Conservatives find good messages in president's speech but see many battles ahead

DENVER -- President Donald Trump stuck to themes familiar from his campaign in his first address to a joint session of Congress. Krista Kafer of KNUS 710 radio and former state representative Amy Stephens joined Anne Trujillo to discuss the speech on this week’s Politics Unplugged.

“You know I thought his tone was good, he didn’t attack anyone, he was very pleasant, there was some good ideas in there: pass the ObamaCare repeal and replace, tax reform. But I also found it a little disturbing to see republicans clapping on big spending, new mandates on employers, that didn’t go so well with me,” Kafer said.

“I thought there were a number of topics,” Stephens added. “Really the whole issue of rule of law is what appealed to me and he said this over and over we are going to keep the ‘rule of law.’ He applied that ‘rule of law’ to a number of issues, whether it’s immigration or whether it’s getting rid of drug dealers in our communities, so I thought that actually had a very good overall theme.”

One of the hot topics since the president’s address has been the future of the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare.  Just like on the campaign trail, President Trump vowed to repeal and replace it. Stephens says the repeal may be a harder fight to getting it passed.

“I think Republicans, our party has to get it together, in terms of where we are going to agree in terms of the specifics of a plan,” she said. “The one difference in ObamaCare is you didn’t hear the democrats having party in-fighting. Right now, we do have party in-fighting.”

The President also repeated his promise to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. However, there was not mention of his plan to make Mexico pay for that wall during his speech. Both Stephens and Kafer thought that paying for the wall may be what ultimately seals or kills that plan.

They also discussed the silent protest many democratic women took part in, wearing white to the speech, a color traditionally associated with the women’s suffrage movement.

“I think a lot of women are understandably are concerned about his character toward women, but as far as policies, I don’t see much happening,” Kafer said.

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Politics Unplugged airs Sundays at 4 p.m. on Denver7.