Donald Trump, Executive Orders, And The Further Division Of America

Trump and America: A Made Match?

There has been a furious battle cry from protestors, the media, and the internet due to the inauguration of President Trump. Executive orders have been passed to construct the wall on the Mexican border and to repeal the Affordable Care Act (the replacement is under construction). Trump has not stopped harnessing the power of Twitter, nor has he quit starting fights due to his ego. He has announced voter investigation fraud against the popular vote victory of Hilary Clinton. His announcement caused a ruckus among the media outlets, but Trump remained steadfast in his claim that illegal immigrants directed the outcome of the election. Trump froze government hiring for non-military members and federal funds to be stripped from sanctuary cities that do not help immigration laws. Amongst the hysteria, Trump and Vice President Pence were in contact with lawmakers about the president’s agenda. Trump connected with both parties on Capitol Hill and in the White House; he appeared in Philadelphia to speak with Republicans about his upcoming plans in the Oval Office. During the campaign, critics trashed Trump’s rhetoric as nonsense he would disregard once in office. So far, they got it wrong. As all eyes stay glued on President Trump, no one notices that America is suffering.

For the People, By the People

The crowds began filing in front of the Capitol on January 20th to witness another new president sworn into office. However, this was no ordinary inauguration for an average president. Donald Trump became the 45^th President pledging to lead a “united America,” but the widespread protest showed “divided America.” Protestors groups gathered in enormous numbers during the ceremony. The placards represented every cause displayed ranging from “Free Palestine” to “Black Lives Matter” and “Pussy grabs back.”  Protests took place around the world in outcries against Trump. More than 200 arrested and charged with rioting after the police and protesters clashed in downtown Washington D.C. Even as the police and protestors went head to head, Trump went straight to work signing an executive order targeting the Affordable Care Act. Trump’s win took everyone by surprise when his campaign connected with the disillusioned voter that loathed mainstream politics. The magnitude of supporters carried him to the White House. Despite his comments that stirred high emotions in groups from immigrants to women, he based his campaign to touch the souls of the “silent majority” who believe their voices have gone on deaf ears in Washington. In his inaugural address, Trump painted a vivid picture of a bleak America in need of help. “This American carnage stops right here and now,” he boasted. A few streets away the American carnage manifested in scuffles, broken windows, and hurled projectiles. Police responded with stun grenades and pepper spray. The riots continued as vehicles set ablaze. The protest extended to Saturday with a Women’s March on Washington while Trump’s task of unifying America begins from the steps in Washington. 

Every Action Has an Equal and Opposite Reaction

The immigration order produced by President Trump met with harsh opposition. Protests began in the main airports across the United States, and cable news networks were covering the incidents as it happened. Emotions swelled at the JFK Airport to show a united front for the detained immigrants held by immigration officials. Trump’s executive order called for a temporary barring of individuals from the seven major Muslim countries, but it met a roadblock within a few hours. The order upset the U.S. government and left thousands of Muslim travelers separated from their loved ones. Civil liberties groups, Democratic governors, and members of Congress shot down the executive order as disrespect to America’s core values. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called it “cruelty”; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said there were “tears running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty.” The congressional Republicans split on the executive order. House Speaker Paul Ryan and committee members consider it a necessary asset to national security while other members of the GOP express their disagreement. “President Trump and his administration are right to be concerned about national security, but it’s unacceptable when even legal permanent residents are being detained or turned away at airports and ports of entry,” said Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) pointed out her disagreements with the directive, stating it could block the immigration of Iraqi nationals that assisted the U.S. military as bodyguards and interpreters during the Iraq War. One man detained at the JFK airport had obtained a visa after working with the U.S. military for a decade. Paul Ryan, a critic of Trump during his campaign, defended the president order. He stated it was not a target at Muslims and did not mean the White House imposed a religious test on refugees. Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennslyvania, a GOP moderate in the House, was unhappy about a Syrian family turned away by immigration officials at a Philadelphia airport. Dent said, “A Syrian Christian family who, according to family members in my district, held valid visas and were not refugees, yet were detained at the Philadelphia International Airport and then forced to leave the country as a result of the Executive Order. This family now faces the uncertain prospect of being sent back to Syria.” The politics are still being settled out over the matter. The story so far is Trump is a man of action ready to impact and change the system. He has made promises, kept promises. The Trump train has only started gaining steam. 

How it All Happened? 

The voices of the mainstream media of both sides placed their hands in society’s cookies jar; they stirred up passion in those that felt abandoned by Washington. Society always gets the end of the stick. No matter what group we belong to racial, political or otherwise, we are all duped. We will trust in anything that authenticates our importance that we will endure in this world. During the time of the election, people were put into two standard categories: Republicants and Libertards. The two hardcore extremes clashed over their personal values and their respective candidate. We waited for all this to pass, for all the pin-up anger to run its course–the anger manifested in the election of Donald Trump. The silent majority ensured their rage reached the ballots; Trump or no Trump they will undermine the society they believe is in ruin and strive for the hopes for the future of their children. The current protests have made it clear others feel we are plunging head first into the abyss. We fail to listen to each other. We are always talking, but we never listen. We think too much and forget to feel. More than any advancement in technology or science, we need humanity to move forward. Even among the mass confusion; there are certain things both sides can find agreement. Majorities of Democrats and Democratic leaners (88%) and Republicans and Republican leaners (84%) say the country is more divided these days than in the past. The other thing America can find agreement—the Superbowl. 53 percent of Americans are rooting for the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday in Houston compared to only 27 percent in support of the Patriots. There is a wide gap between the two, but even Republicans and Democrats can agree on the game, with a 58/23 split for Republicans and a 54/27 split for Democrats polled. So, we can rip each other apart on personal values, but for the Superbowl united we stand. Well done!