Waiting for Trump to deliver
So, not in a panic about President Trump, because there has been no legislation to effectuate the great concerns I have about his proposals. But, his executive orders (EO) are concerning. Mostly because they are issued without vetting by the affected cabinet departments.
Contrary to some beliefs, the Muslim ban (call it what you will) literally denied entry to American citizens arriving from the named countries. It also denied entry to people who properly had visas and others who had been vetted for over two years and been determined to be allowed entry.
As misguided and poorly drafted as that EO was, it was no surprise that six federal court justices and one appellate federal court substantively found that EO to be, as written, unconstitutional.
To the larger concern, President Trump campaigned on 12 promises. So far, we have heard nothing about “lock her up.” There has been a lot of talk about Obamacare but so far what we know is that it is very complicated. He said we would be waterboarding but his DOD secretary has said we won’t be doing that and the NSC director has agreed we won’t.
The wall may well get built, but now to build the wall he described would cost $25 billion and there is no sign of Mexico wanting to pay. Deportation and Syrian refugees are issues simmering and we may yet deport 11 million and not allow Syrian refugees in, but it will take probably more than four years, if it does in deed happen. Obama deported 3 million, so I am waiting for Trump to hit that number.
The Iran nuclear deal is untouched, but DOD is apparently getting an additional $54 billion, which itself is OK, but I am concerned about the budget busting and/or cuts that will ensue. Cutting a federal workforce when people are complaining about not getting services such as Social Security or Veterans Affairs seems misguided, although exceptions are being made for health care workers but not for the administrative staff to arrange visits.
Finally, the terrible trade deals remain in effect. He has delivered on promises to lift regulations with regard to water and may do so for the air, so we won’t have to worry about whether he will do some thing about those; he has. And, we will have two big pipelines (unfortunately, no American company makes pipes in excess of 24 inches in diameter, so the major steel will be foreign).
You can count the 12 promises. Considering the short time President Trump has been in office, he has taken steps to fulfill several. I am overall unhappy with what he has done and fearful what may happen to our country.
Finally, looking forward to cheaper, more encompassing and simply better health insurance that will cover everyone. I want infrastructure spending increased. I hope that President Trump will reduce the price of drugs, as he said in his recent address. William Wetmore, Waldorf