Donald Trump does not deserve a chance.
Now, before you turn away, before you say you disagree with me, and before you classify me as a nonsensical, freeloading liberal, I implore you to listen.
I have meticulously selected the three reasons why our new president does not deserve a chance, and laid them out below. All I ask of you is that you proceed with an open mind, and heed the facts.
The first of these reasons is that his preliminary actions as president are a threat to the United States. Is that claim dramatized? Perhaps. However, his decisions thus far are indicative of a very threatened future indeed.
On his very first day in office, Trump signed an executive order repealing many aspects of the Affordable Care Act; stripping millions of Americans of health care without a viable alternative in place as of yet.
His administration put a gag order on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), restricting public communications. The federal agency responsible for reporting on climate change is essentially no longer able to report on climate change.
In addition, Trump’s nominations to various essential positions of the government can at the very best be described as dubious.
His nominee to manage our public education system, Betsy DeVos, wants to privatize public education. She was confirmed earlier this month in a vote that required a tie-breaking intervention from vice president Mike Pence.
Scott Pruitt, the man he selected to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, has repeatedly sued the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Trump himself has insisted we ought to “get rid of” the EPA altogether.
Rex Tillerson, who Trump has chosen for the position of Secretary of State, was once awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. That is the very same Putin accused of poisoning and imprisoning the journalists who criticize him.
Tillerson’s ties to such a man make him a questionable figure of authority. By placing dangerous people in positions of power, president Trump is putting at risk the very country he swore to protect.
The second reason Mr. Trump is not deserving of a chance is that his dealings threaten the world abroad. Chief among these is his recently-instituted ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.
“But it’s not a Muslim ban!” oblivious American citizen John Doe said. The facts of the matter are that yes, it is a Muslim ban, and no, it is not ethical at all. Our president proved as much when tweeting about it, going as far as to call it a ‘ban’ himself.
Approved refugees, who had already passed the 18 to 24-month vetting process, were detained alongside US legal residents and valid visa holders.
Detained at the US border, or made to return to their respective countries of origin, many refugees and immigrants simply had nowhere to go. These events are perhaps reminiscent of the last time refugees were denied en masse. That was in 1939, and the results were devastating.
Temporarily putting the immigration ban on hold is not an attempt to appease the public. Trump and his administration are merely counting the cost of acting prematurely and without much thought.
The final and perhaps most important reason Mr. Trump should not be given a chance by the American people is that chances are earned. Consider the evidence against him, and ask yourself, what has he done so far to prove he deserves one?
Image Courtesy of National Review