Donald Trump Starts his Term with a Bang
Donald Trump’s presidency took a momentous start, with a 90 day travel ban on Muslim-majority countries (now tied up in court), a Supreme Court justice nomination, a withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific partnership, and a federal regulation executive order, among others, proving that Trump’s term will follow its own rhythm, with or without Constitutional regards.
“There are concerns that [the travel ban] may violate the First Amendment,” said Modern World History teacher Mark Bradford.
Through Trump’s new immigration policy in late January, bias was shown towards refugees of the Christian denomination.
“When he began to give preferential treatment to Christians, it further reinforced the idea that it is a Muslim ban,” Bradford remarked.
Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, major shifts in government and international relations have occurred. Trump received 304 votes from the Electoral College, clinching the presidency, despite having lost the popular vote by slightly under three million votes, being one of only four presidents to do so.
Trump’s first executive decision as President signed was to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This decision will have little immediate effect due to the fact that it was never ratified by Congress.
Planned Parenthood and other vital women’s health care agencies have also come under fire by the new president since the election began. Trump has since pulled funding for foreign aid from providers that discuss abortion information. “United States law already prohibits the use of American taxpayer dollars for abortion services anywhere, including in countries where the procedure is legal,” stated the New York Times. Putting this in action has frozen funding in health care to women all over the world.
Since then, protests have continued regarding the political issues Trump poses, including the Women’s March, which became one of the largest scale demonstrations in United States history, as reported by The Atlantic. Marchers were seen holding signs reading #NotMyPresident, Women’s Rights are not Up for Grabs, and Bridges Not Walls, the latter popularized in Europe.
More controversy struck Jan. 30, when Trump made an executive order of a 90-day travel ban precluding citizens from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia from entering United States soil. Many countries, such as Saudi Arabia, that have had citizens commit major U.S. terrorist acts, are exempt from this ban, purportedly due to business
partnerships with Trump.
Sophomore Katy Hopkins has found issue with the travel ban. “I don’t think it is morally justified. You have to ask yourself: what is going to happen after those 90 days?” Hopkins asked.
People have dropped their everyday routines to participate in the protest against the ban and continue to fight alongside a popular “Make America Kind Again” slogan, according to CNN. Since the immigration decision, civil disobedience ensued from millions, similar to Mohandas Ghandi’s Satyagraha approach of nonviolence.
Trump’s first executive decision as President signed to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This decision will have little immediate effect due to that it was never ratified by Congress. This power-move displays how president Trump is attempting to localize American trade deals. Planned Parenthood and other vital women’s health care agencies has come under fire since the election began. Trump has since pulled funding for foreign aid that provides abortion assistance.
”United States law already prohibits the use of American taxpayer dollars for abortion services anywhere, including in countries where the procedure is legal,” stated the New York Times. Putting this in action has frozen funding in healthcare far and wide, leaving over 225 million women scrambling for a second Plan B.
