Several times in the past few days people have said to me: “Give the guy a chance.”
They are annoyed that I jumped out of the box to criticize President Trump only one day after his inauguration. They have pointed out that I am usually more open-minded, and that I did, in fact, say I would wait and watch before making judgments.
And I didn’t. When huge crowds gathered around the world to stand up for women’s rights because they felt diminished and threatened by the sexist, objectifying comments of an admitted “celebrity” predator, who became President of the United States of America, I felt the obligation to join the chorus of discontent.
Donald Trump didn’t even give me a day to be patient. On day one he had begun sweeping his broom across long treasured American ideals with policies that will see the EPA frozen and the regulations that preserved our land and protected our air removed. With policy to defund the NEA and NEH and the artistic culture that defined our creativity will be left behind. With policy to end women’s preeminent health provider and to marginalize health care and public education by placing them among market forces and away from compassion and wisdom.
By Monday, the new President had reiterated his plan for the escalation of the Military Industrial Complex forewarned by President Eisenhower to be what “we must guard against” as “the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power.” And with the re-introduction of torture in our war chest that will slap America’s promise of justice and human rights across the face.
By Monday afternoon President Trump also reminded us of his tax plan that will likely increase the tax burden of those who can least afford it and allow the top earners to increase their holdings (1% of America already controls 40% of the wealth).
By Tuesday, collective bargaining rights had been threatened and by Wednesday voter fraud “in the millions” had been declared without a shred of evidence to support the claim. Voter suppression, here we come.
And he just got started.
Give the guy a chance?
I told a friend who is critical of my criticism that I am afraid of the changes that have already taken place. She said: “Well, he can’t make things any worse than they already are.” That is a statement I’ve heard a lot over the past year. In fact, Donald Trump won on the drum beat of how bad America has become and the need for a complete reversal of fortune.
But, were things worse?
This is a sensitive direction to pursue because many people have not recovered from what was in 2008 the worst recession in 79 years, but this particular person bought a beautiful new house a couple of years ago. The auto industry (which is an economic barometer) had a record year in 2015. Stocks rebounded since their complete collapse over 8 years ago.
Is it terrorism she believes is worse than ever? It is a tremendous concern to me, as well, but wasn’t 9/11 the most catastrophic act of terrorism ever on American soil? That was in 2001.
In 2008 our economy was in a tailspin. Unemployment rose to nearly 10% (today it is at 5%). Many people I know took pay cuts during the recession. Today they have recovered.
Regardless of what anyone thinks of the Affordable Care Act (and I accept that it can be improved), 20 million people who were previously uninsured are now covered. Debate it if you want, but it is an attempt to give more lives more security.
“Give the guy a chance”
Our system is not based on a “guy” it is based on people and all of the voices that rise within that body as the ultimate check and balance against corruption and tyranny. My voice will be one of them. Not because I want to see Donald Trump fail but because I want America to succeed.
I will finish with this: My friends who have asked me to give President Trump a chance, want the same thing; for America to succeed. I may be a thorn at times, we may infuriate each other and go to our separate corners, or we may simply “agree to disagree.” But this process “with the right to peaceably assemble” and “petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances” is what keeps us strong, and it is how America will survive, regardless of who is in government.
That was put into our preeminent Amendment for a reason, and that reason was not simply to be read and admired, but to be exercised.
And I (we) will.
