He won. Those are 2 words I didn't think I would be saying about the election. Despite 34 felony convictions, being found liable for sexual abuse, a disastrous economic plan, an attempted coup, and an array of deranged insults against his opponents: this is who Americans elected as their President. Not only that, but at the time I am writing, Republicans have won every swing state, flipped the Senate, and kept the House.
So, whether we like it or not, this is where we are, and now the question is what the next 4 years under President-elect Trump will look like. So far, it is, put plainly, looking grim. After rumors that he may name moderate pro-Ukraine Republicans like Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo in his cabinet, he quickly shut the idea down, and the people he has appointed do not offer much solace either.
For the success of our great country, we all should all hope that the new administration proves me wrong. It is not too late for the President-elect to reverse course on his extreme and misguided policy proposals that will tear apart (literally) families.
But, if I could give Mr. Trump policy advice, I would have a lot to say, which I will detail policy by policy below:
Immigration
Starting with immigration, which Mr. Trump made the core of his campaign, Trump has promised a range of hard-line policies, including mass deportations and reducing pathways to legal immigration. These policies are not just cruel, but would also crush the American economy. While Republicans have long said that their immigration policies are solely targeted at illegal migrants, not legal immigrants, Trump also wants to curb legal immigration significantly.
The President-elect is correct that the United States needs to get its border under control, but he sees it in a one-sided way that will deliver few solutions. Suppose Mr. Trump (and other politicians) truly want to fix our broken immigration system. In that case, they should pass a pathway to citizenship and speed up our asylum process so we can get migrants working and contributing to the country’s economy.
But, all of this is increasingly unrealistic. Mr. Trump has appointed immigration hard-liners, like Stephen Miller (who has been named the Deputy Chief of Staff), Kristi Noem (who has been named Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security), Thomas Homan (who Trump is calling his “border czar”), and others who represent the most extreme of America.
Foreign Policy
On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump made a variety of concerning promises about foreign policy. Possibly most concerning of all was his plan for Ukraine, which he has effectively pledged to abandon and cede occupied territory to Russia. But, Ukraine isn't the only democracy Trump plans to abandon. He has enunciated his distaste for our NATO allies and wants to scrap President Biden’s plan for peace in the Middle East, instead saying he will let Israel’s right-wing Government “finish the job” without significant oversight.
But, there is some reason to hope that Mr. Trump will back down from plans to abandon our allies. His pick for Secretary of State, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), has called himself a supporter of Ukraine and is resolute in his commitment to NATO. While Mr. Rubio is not perfect, his appointment as Secretary of State is good news for anyone who believes in NATO and Ukraine, and I believe (tentatively) that he could have what it takes to stand up to Mr. Trump.
But, looking at the upcoming administration's policy on the Middle East conflict, there is little good news. The President-elect’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has signaled support for Israel's annexation of the West Bank, and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is a close ally of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Even for someone who generally supports Israel, like myself, these picks signal a Middle East policy that is completely out of step with the American People.
If Trump truly wants to help the Israeli (and Palestinian) people, he would press both the Israeli and Palestinian governments to accept a ceasefire deal to end this war, which has killed thousands of Israelis and Palestinians. Delaying this war further only helps Netanyahu hold onto power and causes more harm to the security of the Israeli people and the long-term security of the Israeli State.
Economic Policy
Trump made the economy a centerpiece of his campaign, making a variety of policy promises. Voters, frustrated with stubbornly high inflation, seemed to buy Trump’s economic agenda, propelling him to the White House. However, economists have warned time and time again that Trump’s economic policy would be a disaster for both the United States economy and economies around the world.
Particularly, Trump’s proposal for a 10-20% universal tariff and a 60-100% tariff on Chinese imports would be an unmitigated disaster for American companies, American consumers, and our allies around the world. Economic analyses have shown that these tariffs will not just hurt the American companies that have to pay them, but will operate similarly to a sales tax, and be passed on to the consumers. Ultimately, the consumers that would be hit hardest by these proposed tariffs would be the poorest and worst-off American consumers.
Unfortunately, tariffs are not the only disastrous economic policy proposed by the President-elect. He has also made clear his intentions to undermine the independence of the Federal Reserve, which would undoubtedly hurt the American economy. He has also promised various tax cuts for corporations and high earners that would provide little benefit to the American economy while exploding the budget deficit.
Put together, Mr. Trump's proposed economic plans would be a catastrophe for the American economy at every income level, but especially for low-income families. If Mr. Trump wants to fix the economy he should significantly scale back his tariffs plans, respect the independence of the Federal Reserve, rethink his tax cuts, and preserve the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act passed by the Biden administration (which have created thousands of jobs).
The Judiciary
While the issue of the Judiciary wasn't a central part of either Presidential campaign, Trump has extensively detailed how he plans to use the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Justice system against his adversaries. Trump’s recent pick of Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a far-right lawmaker, for Attorney General, does little to assuage the concerns of the President-elect using the DOJ to prosecute his political opponents.
The list of things Trump has proposed doing with the DOJ and Justice System is far too extensive to list, but Americans should not simply take the language he has used lightly. We should take Mr. Trump for his word when he calls his opponents “vermin,” or when he says that they will be “prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” What the President-elect is saying is not just insignificant rambling (like he often does), it is exactly what Mr. Trump intends to do.
Regarding the Judicial system, Trump has expressed his willingness to appoint far-right Judges who will rule for him. Mr. Trump, angry with the SCOTUS Justices he appointed, seems to want to appoint Judges who are even more far-right. Chances are, Mr. Trump will have the opportunity to appoint at least 1 SCOTUS Justice. If his cabinet picks are any sign, it is doubtful that whoever he appoints to the Supreme Court will be reasonable.
An independent and impartial judiciary is the cornerstone of democracy, however, Trump’s proposals for the American judicial system would considerably weaken its ability to be a real check on power.
I can only hope that President-elect Trump either withdraws Representative Gaetz’s (who has been accused of sex trafficking a minor) nomination or it is rejected in the Senate. For the future of the country I love, I can only hope that I am wrong about Trump’s intentions to prosecute political opponents. If Mr. Trump really wants to make my day, he would nominate reasonable center-right judges who will respect the rule of law.
Conclusion
As I have said, if how things are playing out right now is any indication, Trump’s second term in office looks like what should be our worst nightmare. But, we should all wish the President-elect luck and hope he proves us wrong because Americans cannot afford to have Trump 2.0 without guardrails in the White House.
But, for me, the question is less about how Mr. Trump will govern and more about how we will respond. I’ve heard many people say they want to disengage from politics or give up completely. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. Effectively standing up to the incoming Trump/Vance administration will require an informed citizenry who can critically think about the future of our country.
In the words of our Vice President, “The [most] important thing is don't ever give up.”
A democracy only lasts so long as the people work to uphold it. So let's not agonize over the election results. Instead, let's start organizing to win the next one.
Photo Credit: CNN
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https://www.reuters.com/world/us/inside-trumps-plan-mass-deportations-who-wants-stop-him-2024-11-06/
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