Cheryl Grey Mitchell, Independent: Washington DC, along with hundreds of cities worldwide, saw three protest marches in the four months following the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President: the Women’s March, March for Science, and People’s Climate March. These marches were in response to what many, including me, believe are drastic rollbacks of progress that has been made regarding environmental protection, women’s rights, and in defense of “…science that upholds the common good…”1 Because this editorial is intended to be an explanation of Democratic and Independent alarm regarding President Trump, I am choosing to skip over his lack of gender and racial diversity in the administration, conflict-of-interest with Trump Organization profits, collusion with Russia, nepotism, attack on the free press, and outright verbal harassment of minorities and women because his war against science has such a far – reaching consequences.
In America, people have the right to believe whatever they want, but elected officials with the power to craft legislation should use objective, data – based science in balance with pragmatics and profit, to inform governmental policies and laws. It is alarming to scientists and nonscientists alike that many Republicans do not believe that global warming is man – made, or do not believe in global warming at all. The GOP has characterized research supporting climate change as “shoddy science”2 and “rigged science”3, and its chair of the House Science Committee, Lamar Smith, has been documented disparaging scientists and science journals.4,5 Trump’s own anti – science, anti – climate orders and directives have included eliminating the Clean Power Plan and the Clean Water Rule, opening up national monuments to drilling, mining, and logging, eliminating bans on offshore drilling, and lifting the block on coal companies from dumping waste into our waterways. The Keystone pipeline just received the presidential thumbs-up in addition to the completion of the Dakota Access pipeline, a portion of which runs adjacent to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s water source and sacred spiritual sites.
Trump’s GOP platform has even gone so far as to target the Endangered Species Act, the very act that saved the Bald Eagle from extinction because, in some cases, it impedes “… the development of lands and natural resources.”2 It goes on to state “We are the party of America’s growers, producers, farmers, ranchers, foresters, miners, commercial fishermen, and all those who bring from the earth the crops, minerals, energy, and the bounties of our seas that are the lifeblood of our economy.” It seems few Republicans take a long view of the cost/benefit ratio of unfettered exploitation of our country’s precious resources.
Are we willing to lose our forests, oceans, and farmland (and tourism) to mining, drilling, logging, and indiscriminate pesticide use? Renewable energy should be at the forefront of our energy policy. Stewardship of the environment should be an investment in our children’s future and our economic future. Economic growth and environmental responsibility do not have to be mutually exclusive if we act responsibly and pay attention to what scientists are saying about climate change. Interestingly, recent research by Pew reveals that Democrats are much more likely to use science to inform their politics than Republicans, even those Republicans with “High” science knowledge.
In fact, Scott Pruitt, Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not only has zero science background, but he couldn’t name a single EPA regulation that he supports during his confirmation hearings. Pruitt has already made sweeping changes in his short tenure. In March he signed an order denying the EPA’s own proposal to ban chlorpyrifos, a powerful neurotoxin in pesticides commonly used in farming but banned for home use because it poses risks to children, from cognitive impairment to autism.6 Just a few days ago, the EPA fired half the members of the scientific advisory board in a likely move to replace them with petroleum engineers who count as (unbiased?) scientists. Effectively, Trump’s EPA has decided to protect the interests of Big Industry over children’s health. Which leads to a tragic irony.
The American Health Care Act (“Trump Care”) was just approved by the House of Representatives, despite the elimination of protections for pre-existing conditions. Affording healthcare for everything from asthma to autism could become cost-prohibitive for many families. To make matters worse, the AHCA includes deep cuts to Medicaid, which school districts and families rely on to provide special education services, from therapists and support staff to wheelchairs and feeding tubes. Having relied myself on both traditional health insurance as well as Medicaid to access resources for my daughter with autism, I am terrified that this administration will leave parents and their disabled children (young and adult alike) without access to appropriate support.
President Trump recently posted the following on Instagram: “Believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And believe, once more, in America.” I wonder what future generations will believe in if our fruited plains disappear, our spacious skies clog with greenhouse gases, and we have no system in place to care for our most vulnerable citizens?
John Dilworth, Non-Partisan: The campaign and election of the 45th president of the United States were perhaps the most scrutinized and divisive in recent history, and President Trump’s first hundred days in office have been no different. In the age of 24-hour news cycles and social media, which gives a voice to everyone around the globe, it is nearly impossible to escape politics in general and President Trump specifically.
Depending on the lens through which you view President Trump, you may think him a refreshing change from the standard, entrenched politician, someone who shuns political correctness and puts America first, or you may see him as an unpresidential, incompetent mockery of the highest office. Many will celebrate Trump’s first hundred days and cite job growth, a rise in the stock market, decreased unemployment, a decrease in illegal border crossings and the confirmation of Justice Gorsuch. They will cheer his draining of the swamp and making America great again. Others will speculate about Russian interference and influence, criticize the repeal of Obamacare and his rolling back of environmental protections, declare him #notmypresident and call for his impeachment. It seems as though most people have chosen a side and will not concede an inch; people are either on the Trump train or identify as part of “the resistance.” Few people want to view Trump’s presidency from a neutral and/or objective point of view. Many would rather shout down, fight, and demean the opposing side than debate or listen to a differing view. Check out Twitter and see how much civil debate you can find; it won’t be much.
This country seems more divided now than I can ever remember (granted, I am only 37 years old), but it is disheartening. I remember the unity that engulfed the United States after the horrific events of 9/11- we were all Americans, a united and proud country despite our different beliefs. I do not wish for a catalyst such as 9/11 to bring us back together, but I do want to see us unite once again in our pride and love of this great country. No other place in the world offers the freedom and opportunities that America does; each of us contributes to the fabric of this country and we should celebrate that not tear one another down.
The idea that our fellow American citizens are enemies at worse and tolerated nuisances at best simply because of differing political opinions is not the way to make/keep America great. Americans from all walks of life, races, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds deserve the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness bestowed upon us by God and the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence. No one is trying to or will take that away. We live in the greatest country ever conceived, and if we want it to continue, the answer is not to fight one another into submission or shut down oppositional free speech in the name of anti-fascism but to have honest and open conversations with those who may have differing beliefs. We need to find common ground, be good and kind to one another and learn from each other.
No matter how you feel about President Trump and his first hundred days, he is our president, we are Americans, and we are greater than any political divide. Let’s come together to support our president when he does something good for this country and let’s question and look for better solutions when he fails to do so. He is not perfect and neither is our country, but we can come together and work together to make it a more perfect union for the next generations of Americans; that is our patriotic duty.
