Rita's Spur to Action – Page 6 – Once more into the breach

An Investment in Health is an Investment in Wealth

When I Have Fears Part 5

Before President Obama brought the concept of Nation Healthcare, we were the only country in the developed world that didn’t have a health program that covered every citizen. Perhaps ObamaCare was not perfect. It is my personal belief that medicare insurance should cost the same from one state to another and one city to another. And it should cover men, women and children equally according to need. Instead of attempting to improve healthcare, this administration has made every effort possible to destroy it. This president and his administration has no care or compassion for the average man, woman or child.

Action	Policy Area	Specific Policy Area	Date
428. Halted Obamacare implementation, began process of repeal which is expected to cause 18 million to lose their health insurance immediately, and 32 million to lose their health insurance in 10 years	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	24-Jan-2017
429. Halted pre-paid $5 million meant for ads and outreach for Healthcare.gov during the crucial signup period for health insurance, sabotaging efforts to inform people of their health insurance options and potentially raising insurance premiums.	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	26-Jan-2017
430. Reneged on his campaign promise to negotiate drug prices	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	31-Jan-2017
431. Proposed new rules to make special enrollments under Obamacare more difficult	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	2-Feb-2017
432. Wiped references to the Affordable Care Act from government websites	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	9-Feb-2017
433. Shortened the enrollment period for the ACA by one and a half months, making it increasingly difficult for people to gain access to affordable healthcare	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	15-Feb-2017
434. Lowered the quality standards for healthcare plans listed on the ACA marketplace	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	15-Feb-2017
435. Rolled back Obama era education rules that attempted to lighten the punitive actions related to standardized testing and take a more nuanced approach to tracking student performance	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	9-Mar-2017
436. Broke numerous campaign promises on healthcare by introducing and promoting the American Health Care Act (AHCA) which, among other things, slashes $880 billion from Medicaid and substantially reduces coverage	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	13-Mar-2017
437. Killed a rule limiting drug testing requirements for unemployment benefits	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	14-Mar-2017
438. Allowed debt collectors to charge usurious rates on past due student loans	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	17-Mar-2017
439. Betrayed his base and jeopardized the future of the American economy by pushing a budget which slashes programs poor, elderly and rural voters rely on while also slashing funding for scientific research and education, among other things	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	16-Mar-2017

440. After the original push to repeal Obamacare failed, restarted repeal efforts by offering to ditch coverage for those with pre- existing conditions	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	4-Apr-2017
441. Refused to assure health insurance companies that they will receive payments that help low income Americans with out of pocket expenses	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	18-Apr-2017
442. Rolled back nutrition standards for school lunch programs	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	1-May-2017
443. Effectively subsidized Florida’s decision not to expand Medicaid	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	1-May-2017
444. Rehired student loan debt collectors who had previously been caught lying to people trying to get their loans out of default	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	3-May-2017
445. Slashed the Office of Drug Control’s budget by 95% seriously undermining the fight against the opiod epidemic	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	5-May-2017
446. Has made it standard practice to reject college grants for low for frivolous reasons.	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	5-May-2017
447. Rejected 99% of hurricane relief funding to North Carolina	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	11-May-2017
448. Delayed Federal standards that would have required states find ways of delivery care to medicaid patients in homes and community based settings	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	11-May-2017
449. Encouraged states to ask for Obamacare waivers to set up high risk pools, undermining healthcare reform	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	16-May-2017
450. Began dismantling online enrollment for small businesses under the ACA	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	15-May-2017
451. A CBO report revealed that the revised Republican healthcare plan would leave 23 million people uninsured, and hit older, and cause premiums for lower income Americans with health issues particularly hard. The report also stressed that the plan would potentially raise healthcare cost overall and push a greater share of the costs on consumers	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	24-May-2017
452. The budget makes substantial cuts to social programs, including education, health insurance for children, and UN peacekeeping operations, to name a few programs	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	22-May-2017

