Are we having fun yet, America?
Am I the only one appreciating the fact that millions of Americans are following closely every move of newly-elected President Trump? Am I the only one overjoyed that American citizens, who usually tune in to three presidential debates every four years, and tune out for the remainder, are asking questions about separation of powers, constitutional authority, and judicial precedent?
This is actually what we should want in a democratic-republican society.
We want citizens to actively alert their representatives and senators in Congress with issues of concern. We want government to respond to voters’ interests with action and not just rhetoric. We can peaceably protest, disagree in the press and on street corners, and argue vehemently our political points of view. We live in a wonderful country.
What we need to remember in coming days and months is that responsive government requires active citizenry.
What candidate Trump unleashed was the active citizenry of a previously-inactive faction. I use the word faction because James Madison, one of the primary authors of the U.S. Constitution, anticipated factions and argued that our Constitution would protect individual rights against the whims of factions who could, at times, become democratic majorities.
While Democrats are right to argue that those who voted for Trump are NOT a majority of the American population, they are wrong to assume that there is not a broad middle ground of Americans who find much to praise in Trump’s first actions as President.
Let’s consider some examples:
1. Radical Islam. President Obama’s refusal to acknowledge the religious-based motivations of terrorists left most Americans feeling like they were in a twilight zone. The idea that Muslims want to live peacefully in this world is completely compatible with the idea that some violent terrorists believe the religion of Islam allows them to commit atrocities. What Obama did was cause unease and distrust in government’s ability to protect its citizens because he wouldn’t publicly acknowledge the threat. Politicos may argue that Obama’s rhetoric was deliberately orchestrated to gain Muslim allies in the war on terror, but Americans of all religious and non-religious persuasions have always valued simple and honest speech. Consequently, pausing immigration from Muslim-majority nations that are known to harbor terrorists or terrorist-leaning groups, in order to review national security standards, seems completely reasonable to many Americans and, more importantly, is viewed by them as a welcome change. (See most recent polling data: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/immigration/august_2016/most_support_trump_s_call_for_immigration_restrictions_screening_test.)
2. The Women’s March and Roe v. Wade. Women’s rights advocates are horrified that the Hyde Amendment is back in force. Federal funding for international organizations that provide or advise abortion has been slashed and reinstated before, depending on which political party is in office. This is not a surprise. What may be a surprise to liberals is how many Americans view Trump’s reinstatement of the Hyde Amendment as completely reasonable. Why should our tax dollars be used to support something so controversial? Isn’t our money better spent on issues we can all agree on, many argue, especially domestic ones?
While women of all political persuasions marched across the globe last week, the issue of abortion was definitely an undercurrent in these marches. But, a word to many feminists: try to tell a woman who does not support abortion (myself included) that she does not value women’s rights. You can talk all day, and she will not change her mind that women’s rights and human rights are one and the same and must be protected equally.
What liberals are really concerned about is that Trump’s move signals his intentions to keep abortion in mind when nominating a justice to the Supreme Court. Liberals have reason to be concerned based upon Trump’s previously-published list of potential nominees (We will find out tomorrow.). They have a more serious concern, as well. While words like “due process” and “equal protection” are clearly found in the Constitution, neither “privacy” nor “abortion” is. Of course, a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights can always be added, but liberals fear this path. The fact is the majority of the American population favors some restrictions on abortion, particularly after the first trimester. (See recent and aggregate polls: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/24/marist-poll-6-in-10-americans-favor-20-week-aborti/ and http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/Abortion.aspx.)
3. Business deregulation and the Keystone XL pipeline. Most Americans also agree that natural resources should be harvested conservatively, harnessed safely, and used cleanly. Where such goals could mean severe job losses for citizens, Americans tend to side with labor and the free market, believing (hoping) for innovative technologies that help the environment without hurting the worker. Immediately and completely stopping the use of coal-burning technologies is not something the general public supports, neither is halting projects that have gone through numerous governmental hoops of approval when such projects appear to the general public to be safe and beneficial to national independence from Middle Eastern oil. (See original poll numbers: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/03/07/poll-most-americans-support-keystone-xl-pipeline-including-democrats.)
4. Voter Fraud, Refugees, the National Security Council and Holocaust. In other areas Trump is demonstrating decision-making that should make every American concerned. Injecting himself into the issue of voter fraud causes severe heartburn to federalists, who value state governments and their purview.
Cutting the number of worldwide refugees allowed into the United States — and halting the process already several years’ underway in war-torn Syria — is unhumanitarian, as well as bad foreign policy and domestic economic logic. (See: https://extranewsfeed.com/lets-talk-immigration-70044695dbc2#.ns6jq0dnx.)
Removing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from regular attendance at National Security Council meetings and appointing Steve Bannon in his place is mindboggling. The image of Rasputin comes immediately to mind. (See story: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/29/512295108/with-national-security-council-shakeup-steve-bannon-gets-a-seat-at-the-table.)
Lastly, to ignore the facts that “holocaust” is a Hebrew word applied to a historic event of genocidal impact upon Jewish people, recognized by the United Nations and international community each year as a political statement against Holocaust deniers, is simply ignorant or hateful. There are no other explanations. Attempting to recognize International Holocaust Day without specifically mentioning Jews, as well as to later defend the action, is truly unbelievable. (See story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/27/trump-fails-mention-jews-holocaust-remembrance-statement/97150252/.)
The point of these examples is that Trump is going to generate agreement and controversy every step of the way. Both far right and left have every political right to stay on their toes and examine all evidence, but I also suggest they grant some middle ground to the democratic process. You can’t only support the U.S. political system when it agrees with you. We have a Constitution which protects individual liberties; we have a system which prefers Congressional authority; and, we have a new President which has created unusual interest in both. This is something for which to be thankful…and ACTIVE.
I strongly caution Americans against tuning out for the next four years.
A past President — with whom Trump seems to so closely associate himself— is a perfect example of why.
Defying the judgement of the U.S. Supreme Court, President Andrew Jackson refused to protect the Cherokee nation from the encroachment of Georgia residents. Is it conceivable that Trump could defy the Supreme Court? Of course. However, Jackson had much help in underwriting his “Trail of Tears.” The government and citizens of Georgia supported him, as did Congress, which ultimately passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830.
This is where political action meets consequences, fellow citizens. Every branch of government plays a role in checking and balancing each other. It’s time we start reading our constitutions. For years I have carried mine with me at all times (but, I am a nerd…a nerd who is now on Twitter, in order to keep up with her President).
