A partial tally of what we’ve lost
Many Americans may not realize just how different Trump’s America is than the country was just two years ago.
It is now official government policy to discourage women who go to any medical facility that gets federal dollars from terminating pregnancy. Planned Parenthood said it was forced to opt out of $60 million in Title X dollars to continue to provide full reproductive services. A number of states also are pulling out, endangering testing for sexually transmitted diseases, birth control or treatment for other women’s health issues.
The courts are backing the government. The federal government is weakening the endangered species law, making it easier for corporations or localities to cite financial reasons for not protecting threatened animals, birds and insects. Scientists say there is no way to predict how this may endanger the future environment.
It is now much easier for corporations and localities to pollute air and water and not to pay for cleanup. The government has eased cost-benefit rules to benefit developers and mining operations.
The government also has decided not to require lower greenhouse gas emissions, which exacerbate climate change.
The government has decided not to ban chlorpyrifos, a widely used agricultural pesticide thought to damage the brain function of children and adults.
The government has speeded up preconstruction steps to make it easier to get around restrictions on harming minority, low-income or indigenous people.
The government no longer wants to require states to make sure Medicaid payments for low-income people are sufficient to give them adequate health care.
The government is now permitting the destruction of Canada geese nests and eggs for more months of the year.
The government is making it easier to get past environmental impact statements on controversial projects.
The government as of January 2020 will permit employees to use health reimbursement arrangements to buy health insurance. Critics fear this will encourage businesses to stop offering health insurance.
With no comment period or analysis, the government has said it is expediting deportation of undocumented immigrants, no matter how long they have been living and working in this country. Immigrants can be held in detention indefinitely.
The government has delayed and wants to rescind implementation of consumer protection rules for payday loans, vehicle title loans and other high-cost installment loans.
The government had prohibited discrimination under the Affordable Health Care Act on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, gender identity, sex stereotyping or disability in certain health programs or activities. That prohibition against discrimination has been rescinded.
The government has weakened the training requirements for a number of commercial drivers.
The government has revoked protection for sage grouse habitat, thereby opening 9 million acres of federal land up to oil and gas drilling.
The government wants to weaken manufactured housing formaldehyde standards, including provisions requiring that health notices be posted in manufactured homes and the testing of certain plywood materials.
The government has proposed weakening the definition of “sexual harassment” and no longer seeks to require high schools
and colleges to report every incident. Schools no longer have to respect transgender students’ rights.
The government will no longer honor a requirement to report civilian deaths from U.S. airstrikes.
The government no longer prohibits internet service providers from discriminating against users, content or websites by charging some more.
These are the tip of a huge iceberg — 204 major changes by the Trump administration that affect Americans every day, as compiled by the Brookings Institution. Hundreds more are proposed. Mainly, these changes weaken rights and protections Americans have taken for granted. Mainly, they benefit big businesses and institutions.
With Donald Trump having put more than 100 staunch conservatives into lifetime judicial appointments, a majority of these decisions will stand.
Elections have consequences.