453. Proposed ending a student loan forgiveness program for people who make consistent payments and work for organizations that serve the public good	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	24-May-2017
454. Ended rules protecting students from student loan fraud.	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	14-Jun-2017
455. Has been generally negligent on issues related to HIV	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	20-Jun-2017
456. When the administration halted a rule to protect students from fraud and cancel student loan debts accrued as a result of that fraud (Item #455), the Trump administration cut the public out of process, possibly violating the law and attracting lawsuits from 17 states	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	6-Jul-2017
457. Cut $213.6 million from programs that prevent teen pregnancies	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	14-Jul-2017
458. Moved to end drug reimbursement scheme for hospitals that serve low income patients	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	16-Jul-2017
459. Used money designated for healthcare outreach to attack the Affordable Care Act	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	20-Jul-2017
460. Terminated contracts that brought healthcare assistance to local libraries, businesses, and neighborhoods in 18 cities	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	20-Jul-2017
461. With Mike Pence providing the deciding vote, Republicans continued to push through their plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act in favor of their own healthcare bill which will deprive healthcare from millions, despite the fact that the bill is deeply unpopular and most don’t even know what was in the bill.	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	25-Jul-2017
462. Ended a low income retirement savings plan which currently helps some 30,000 people	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	28-Jul-2017
463. A non-partisan report revealed that the Trump Administration’s actions are raising insurance premiums	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	10-Aug-2017
464. Abandoned Latino outreach for Obamacare sign-ups	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	10-Aug-2017
465. In addition to blocking the implementation of the Federal calorie labeling law, tried to use the existence of that labeling law to block New York’s calorie labeling law	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	14-Aug-2017
466. Prevented Mexico from providing hurricane relief	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	29-Aug-2017

467. Slashed Obamacare outreach funding again, this time by 90%	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	31-Aug-2017
468. Once again attempted to repeal Obamacare	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	18-Sep-2017
469. Neglected the devastation in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of hurricane Maria	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	26-Sep-2017
470. Dropped out of Obamacare events in Mississippi, sabotaging months of work and creating addition obstacles for people trying to obtain health insurance	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	27-Sep-2017
471. Made a vague promise to cancel Puerto Rico’s debt, then immediately backpedaled on it	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	4-Oct-2017
472. Signed an executive order which threatens to degrade health insurance coverage for millions and raise premiums for older, sicker Americans	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	12-Oct-2017
473. Threatened to yank FEMA responders and aid from Puerto Rico	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Oct-2017
474. Ended health insurance subsidies for low income people that help pay out of pockets costs for millions. This not only threatens the physical and economic well being of the people who receive those subsidies, but also threatens to unravel health insurance markets	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	12-Oct-2017
475. Let funding for CHIP’s lapse and did nothing to resolve the issue	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	23-Oct-2017
476. Passed a budget plan that slashes $5 trillion from programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and other social spending measures over the next 10 years	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	26-Oct-2017
477. After delaying several months, finally declared the opioid epidemic a public health crisis but failed to offer substantial resources to address the problem	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	26-Oct-2017
578. Ended a rule that had intended to phase in technology that would enable cars to “talk” to each other to avoid auto accidents	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	1-Nov-2017
479. Moved to eliminate student loan interest rate tax deductions	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	2-Nov-2017
480. Revived efforts to implement work requirements to Medicaid	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	7-Nov-2017

481. Put business trade interests ahead of public health by transferringthe Codex Office, which takes part in setting international food safety standards, out from a food safety agency with a strong expertise in public health and into a trade office with no particular expertise on the issues	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	6-Dec-2017
482. Attempted to cut $460 million from VA programs that help homeless veterans, a move that was so unpopular that they were almost immediately forced to reverse	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	6-Dec-2017
483. Broke the law by failing to provide student debt relief to people defrauded by the for profit Corinthian College	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	14-Dec-2017
484. As part of the tax bill, seriously undermined Obamacare by repealing the individual mandate, paving the way for an insurance death spiral that will ultimately drive people out of the insurance market and drive up premiums	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	19-Dec-2017
485. Lifted a ban on developing more lethal strains of viruses	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	20-Dec-2017
486. Fired all the members of the HIV/AIDS advisory council	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	29-Dec-2017
487. Refused to fund the Federal Government’ s share of a $13bn rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey, a badly needed piece of transportation infrastructure	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	31-Dec-2017
488. Following up from #142, moved to expand the number of job categories under which people receiving unemployment benefits can be required to undergo drug testing	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	3-Jan-2017
489. Discontinued a database used to inform programs which help people with mental health illnesses and substance abuse problems	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	10-Jan-2017
490. Opened the way for states to impose work requirements on people receiving Medicaid	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	11-Jan-2017
491. It was reported that the number of uninsured people increased by 3 million last year as a result of the Administration’s efforts to repeal the ACA	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	16-Jan-2017
492. Moved to gut $340mn from drug prevention programs	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	20-Jan-2018
493. Pushed for more more work requirements on people receiving food stamps	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	24-Jan-2018

