PRESS RELEASE

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Trump Evokes American System, Abraham Lincoln, and Henry Clay at Louisville Rally

March 21, 2017 (EIRNS)—Addressing the packed stands at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky yesterday evening, President Donald Trump took a page out of American history, when he evoked Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and Clay’s belief in the "American System." Trump pointed out that

"Abraham Lincoln was born right here in Kentucky. The legendary pioneer Daniel Boone helped settle the Kentucky frontier, and the great 19th century American statesman Henry Clay represented Kentucky in the United States Congress."

He said, "Like Henry Clay, we want to put our own people to work." Further, "We believe in two simple rules: Buy American, and hire American."

Taking a swipe at free trade, Trump pointed out that

"Clay said very strongly, free trade, which would throw wide open our ports to foreign production without duties while theirs remain closed to us—that was his [Clay’s] quote—Clay said trade must be fair, equal and reciprocal. I am talking about reciprocal trade. And explaining his American System, Clay argued that the sole object to the tariff is to tax the produce of foreign industry with the view of promoting American industry. For too long our government has abandoned the American System."

Trump drew one of the biggest cheers of the night when he promised to restore the nation’s struggling coal industry, which has hit Kentucky especially hard with job losses. "We are going to put our coal miners back to work. The miners are coming back."