The media is all over President Trump these days, you would almost think that we live in the USA, considering the amount of air-time he is given on mainstream media. This is not a ‘let’s get Trump’ post (and it’s important to acknowledge the mass failings of the previous administration, which is why he won by a landslide – when the electorate don’t feel listened to, they elect someone else).
But his Presidency is becoming seriously worrying on many counts. Not that there look like many better choices at present (though we like this Boston mayor, who is transforming her city, and gaining fans by the day, despite opponents spending millions to try to unseat her).
If you turn on the BBC, you’ll find presenters parroting what Trump says on his social media (who cares?) and we are told that he’s very important to us, due to trade deals. We could of course just have walkable communities, local farm shops, credit unions and local media, then we wouldn’t need trade ambassadors etc. Why don’t we create a wonderful society, and have the USA be inspired by us, instead?
What are President Trump’s Qualifications?
We often hear that he is a billionaire who knows how to run a business. In fact, he was born into immense wealth, and despite buying many skyscrapers, hotels, casinos and golf courses, during the 90s and 2000s, The Trump Organisation filed for bankruptcy several times.
A few years back, he destroyed a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the beautiful sand dunes of Scotland, to build a luxury golf course resort. The documentary film You’ve Been Trumped (which he tried to block) follows the story of a local man and his mother, who refused to take money to move. Even though at one point, the farmer was being offered an obscene amount of money for nothing. He still would not budge.
Eventually, Trump’s organisation had to build the golf course around him, realising that he could not buy power in this area. Scots remain angry as the Balmedie dunes have now lost their status (north of Aberdeen).
The crofter became a worldwide hero in standing up for his land, and later said ‘All he talked about was money. I told him he could take his money, and shove it up his arse. The only regret I have is that I didn’t knock him on his arse, when I met him’.
What are Trump’s Political Policies?
We visited the official website to go beyond the soundbites, to see what the actual policies are of the Trump administration. These include:
Working-class tax cuts and making the USA the ‘superpower of the manufacturing world’. This sounds very much like Boris Johnson’s ‘the biggest, most powerful blah-blah’, when we need more small and local economies.
Empowered consumer choices for vehicles, shower heads, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers and light bulbs (?) It’s also known that he is rolling back on a ban on plastic straws.
Apparently the light bulb issue is that he’s not happy that people are being encouraged to use energy-efficient light bulbs (which are cheaper long-term). And give off light that’s ‘not as good’. Critics say he was likely talking about older-style bulbs, not modern LED ones we have now:
He is pretty well mistaken about what light bulbs are, and how they work. A lot of his talking points may be have been accurate 10 or 15 years ago, but a lot has changed in the world of lighting. Engineering Professor Eric Hittinger (Rochet Institute of Technology)
On being elected the second time, Trump withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, a commitment to reduce carbon emissions to 1.5 degrees, to help stop irreversible climate change. This would have involved reducing fossil fuels, but instead he wants to ‘drill, drill, drill’. Including in the Arctic Circle, would could very soon send already critically endangered polar bears to extinction.
The website talks about how Trump is creating peace between Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Gaza (he isn’t, but of course if he did, that would be great).
The public health policy (in a country where there is no NHS, so if you get ill without money, you’re toast) is just one sentence:
President Trump has pledged to create the highest quality of life, build the safest and wealthiest and healthiest and most vital communities anywhere in the world’.
And the ‘bring back American values’ policy again is just once sentence, which is basically about avoiding ‘radical gender idealogy’. What about honesty, decency, fairness, respect, compassion, kindness, empathy, gratitude and integrity?
What are JD Vance’s Qualifications?
As Vice-President to an ageing President, it’s important that people know the qualifications of the man who could well be the most powerful man in the world, within a few years (Trump cannot stand next time, as he has served 8 years combined).
JD Vance is a corporate lawyer who wrote a book on Appalachian people that was panned by critics, for portraying negative stereotypes, to advance his career. The film adaptation was also panned.
Thinking about reading Hillbilly Elegy? Don’t. The State Press
A person who truly represented Appalachian people wouldn’t take money from the same big pharma lobby that left West Virginia with the highest opioid overdose rate in the country.
They wouldn’t deny climate change, in the face of catastrophic flooding that eastern Kentucky still hasn’t recovered from, two years out. They wouldn’t stoke fear of immigrants, who provide essential labour in Appalachia in healthcare, agriculture and service industries. Neema Avashai
Why USA Politics is Barmpot Scary
American politics (which affects us) is actually quite terrifying of late. It’s never been good (the system of two-party politics is baked in, and Presidential elections are decided simply by how a few hundred thousand people vote in a few swing states).
At present, it would be impossible to ever have a third party have a hope of winning a national election.
Religion also focuses heavily. For instance, someone with a deep Catholic faith of course will oppose abortion. Which is fine, apart from the fact that he or she will then vote for a Republican who seems intent on becoming a dictator if elected, and has little empathy for others.
The Deep South inexplicably supports a ‘Christian President’ who held up a Bible while his supporters fired teargas at peaceful protestors. The Deep South states (which border Mexico) house gorgeous accents, country music, iced tea and some of the most beautiful buildings and towns on earth (American writer Bill Bryson says Savannah is his favourite city in the world).
The food here is also more akin to what we could offer – collard greens and peach cobbler, y’all!
However the high temperatures are suffering from climate change (Biden also went back on environmental promises, almost immediately after elected).