494. Moved to cut funding for the International Space Station	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	25-Jan-2018
495. Weakened rules that ensured that healthcare plans have a sufficient number of doctors	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	6-Feb-2018
496. Moved to severely restrict the type of food SNAP recipients can buy	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
497. Proposed privatizing US space stations	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
498. Proposed his FY2019 budget, which adds an estimated $7 trillion dollars to the national debt and would also slash social spending, including cutting $236bn from Medicare over the next 10 years, and a 21% cut to the Department of Health and Human Services, among other things	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
499. As part of his budget, cut funding for Amtrak in half, despite numerous crashes recently which suggest that Amtrak badly needs investments	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
500. Proposed his infrastructure plan, a series of corporate tax giveaways which encouraged the use of toll roads and other profiteering off transportation infrastructure by offloaded a greater share of the burden for infrastructure investments onto state and local government	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
501. As part of his infrastructure plan, moved to sell off Washington Dulles and Reagan International Airports	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Feb-2018
502. Moved to eliminate a program that provides heating assistance to low income households	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	18-Feb-2018
503. Proposed new regulations to allow healthcare plans that don’t include key benefits which are unavailable to people in poor health	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	20-Feb-2018
504. Shielded student loan debt collectors from state regulations	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	26-Feb-2018
505. Ended funding for a Baltimore teen pregnancy program two years early with no explanation why, earning a lawsuit from the city	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	7-Mar-2018
506. Systematically snubbed urban areas seeking TIGER grants	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	8-Apr-2018
507. Weakened health insurance protections by allowing states to weaken rules on what insurers must cover	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	9-Apr-2018

508. Signed an executive order pushing work requirements for social programs	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	10-Apr-2018
509. Considered requiring mandatory drug testing for some food stamp recipients	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	11-Apr-2018
510. A non-partisan report found that Trump’s decision to allow short duration health insurance plans in #472 will likely increase premiums by nearly 13% reduce enrollment by more than 25%	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	16-Apr-2018
511. Following up from #508, denied Native American tribal governments legal standing in subjecting native Americans to to Medicaid work requirements	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	22-Apr-2018
512. Proposed slashing housing subsidies, tripling the amount poor families must pay	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	25-Apr-2018
513. It was found Trump’s policy had been a driving factor in 4 million people losing healthcare in the last two years	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	1-May-2018
514. It was estimated that 4,600 people have died in Puerto Rico largely as a result of the administration’s failure to handle the devastation of Hurricane Maria cited in #469	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	29-May-2018
515. Told courts they won’t defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	7-Jun-2018
516. Dismissed UN report on alarming rates of poverty in the US	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	22-Jun-2018
517. Drained HIV prevention fund to finance the detention of immigrant children	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	10-Jul-2018
518. Abruptly froze billions of dollars of risk adjustment payments aimed at stabilizing health insurance market places, then was forced to reverse the move two weeks later when it became apparent what a disaster the policy would be	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	8-Jul-2018
519. Tightened criteria under which student loan borrowers defrauded by schools can have their student loans forgiven	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	26-Jul-2018
520. Undermined the Affordable Care Act further by making it easier to buy short term health insurance plans that skirt the laws consumer protections	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	1-Aug-2018
521. Dismissed and misled the public on alarming reports of poverty in the United States	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	3-Aug-2018

522. Tightened restrictions on an Obama era policy that had allowed senior Medicare users, doctors and hospitals to participate in risk free pools	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	9-Aug-2018
523. Considered a Tennessee proposal to cut Planned Parenthood funding from its Medicaid program	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	24-Aug-2018
524. The head of a Federal student loan watchdog resigned in disgust over the administrations “turning its back” on student borrowers	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	27-Aug-2018
525. Diverted $10mn from FEMA to fund his immigrant crackdown	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	12-Sep-2018
526. Had the Department of Education adopt a policy to label virtually all criticism of Israel as “antisemitism”	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	13-Sep-2018
527. The courts ruled that Betsy DeVos had illegally tried to delay implementation of Obama era student loan rules	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	13-Sep-2018
528. Diverted nearly half a billion dollars from healthcare programs into its immigrant detention drive	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	25-Sep-2018
529. Revived the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, and with it the for profit university industry, which had been previously shut down due to compliance issues enabling pervasive fraud	Healthcare and Social Spending	Education and Student Loans	4-Oct-2018
530. Pledged to revive efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act if Republicans do well in the mid-terms	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	17-Oct-2018
531. Planned to use the deficits caused by their own tax cuts as a pretext to cut Medicare and Social Security	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	18-Oct-2018
532. Allowed states leeway to avoid pre- existing condition requirements	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	22-Oct-2018
533. Ended an Obama era prohibition on Health Reimbursement Arrangements that led to degrade quality of health insurance coverage	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	22-Oct-2018
534. It was revealed that Trump’s opioid “emergency” was highly ineffectual in curbing opioid deaths	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	23-Oct-2018
535. Planned a costly privatization of care provided by the Department for Veteran’s Affairs	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	15-Nov-2018
536. Reapproved Kentucky’s Medicaid work requirements	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	20-Nov-2018

