So, the school year has come to an end, and I still haven’t been able to drop what passes for professionalism on this column, remove all my clothes and gleefully backflip into the sunset because Donald Trump is still president of the United States.
At the rate the Russian allegations have been proceeding with the White House doing its level best to slow them down, Trump appears screwed no matter what. Meanwhile, his first 100 days have been marred by incompetence and infighting while he himself learns that being president is much harder than Obama made it look.
Former National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn is now in hot water for failing to disclose payments he took for speaking at the 10th Anniversary of Russia’s state-owned television network. Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Chafftez, R-Utah, and Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told reporters that they had asked for internal documents related to Flynn and were turned down, causing the committee to become deeply troubled by the White House’s intentions, joining the majority of Americans in the real world.
The American Health Care Act, which might have taken away health care for millions and rendered what healthcare was left practically decorative in its final state, died due to a war within the GOP. The border wall (which America will pay for in full no matter what) might cause a government shutdown unless a compromise can be reached. Trump’s plan to tax corporations less might cause the deficit to climb higher in an effort to hump the well worn Ronald Reagan talking points at the expense of the poor.
So, Trump is disappointing at best, actively harmful at worst by my metrics and people who voted for him are either sticking their heads up their butts or coming around to their mistake. Especially given that Trump’s agenda is going to directly impact the people who voted for him the most: older, poorer white rural voters; if the American Health Care Act was anything to go by.
So, if you were against him from the beginning or are experiencing buyer’s remorse, here's how can you stop this maniacal toddler from destroying what truly makes America great: our ability to engage in empathy and equality under a secular rule of law, our capacity for scientific discovery and, most of all, a desire to become the light at the top of the hill for all who wish for a new beginning.
First off, if you haven’t registered to vote, do so immediately. If you start seeing difficulties in getting voter ID or see a reduction in polling places, and you live in predominantly Democrat (specifical minority) voting districts under Republican governance or were seeing this during the 2016 election, do not let this slide. This might constitute a violation of your rights without actually violating your rights.
When you have done so, keep tabs on all elections you have a vote in via trusted news sources. Opt for a robust palette of news sources, but stay away from Breitbart and Info Wars at all costs. They have no credibility at all. Put Snopes and Politifact on your radar for your fact-checking needs otherwise.
We have the midterms in 2018 and what will be the long-awaited presidential election in 2020, but what can you do now? You can donate money to the American Civil LIberties Union, which has been hard at work fighting the “administration” tooth and nail in the courtroom.
Volunteering is nice as well. Heck, you might want to even consider running for office yourself on an anti-Trump platform for either political party, or help a candidate you think has a chance at hurting Trump. I’m going to recommend staying away from helping anyone in the Republican Party as a more general rule of thumb, given that they’re not exactly keen on tearing him down yet, though.
But remember this: Trump is making a mockery of our government and our nation, and you should not stand for this. I will not stand for this. Do not resort to violence, but do not stand idle while this happens. Wake up, get up, get out there and resist.
Logan Graham is a junior studying media arts with a focus in games and animation at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think of Trump so far? Let him know by emailing him at lg261813@ohio.edu.
