Deep breath: Donald Trump will be the president of the United States come January. The man who’s got a date with the Oval Office may be a silver-spoon clutching, bankruptcy-filing, Mexican, Muslim, Chinese-hating, tax-dodging, student-swindling, reality TV star, but we’re all going to have to work with him now.
No worries, says the for-now graceful winner.
“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together,” said a very presidential sounding Trump during his victory speech. “To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.”
All the racism, misogyny, lies and financial opportunism, is water under the bridge now, right?
Americans may have to work with Trump don’t, however, have to work toward the same goals as President-elect Donald “grab ‘em by the pussy” Trump. In fact, he made many campaign promises that people should start working against — right now. We’ve pulled a list of Trump’s official campaign promises from his website, matched them with a comment and provided a few tips for how to fight the powers-to- be:
SECURITY AND PRIVACY
Campaign promise: “When it comes to the balancing security and privacy, we should err on the side of security. We should restore Patriot Act provisions enabling metadata collection for anti-terror surveillance with court controlled access, scrutinize social media of those seeking to enter the U.S., and limit the ability of ISIS to use the internet to spread terrorism.”
“I want surveillance and I don’t care, are you ready for this, are you ready?” — Nov. 21, 2015, Birmingham, Alabama
Fight: Domestically, if you’re concerned about your privacy, contact your Congressperson and tell them you’re against the reauthorization of the Patriot Act (currently Senate bill S.1035). On the ISIS front: Trump’s said some pretty disturbing things that imply he’d be pretty indifferent about civilian casualties when it comes to authorizing air strikes on suspected terrorists, even going so far as to say that he would deliberately target families. Write to the president and legislators. Take it to the streets on this one: demonstrate peacefully.
BORDERS AND REFUGEES
Campaign promise: On immigration Restore integrity to our immigration system by prioritizing the interests of Americans first. Enforce our immigration laws – at the border and at the workplace. Build a border wall and end sanctuary cities. Send criminal aliens home. Welcome those who embrace our way of life, but keep out immigrants and refugees who don’t through rigorous vetting.
“I don’t want people coming in from the terror countries … You have terror countries! I don’t want them, unless they’re very, very strongly vetted.” — July 2016, Turnberg Golf Course, Scotland
Fight: Trump’s stupid wall policy is likely to collapse under the weight of its own infeasibility. We’re almost certain to see some kind of a border wall, though it’s not likely to be the big beautiful wall that Trump promised us. Oh, and Mexico’s definitely not paying for it. Trump’s other promises are more difficult. Supreme Court precedents give the president a decent measure of power over immigration policy, but the ultimate authority lies with Congress, which has remained red.
When Trump proposed a religious test for immigrants earlier in the campaign, he received round bipartisan condemnation. Keep the pressure on legislators not to stand for this. Speak up, contact Congress, and stand up for people in need by volunteering and donating. Change begins at home.
SECOND AMENDMENT
Campaign promise: “The Second Amendment to our Constitution is clear. The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed upon. Period.” Trump has said he plans to enforce existing laws, reform the mental health system by expanding treatment programs, make concealed carry permits valid in all 50 states, and impose harsher sentences for firearm-related offenses. He would not place bans on the types of guns and bullet magazines the public can buy.
“What we need to do is fix the system we have and make it work as intended. What we don’t need to do is expand a broken system.” — September 2015, Trump statement on his campaign page
Fight: If Trump has no will to restrict people’s access to bulked-up weapons, it’s unlikely there will be any action on federal gun control during his tenure. Congress has shown that despite the will of the people it will not act against the powerful gun lobby backed by the National Rifle Association — a tendency that will not be aggravated by Republic control of not only the Oval Office, but the House and Senate. Four popular control measures were shot down in July despite them garnering the support of 80-90 percent of the general population. The only way to get gun control reform passed in the near future will be to do so at the state level. Contact Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy and tell her you want reform. Healy has shown a willingness to take bold moves to protect people from unnecessarily violent and large-capacity guns when she stomped out the sale of “copycat” guns — guns that are near identical to the assault-style rifles banned in the state — with an executive order. Support Healy’s campaign to improve the state’s gun laws by contacting her at Info@MauraHealey.com.
RACISM and POLICE VIOLENCE
Campaign promise: “Crime and violence is an attack on everyone — particularly the poor — and is unacceptable. We will have strong, swift fair law and order. Progress against criminal activity is being reversed by this administration’s rollback and discouragement of criminal enforcement. We must work with law enforcement and first responders to keep our communities safe.”
“We must maintain law and order at the highest level or we will cease to have a country.” Trump added that this goes for police officers, too. — July 11, 2016, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Fight: Trump has said he is in favor of expanding New York City’s disastrous “Stop and Frisk” program throughout the nation. Stop and Frisk meant, that starting in 2002, officers could walk up to anyone they thought looked suspicious and detain them for a pat down. The now-defunct program mainly targeted black and Hispanic people. On Aug.12, 2013, U.S. District Court Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled the controversial police tactic unconstitutional. This isn’t the final word on Stop and Frisk. Another federal court could find the practice A-okay. It will be important to support legal challenges to Stop and Frisk and its reincarnations. The Center for Constitutional Rights is the organization that successfully got Stop and Frisk to be found unconstitutional once. They have said they’re prepared to fight again. Donate at ccrjustice.org.