537. Approved new Medicaid work requirements in New Hampshire	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	2-Dec-2018
538. Ended rule meant to insure healthy school lunches	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	6-Dec-2018
539. As a consequence of the shutdown, slashed nearly all food stamp office staff	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	27-Dec-2018
540. Stopped FEMA issued flood insurance policies as a consequence of the shutdown	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	27-Dec-2018
541. Attempted to dismiss lawsuits filed by cities over his administration’s attempts to sabotage the ACA	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	27-Dec-2018
542. Failed to distribute billions in storm protection money	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	3-Jan-2018
543. Moved to withhold FEMA aid to wildfire victims	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	9-Jan-2018
544. As a result of the shutdown, failed to disburse hurricane aid	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	9-Jan-2018
545. Considered redirecting disaster relief funds to his border wall	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	10-Jan-2018
546. Low income renters lost rental assistance as a result of the shutdown	Healthcare and Social Spending	Social Spending and Services	15-Jan-2018
547. Approved Medicaid work requirements in Arizona	Healthcare and Social Spending	Healthcare	18-Jan-2018

See a full list of Trump’s actions against the United States of America here

List last updated 6:40am EST, 3/19/2019

America, the Beautiful

When I Have Fears Part 4

Today we should be listening carefully to the scientific community. All we need today is to look around us.

Look at the fires in California driven by unprecedented wind storms. Look at the rising tides eating away at the once familiar shorelines and endangering homes perched on those shores. Look at the melting icebergs and the consequent loss of species. Polar bears basically trying to find food as they are forced roam from one ice flow to another where once they trod on solid ice.

We are clearly at the tipping point. Attention must be be paid. Anyone who cares about the future, anyone who cares about their children and grandchildren and the world that we are forcing upon them, must pay attention to climate changes.

The following weeks will be dedicated to listing Trump’s incredible moves against the United States of America and the Democracy for which we stand.

Action	Policy Area	Specific Policy Area	Date
286. Issued executive order pushing forward the Keystone/Dakota Access Pipeline. Before the end of the year, the Keystone pipeline had spilled of 210,000 gallons of oil in South Dakota	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	24-Jan-2017
287. Froze new grants and contracts at the EPA	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	23-Jan-2017
288. Repealed the Extraction Payment Disclosure rule, which requires oil, gas, mining, and other extraction companies to disclose their payments to foreign governments	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	3-Feb-2017
289. Repealed the Stream Protection Rule, which prevents coal companies from dumping their waste products into rivers and other effluenceprestea-mine	Environment	Conservation and Animals	2-Feb-2017
290. Ordered the USDA to remove inspection reports and other animal welfare safeguards, enabling animal abuse	Environment	Conservation and Animals	4-Feb-2017
291. Delayed listing bumblebees as endangered	Environment	Conservation and Animals	9-Feb-2017
292. Nixed $674 million in spending to electrify California’s rail system, effectively killing hopes for a high speed rail in the state	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	17-Feb-2017
293. Gave away millions in royalties on coal extracted on public lands to coal companies	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	26-Feb-2017
294. Signed an executive order to dismantle the Clean Water Rule	Environment	Conservation and Animals	28-Feb-2017
295. Repealed ban on lead ammunition in national parks. It’s estimated 20 million birds and other animals die of lead poisoning each year from led munitions used by hunters, even though the cost of non-lead munitions are no more expensive	Environment	Conservation and Animals	2-Mar-2017
296. Dropped Climate Change as a factor in government decision making	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	14-Mar-2017
297. Moved to undo Obama era emissions standards	Environment	Conservation and Animals	15-Mar-2017

