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Sen. Slotkin on Tuesday night.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday night delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress full of hope, patriotism, bravado, partisanship and anti-wokeness, along with some falsehoods.
Then, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin delivered a levelheaded and calm response on behalf of the Democrats, who have been pulling their hair out over Trump’s policies, the indiscriminate layoffs of federal workers, and the wholesale dismantling of government agencies.
"America wants change, but there's a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy," Slotkin said.
"Whether you're from Wyandotte or Wichita, most Americans share three core beliefs: that the middle class is the engine of our country, that strong national security protects us from harm, and that our democracy, no matter how messy, is unparalleled and worth fighting for."
Slotkin was selected to deliver the speech, with New York Sen. Chuck Schumer last week describing her as a rising star in the party.
While her speech refrained from attacking Trump personally, her high-profile opposition on Tuesday night could put her on his radar and make her a target of his derisive comments on social media.
Trump, in a lengthy speech that drew many standing ovations from Republicans, talked about his impact on the border, the elimination of DEI and "woke" policies in the government and beyond, and crimes committed by immigrants.
He exaggerated the amount of money the U.S. has spent on the Ukraine war and made it clear that there's only room for two genders: male and female. He talked about giving more respect to law enforcement while conveniently ignoring the pardons and commutations he granted to violent Jan. 6 rioters at the U.S. Capitol who attacked police.
He simply fibbed when he said President Joe Biden handed him the worst economy, when in fact, it was regarded as one of the best in the world, particularly considering the worldwide inflation following the pandemic. And he failed to address concerns about the potential downside to his tariffs.
He talked about the U.S. reclaiming the Panama Canal and hopefully gaining possession of Greenland. And he tipped his hat to Elon Musk, crediting him with helping cut government waste, even though The New York Times reports that many of the savings have been grossly inaccurate.
And he boasted about making English the official language of the U.S. Of course that must have come as relief to the majority of members of Congress in attendance and members of his cabinet who only speak one language -- English.
Slotkin acknowledged concerns that voters brought up during the 2024 election.
"We need to bring down the price of things we spend the most money on: groceries, housing, healthcare. We need to make more things in America with good-paying union jobs and bring our supply chains back home from places like China. We need to give American businesses the certainty they need to invest and create the jobs of the future, and we need a tax system that's fair for people who don't happen to make a billion dollars."
"The president talked a big game on the economy, but it's always important to read the fine print," she said. "So, do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close. President Trump is trying to deliver an unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends.
"He's on the hunt to find trillions of dollars to pass along to the wealthiest in America, and to do that, he's going to make you pay in every part of your life. Grocery and home prices are going up, not down, and he hasn't laid out a credible plan to deal with either of those. His tariffs on allies like Canada will raise prices on energy, lumber, and cars and start a trade war that will hurt manufacturing and farmers.
"Your premiums and prescriptions will cost more because the math on his proposals doesn't work."
