visit to the City Beautiful in an official capacity.
While it may be protocol to invite a member of Congress to meet you at the airport, or attend your event in their district, I received no such invitation to be a part of the discussion with President Trump.
Earlier this week I attended the President’s address to Congress, and I listened to what the President had to say. Perhaps he was listening to me last month, when I said that he should visit Orlando.
I certainly hope that he will be listening to the people of Orlando while he is here.
In his speech, I heard the President claim “Everything that is broken in our country can be fixed.” Mr. President, I hope that during your visit, you will listen to those Floridians that are telling me that they think your “fixes” threaten to be even more destructive.
In his speech, the President called the Affordable Care Act “a disaster.” Mr. President, I hope that, during your visit, you will have the opportunity to meet some of the 65,600 residents in my district that would not have health insurance without the ACA. I hope you visit a local community health center, already understaffed and operating on a shoestring budget, that is wondering how they will survive and continue to treat the most vulnerable in our community if the ACA is repealed.
In his speech the President said his enhanced immigration enforcement will make America safer. Mr. President, I hope that during your visit you will listen to teachers, administrators and parents that tell me about the impact that your policies are having. I hope you hear about the parents who are too scared to send their children to school, worried that before the school day is over they will be separated permanently from their family.
In his speech the President promised to invest billions into rebuilding our country’s infrastructure. Mr. President, I hope you will see how we are rebuilding our roadways in Orlando, and that we need to also invest in transportation of the future, such as building a high speed-rail system.
In his speech, the President claimed his vetting procedures will make our nation safer. Mr. President, I hope that during your visit you will stop by the sight of the Pulse shooting, 49 innocent people gunned down, many of them latino and gay, while out enjoying “late-night fellowship.” I hope you take the time to listen to Christine Leinonen, a mother who lost her only son in the deadliest mass shooting in America, or Angel Colon, who survived despite being shot multiple times. I hope you hear their concerns, and address the issue of keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill, domestic abusers, and terrorists here at home.
Mr. President, what will your response be?
Welcome to Orlando, President Trump, a city made stronger because of its diversity.
Op-Ed submitted exclusively to the West Orlando News by Congresswoman Val Demings, who represents Central Florida’s 10th Congressional District.
Hello Mrs. Demmings,
As the City Beautiful’s Representative, please put out the Welcome Mat for our President. Extend your arms and embrace this great opportunity for the City of Orlando to have a one-on-one with the man who puts US First.
As our representative, please put US First.
Kind Regards,
Julia
Hello Congresswoman Deminings,
Thank you for your very appropriate words welcoming our new President. Thank you for standing tall in representing our beautiful Central Florida. My family appreciates what you are doing, representing our diversity.
Doubtfully I say that #45 will not pay any attention to anything other than the mirrors he had placed so he could view his orange mug while here. This is going to be a difficult time for many as this administration twisted and manipulated our Electoral system to fit his abnormal head and tiny hands. As many on the Right do, they could not win any political office if they had to do it by the rules.
Thank you I wish I could be there today to PROTEST the Swamp things this man has placed in our Government. May his time doing his own bidding and rapping our $$$$$$ be short.
Dear Congresswoman
Demings…you are 100% right on target.
Keep up the sword in one hand and the olive branch in the other!
Best Regards.
Hello Mrs. Demmings,
I am confident President Trump will do exactly as he should and listen to the voters who put him into office. While it is time consuming trying to avoid the distractions of those who did NOT vote him into office, and those who make their bold statements opposing him, he is trying to listen to them as well. Those in opposition seem to forget that while they oppose his policies, we who voted him into office did so precisely because WE agree with them, at least in most part.
President Trump was not ‘placed’ into office in order to take direction from those who oppose him, he was voted in by people who support what he stands for. It is not his job to now kowtow to those who oppose, simply because they demand it.
Rather than wasting time and tax payer dollars, why not work WITH President Trump. He is a compassionate man who is willing to listen to reasonable people.
Regards,
Diane, an Orange County, Florida voter.
It’s nice to hear that an elected official really listens to what we are saying and
Is trying to improve it for us. I am a senior citizen worrying what this social security being cut. I barely make it from month to month It seems everything goes up except our benefits. This your I received a 2.05 a month. Whoooper
Isn’t this the same Val Demings that was calling Trump a racist back in November?
Yeah, why would Trump want to talk to Demmings? She has been nothing but evil to him and with no sign of a willingness to be open for discussion.
Mrs. Demmings you don’t only represent Democrats. Think about all the people in your district. They would rather you tried to comprise rather than just spewing evil and distane for the 1 term you will be there.
FYI he was voted in to do exactly what he is doing more people in FLORIDA voted for his way than your way
Mrs Demmings, unfortunately you do not represent my family. We can no longer afford insurance. The ACA took care of that. We are more interested in the integrity of our electric grid than nice roads (read When the Lights Go Out). Illegal immigrants, afraid to send their kids to school. Sins of the parents. Not my fault. And Pulse? Your comments make no sense and are, in fact, an insult. I’m at a loss.
The ACA is a train wreck, 200 a month with a 10K deductible? I would need 2 transplant surgeries to condone that kind of expense… The Parent that are afraid to send their kids to school??!! Well Val were you not OPD Chief not too long ago, and isn’t your other half the Acting (and I stress acting) Sheriff? (btw the same one that just announced drug overdoses have increased by 40% over same period last year???!!). Isn’t the “high speed rail system already up and running? or did you overlook the # of train / vehicle accidents? How about starting with keeping the guns out of the hands of the CRIMINALS first, like Markeith Loyd!!!! There is getting to be an average of at least one murder a week here (if not more) again where is our Sheriff?????
No liberal idiots need try to get in the door. OUR President doesn’t need you. You were not overlooked, you were deliberately avoided for your liberal illogic. Go home Dimmings, you are not needed.
Thankful that we now have a President that is putting Americans first. For our safety and benefits. Val Demings you are just causing more divisions with your commentary.
My President Trump , our Orlando welcomes you.
Thank You Val Demmings for paying attention to what is happening in our country, and you concerns to keep our country strong in face of the opposition we are facing. I have voted for both you and your very capable husband every chance you have given me because I think you both understand our strengths and weaknesses. I very much admire two heroes you may share with me (Martin King and post mecca Malcolm X) for their commitment to God, our country and dislike of drugs and infidelity (which are destroying our country). Thank You for helping out very broken new President Donald Trump (I am broken also, how about you?) You have my support and love, Paul Kish
Val, while on gun safety, please remember to keep your firearms secured. We don’t want the criminals who “break” into your unlocked vehicle having more of them to shoot people with. And the 2nd comment should be refuted by you. Making the color of one’s skin an issue is as racist as it gets. You Madam, should be ashamed of yourself
Val, talk about apples and oranges. The Pulse shooting involved a radicalized american born muslim. President Trump’s wants increased vetting of immigrants/visitors/refugees from countries with a history of radicalized muslim terrorism. The only crossover point seems to be radicalized muslims. A question, wouldn’t increased vetting of immigrants/refugees/visitors from countries where radicalized muslims live have prevented the San Bernardino shootings?
I cringe to think of the half-baked logic she employed as Orlando Police Chief. The nice thing about freedom of expression is it permits any thinking person to quickly identify those that are not or that have an agenda based on emotional crowd-whipping. She is a poster-child for all that’s entitled, bigoted, and anti-constitutional. And yet another reason it makes sense to leave central Florida. Patently obvious.