298. Delayed EPA regulations addressing air quality guidelines, formaldehyde emissions stemming from composite wood products, and pesticide regulations, among other things	Environment	Conservation and Animals	17-Mar-2017
299. Halted an anti-corruption effort in the energy sector	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	22-Mar-2017
300. Repealed rules forbidding a raft of inhumane hunting practices in wildlife refuges	Environment	Conservation and Animals	26-Mar-2017
301. Delayed rules for humane treatment of livestock	Environment	Conservation and Animals	25-Mar-2017
302. Revived the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste plan	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	27-Mar-2017
303. Issued executive order rolling back the Clean Power Plan and other environmental regulations	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Mar-2017
304. Reversed an Obama era environmental policy, which had blocked a large scale project to pump groundwater from the Mojave Desert	Environment	Conservation and Animals	4-Apr-2017
305. Asked a federal appeals court to delay arguments over a rule that prevents coal-fired power plants from releasing toxic chemicals, including mercury, lead, arsenic and other pollutants, into the environment.	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	19-Apr-2017
306. In general has allowed big business a high degree of access to push for everything from allowing them to drill for oil in Russia to scrapping scientific studies on the harmful effects of pesticides,	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	20-Apr-2017
307. Preempted the implementation of a rule that would prevent coal plants from emitting mercury and polluting streams	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	20-Apr-2017
308. Signed an executive order aimed at scrapping national monuments	Environment	Conservation and Animals	27-Apr-2017
309. Scrubbed all references to Obama era climate plans from EPA website	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Apr-2017
310. Put efforts to measure carbon emissions of cars and trucks on indefinite hold	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	19-May-2017
311. Withdrew from the Paris accord on climate change	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	1-Jun-2017
312. Authorized seismic airgun blasting off the east coast	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	5-Jun-2017
313. Abstained from the G7 climate change pledge.	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	12-Jun-2017

314. Threw out a rule to protect endangered whales and sea turtles.	Environment	Conservation and Animals	12-Jun-2017
315. Moved to undermine the EPA’s permitting rules.	Environment	Conservation and Animals	12-Jun-2017
316. Removed protections of Yellowstone Grizzly Bears	Environment	Conservation and Animals	22-Jun-2017
317. Approved a set of water tunnels which will cost water users an estimated $14 billion and devastate the ecologically sensitive Sacramento and San Jaoquin river valleysGorsuch	Environment	Conservation and Animals	26-Jun-2017
318. Following through on item #294, moved to roll back the clean water rule	Environment	Conservation and Animals	27-Jun-2017
319. Initiated an expansive new 5 year plan to increase offshore drilling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	3-Jul-2017
320. Began approving arctic drilling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	13-Jul-2017
321. Began the process of repealing Obama era fuel economy standards	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	26-Jul-2017
322. Began the process of repealing Obama era fracking restrictions	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	25-Jul-2017
323. Issued a 53 page report from the department of interior with plans to undermine numerous Obama era conservation policies, including undermining the Obama Administrations sage grouse conservation strategy	Environment	Conservation and Animals	7-Aug-2017
324. Removed the white house bikeshare station	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	16-Aug-2017
325. Killed a plan to ban plastic bottles from national parks	Environment	Conservation and Animals	15-Aug-2017
326. Watered down toxic chemical rules	Environment	Conservation and Animals	16-Aug-2017
327. In the weeks before hurricane Harvey, reversed rules to make infrastructure more resistant to natural disasters like flooding and hurricanes	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	15-Aug-2017
328. Released his plan for public research priorities, indicating a withdrawal of government support for research in numerous fields such as climate change	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	17-Aug-2017
329. Moved to undermine emissions standard rules for cars and light trucks, as well as heavy duty trucks	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	20-Aug-2017

