On Day 6, Donald Trump began showing the world that he intends to keep his promise to “put America First” by addressing immigration and sealing of our borders.
On Day 7 – I found and bookmarked the Presidential Actions web page. I have shared this link in multiple places on FaceBook with the text , “The best way to battle “Fake News” and “Alternative Facts” is to see for ourselves. The media interprets documents for us, and tells us what they want us to think.”
“Let’s see for ourselves. Here’s a link to the Presidential Actions page. It contains links for the text of Executive Orders, Presidential Memorandums, and Proclamations. Much of what we have been discussing about Trump’s activities is all here.”
“I recommend you bookmark this site and refer to it. Be sure to read text before getting into discussions, so that you can quote and stay on point about anything that you disagree with.”
Concerns:
Immigration – Trump has run a campaign of racism against Mexican immigration. He has referred to Mexican Immigrants at rapists and murderers. There are always people who commit crimes, and some commit violent, heinous crimes. These people should be captured and punished. But they aren’t all Mexican. Any immigrant, legal or illegal, who commits a violent crime should be punished. I am hesitant to suggest that all be sent back to their country of origin because other countries may apply a death penalty, which I am not necessarily comfortable with. Certainly, immigration laws should be enforced. But America should also be a compassionate country, and should review policies that would tear families apart, or that make it overly difficult for our neighbors to obtain entry into our country.
Refugees – Yes, we are at risk of terrorist attacks. The President ran on a platform of fear of ISIS. Our biggest threats from ISIS have not come from immigrants. They have come from Americans who have been radicalized. It makes more sense to address the issue of radicalization and what causes it, than it does to abandon compassion as a nation. Yes, all refugees should be vetted (as they already are), but they should not be denied simply on the basis of where they come from, especially when they have no way to return to their homeland.
The Wall – Donald Trump has ordered the construction of the wall he wants built between the United States and Mexico. This is a 2,000 mile wall, which Trump has promised during his campaign would be “higher than the ceiling” of the venue where he was speaking. In fact, he has proposed a 40-foot wall.
But, what will this cost?
Trump, himself, has estimated the wall will cost $5-10 billion dollars, payable as a “one-time payment” by Mexico. This figure is widely disputed, and is projected at least twice Trump’s estimate. Mexico isn’t going to pay for the wall. We are. $20 billion dollars worth.
Keystone Pipeline: According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump signed a series of executive memorandums to revive the Dakota Access Pipeline, citing that it would provide 28,000 construction jobs. In the video, he caveats that it would be subject to renegotiation of terms.
He wants the pipes to be made in the United States. He says it will put a lot of steelworkers back to work. According to Reuters, the requirement to use domestic steel would “violate 70 years of settled international trade law.”
My greatest concern is over the Dakota pipeline, which has been the site of great protest and loss of human rights. We need to protect the rights our all citizens, including Native Americans, and we need to protect our water, which becomes more and more precious every year as the global population continues to grow, and our water sources shrink.
The Trump Administration instructed the EPA to freeze its grants and contracts. I’ve been informed by my son, who works in the environmental industry, that this is normal during the transition of power between presidents. The purpose is to give the new administration time to review the contracts, understand what’s going on, and possibly make changes. It’s the “make changes” part that could cause the problem. This is an administration that denies climate change and has already shown itself to engage in cronyism, so there could be a pretty big impact on where grants and contracts go. For now, wait and see.
Note – all of the Executive orders I have read include a caveat that the order does not override existing laws. So, in some ways they are opinion and directives to set policy, preference, and priority. However, “preference and priority” can impact the weight a reviewer places on environmental impact reports, basic science, and other factors that weigh into a decision. My concern is that the Executive Order may give someone permission to turn a blind eye to important factors.