PREVIEW – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:   President Trump will deliver an address to Congress tomorrow night.  It won't exactly be a State of the Union message – new presidents generally don't do that – but a general speech on the plans for his administration.

I expect that it will be very good, and very reasonable.  Trump can make that happen when he wants to.  Part of his strategy will probably be to throw the Democrats off balance.  From The Hill:

President Trump said Monday that his first budget proposal would feature major boosts to military spending and local law enforcement funding offset by “greater savings and efficiencies” in the federal government.

Trump promised a budget of “great rationality" that included funding increases that fulfill several of his key campaign promises while reducing overall federal spending.

“We’re going to do more with less and make the government lean and accountable to the people,” said Trump at a White House meeting of the country’s governors. “The government must learn to tighten its belt, something that families across the country have had to learn to do.”

Trump’s remarks come one day before he’ll speak to a joint session of Congress on his policy agenda. The president said the budget would be “a very big part” of Tuesday night’s speech, with the administration expected to release an outline of his proposal on March 13.

"It’s going to have to do with military, safety, economic development and things such as that," Trump said of his budget proposal. "Great detail tomorrow.”

Trump said his budget will include “a historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military.”

COMMENT:  The military desperately needs rebuilding, and that in turn means more manufacturing jobs in the United States.  For Trump, it's a twofer. 

There may well be disruptions during the speech.  Each member of Congress gets one ticket for a guest in the gallery, and it's well known that some leftist members give tickets to groups like Code Pink.  I wouldn't be shocked if the Code Pinkers show up and start shouting.

February 27, 2017