330. Disbanded the federal advisory panel for National Climate Assessment	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Aug-2017
331. Halted research on the public health impact of mountaintop removal coal mining	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Aug-2017
332. Moved to downsize four national monuments	Environment	Conservation and Animals	24-Aug-2017
333. Ended an Obama era plan to strengthen houses in flood zones	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	11-Sep-2017
334. Halted pollution controls at Utah coal plants	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	11-Sep-2017
335. Moved to lift ban on oil assessments in wildlife refuges	Environment	Conservation and Animals	15-Sep-2017
336. Refused to acknowledge the role of climate change in forest fires, and instead tried to blame “radical environmentalists”	Environment	Conservation and Animals	1-Oct-2017
337. Moved to end rule mitigating methane emissions	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	4-Oct-2017
338. Decided to terminate the clean power plan, which was designed to reduce carbon emissions to 32% below 2005 levels by 2030	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	9-Oct-2017
339. Took steps to delay the Portland Harbor superfund cleanup	Environment	Conservation and Animals	9-Oct-2017
340. Barred three climate science from giving talks on climate change	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	22-Oct-2017
341. Moved to auction off vast swathes of the Gulf of Mexico to oil companies	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	24-Oct-2017
342. The Bureau of Land Management rescinded a rule requiring officials the consider climate change impact of energy projects, following up from #296	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	25-Oct-2017
343. Opened up to 10 million acres of Alaskan wilderness to oil and gas drilling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	26-Oct-2017
344. Enacted a rule barring scientists who receive EPA funding from serving on advisory committees, removing several climate scientists from their positions and replacing them with industry-backed researchers in their place	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	1-Nov-2017
345. Delayed a rule to ensure the welfare of organic livestock	Environment	Conservation and Animals	9-Nov-2017
346. Lifted the ban on importing hunted elephant heads	Environment	Conservation and Animals	16-Nov-2017

347. Overruled a recommendation by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Committee that found New Jersey had exceeded its harvest limits on flounders. This is not only promotes over fishing, it also undermines the authority of a well established institution that had been helping states on the Atlantic coast coordinate their resource use for 75 years.	Environment	Conservation and Animals	21-Nov-2017
348. Moved ahead with approving arctic oil exploration	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Nov-2017
349. Delayed the implementation of the Waters of the United States Rule, a rule aimed at protecting wetlands, while also accelerating process to repeal the law by shortening the customary period for public comment on the regulation from the customary 30 days to 21 instead	Environment	Conservation and Animals	22-Nov-2017
350. Slashed the size of the Bears Ear and Grand Staircase National Monuments by 85% and 55% respectively	Environment	Conservation and Animals	4-Dec-2017
351. Failed to enforce smog rules, garnering a lawsuit from 14 states	Environment	Conservation and Animals	9-Dec-2017
352. It was reported that the Administration has slowed actions against polluters and put limits on enforcement officers at the EPA	Environment	Conservation and Animals	10-Dec-2017
353. Delayed and effectively preempted regulations aimed at controlling methane leaks	Environment	Conservation and Animals	8-Dec-2017
354. Moved to open the door to oil drilling of the East Coast	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	11-Dec-2017
355. Improperly withheld $91 million in funding from advanced energy research	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	13-Dec-2017
356. Killed rules to prevent animal cruelty in organic egg farming	Environment	Conservation and Animals	15-Dec-2017
357. Opened up the Arctic Natural Wildlife Reserve for drill as part of the tax bill	Environment	Conservation and Animals	19-Dec-2017
358. Halted an independent study of offshore oil inspections	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Dec-2017
359. Officially withdrew the rule cited in #343 intended to make infrastructure more resistant to flood and severe storms. This action had previously been halted after Hurricane Harvey when it became obvious that poor infrastructure had made flooding considerably worse, however they are now once again ending the rule	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	22-Dec-2017

360. Reversed an Obama era decision not to renew the license of a copper and nickle mine that could cause serious and irreparable harm to a nearby nature preserve	Environment	Conservation and Animals	23-Dec-2017
361. Reversed an Obama era rule by deciding not to prosecute companies that accidentally kill migratory birds	Environment	Conservation and Animals	27-Dec-2017
362. Following up from #319, moved ahead with an expansive 5 year plan that will dramatically increase the area of offshore drilling in US coastal waters	Environment	Conservation and Animals	4-Jan-2017
363. Struck the Canada Lynx from the endangered species list, despite a 2016 assessment that concluded the species would die out without federal protection	Environment	Conservation and Animals	11-Jan-2017
364. Canceled a detailed study into the environmental effects of toxic metals leeching into rivers and streams, in part due to his decision to reverse the mining ban referenced in #360	Environment	Conservation and Animals	26-Jan-2018
366. Reversed a decades old policy under the Clean Air Act aimed at maintaining stricter pollution emissions standards on large scale producers	Environment	Conservation and Animals	26-Jan-2018
367. Moved to ask Congress for a 72% cut in funding for clean energy research	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	31-Jan-2018
368. Threatened to scrap a conservation agreement with the state of California protecting 10.8 million acres of desert from environmentally harmful activities	Environment	Conservation and Animals	1-Feb-2018
369. Moved to roll back environmental reviews of public land use	Environment	Conservation and Animals	8-Feb-2018
370. Moved to slash funding for earthquake early warning programs	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Feb-2018
371. Moved to dissolve the EPA office that tests the effects of exposure to chemicals on adults and children	Environment	Conservation and Animals	28-Feb-2018
372. Delayed implementation of methane emissions rule for two years	Environment	Conservation and Animals	23-Feb-2018
373. Expedited plans to shrink the Grand Staircase National Monument	Environment	Conservation and Animals	4-Mar-2018
374. Backed out of a previous commitment by refusing to ban elephant trophies	Environment	Conservation and Animals	7-Mar-2018
375. Broke federal laws by failing to identify all the parts of the US that fail to air quality standards for smog	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	14-Mar-2018
376. Sued for failing to protect humpback whales	Environment	Conservation and Animals	17-Mar-2018