STUDENT DEBT
Campaign promise: “Work with Congress on reforms to ensure universities are making a good faith effort to reduce the cost of college and student debt in exchange for the federal tax breaks and tax dollars.”
Trump said that as president he would cap student loan payments at 12.5-percent of borrowers’ income and would only require borrowers to make payments for 15 years.
“Students should not be asked to pay more on their loans than they can afford and the debt should not be an albatross around their necks for the rest of their lives,” he said. “And that’s what it is.” — October 2016, Columbus, Ohio
Fight: This actually sounds pretty good. A student loan payment cap and an end-date to the burden would require banks to be more considerate when lending and could provide some relief for students. The devil, however, is always in the details. Trump’s history of screwing over students puts his dedication to this promise in question. Later this month, for example, Trump will appear in federal court to defend himself in a civil trial over alleged fraud at his Trump University real estate seminar program. The best way to make sure there is some kind of responsible student loan reform is to make sure Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is involved. Write to your senator and let her know you support her proposals to provide students with loan-debt relief. @SenWarren or email her through warren.senate.gov.
Job Creation
Campaign promise: “Reform the tax code and trade policies to make it easier to hire, invest, build, grow, produce, and manufacture in America. Stop China from stealing our jobs, renegotiate NAFTA, cut unneeded regulations and make America the best place in the world to do business. Putting America First — and not globalism — will keep jobs and wealth in America.”
Trump has also said the minimum wage should go up. He originally said he’d like to ses “at least $10” federal minimum wage, which would bring the nation in line with Massachusetts. But then he came out against that federal wage floor, saying he thinks states should call the shots to compete with each other.
“We’re going to bring businesses back. We’re going to have businesses that are now in Mexico come back to New Hampshire and you can tell them to go fuck themselves,” Trump said. “Because they let you down, and they left.” — Feb. 4, Great Bay Community College, NH
Fight: A $10 minimum wage isn’t going to cut it. According to most living wage calculations, $15 is the smallest hourly wage on which people can live a moderately comfortable life. Support the national Fight for $15 activists who have grown their cause to include worker treatment as well as wages. Sign a petition for a $15 minimum wage at fightfor15.org.
ABORTION
Campaign promise: “The primary responsibility of the federal government is to protect the rights of its citizens. Life is the most fundamental right. The federal government should not diminish the right by denying its’ protection. I am opposed to abortion except for rape, incest, and life of the mother. I oppose the use of government funds to pay for abortions.”
“Look, Planned Parenthood has to stop with the abortions.” — Aug. 16, 2015, Meet the Press
Fight: The Hyde Amendment, effective since 1976, prohibits the use of Medicaid funds to pay for abortions in most cases. TRAP laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) in 27 states place disproportionately burdensome requirements on medical practices that provide abortions. It is laws like these that need our outspoken disapproval. When you call your congressional representatives and talk with your local and state politicians, start with these TRAP laws and state-level efforts to close clinics. And don’t forget, of course, that groups like Planned Parenthood, WRRAP, and NARAL Pro-Choice America continue to need your volunteer hours and financial support.
ENVIRONMENT
Campaign promise: Everyone deserves clean air and safe drinking water regardless of race or income. Water infrastructure will be a big priority. We need to work to protect natural areas, but in a balanced way. End Obama EPA mandates that cost too many jobs, are opposed by most states, and too often have negligible benefit for the environment.
“Snowing in Texas and Louisiana, record setting freezing temperatures throughout the country and beyond. Global warming is an expensive hoax!” — Jan. 24, 2016, Trump via Twitter
Fight: There’s a hell of a lot you can do locally to work toward green, efficient living, from driving less and shopping locally to using fewer disposable items and planting trees. Small good deeds come undone in the face of large-scale deregulation of manufacturing and energy companies — and Trump would like to see a lot less oversight of big-money carbon-spewing companies, starting with the dismantling of the Environmental Protection Agency. So we must say it again: speak out, petition, call Washington, support state and local green energy initiatives, and join up with grassroots efforts to raise awareness of the most pressing environmental issues from pole to pole — and in all of our own backyards.
TAXES
Campaign promise: Cut business tax rate to 15 percent. Reduce individual rates to three brackets of 12, 25, and 33 percent, with a 0-percent rate for many. He also has said he will add an above-the-line deduction for childcare costs, including for stay-at-home parents.
“We’re lowering taxes very substantially and we’re going to be getting rid of a tremendous amount of regulations.” — May 2016, CNBC
Fight: Congress writes the tax laws. The IRS then interprets the laws in a bunch of various and confusing ways. All Trump can do is champion his tax plan. We can do a lot, by letting senators and reps know we don’t support a law that would dole out tax breaks to the rich, reduce the money available for social services and increase the debt burden we will pass along to our children. It is yet to be seen how the Republican-controlled House and Senate will work with Trump. If hurt feelings from the campaign can be soothed, and all the good GOP soldiers get in line Trump’s policies are going to go into effect faster than you can say, “You’re fired.”