377. Tried to sell 77 million acres of the gulf of Mexico for off shore drilling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Mar-2018
378. Sued for withdrawing animal welfare rules	Environment	Conservation and Animals	22-Mar-2018
379. Sued for its failure to protect the Vaquita Porpoise	Environment	Conservation and Animals	26-Mar-2018
380. Scott Pruitt’s EPA issued talking points to its employees for downplaying climate change	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Mar-2018
381. Axed Obama era fuel efficiency standards and moved to end a waiver that would allow California to set its own standards	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	2-Apr-2018
382. Sued California over a law aiming to limit a Federal land transfer	Environment	Conservation and Animals	2-Apr-2018
383. The White House is considering a proposal that could strip protections from hundreds of threatened species, to the benefit of oil and agriculture companies.	Environment	Conservation and Animals	5-Apr-2018
384. Following up from #361, issued an opinion instructing agents at the department of interior not to penalize companies that kill migratory birds	Environment	Conservation and Animals	13-Apr-2018
385. Following up from #343, began the scoping process to open the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve to drilling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	19-Apr-2018
386. Trump’s EPA determined wood burning plants are carbon neutral	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	23-Apr-2018
387. Moved to roll back the Well Control Rule, aimed at preventing disastrous offshore drilling spills like the Deep Water Horizon spill	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Apr-2018
388. Sued by 17 states over his decision to invalidate emissions standards through 2025	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	1-May-2018
389. Cancelled NASA research verifying greenhouse gas cuts	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	9-May-2018
390. Hid report on toxic chemicals that contaminated drinking water in Rensselaer County	Environment	Conservation and Animals	16-May-2018
391. Tuned out public comments on its review of the Bears Ear National Monument	Environment	Conservation and Animals	17-May-2018
392. Sued by conservation groups over migratory bird policy	Environment	Conservation and Animals	24-May-2018
393. Altered the way the EPA calculates costs and benefits to downplay the public benefits of environmental regulations	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	7-Jun-2018
394. Restricted the way the EPA establishes harms from environmental toxins	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	7-Jun-2018

395. Rolled back Obama era Ocean protection rules	Environment	Conservation and Animals	21-Jun-2018
396. Created a loophole for “super polluting” trucks	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	8-Jul-2018
397. Moved to block a climate change lawsuit filed by children	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	16-Jul-2018
398. Moved to rollback protections on endangered species by making it easier to delist species and withdrawing a policy that offered the same protections to threatened species	Environment	Conservation and Animals	19-Jul-2018
399. Curtailed the powers of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	22-Jul-2018
400. Moved to freeze fuel efficiency standards and tried to claim that higher fuel standards risk lives because they might cause people to drive more	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	2-Aug-2018
401. Overrode endangered species protections to access water California’s firefighters say they don’t need	Environment	Conservation and Animals	8-Aug-2018
402. Moved to open 1.6 million acres to fracking, drilling in California	Environment	Conservation and Animals	8-Aug-2018
403. Moved to sell off 1,600 acres of land that was formerly a part of the Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument	Environment	Conservation and Animals	15-Aug-2018
404. Failed to deliver $14bn in funds for mass transit projects	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	15-Aug-2018
405. Declared conserving oil is no longer an economic imperative for the US, undermining decades of efforts to promote fuel efficiency and conservation	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	19-Aug-2018
406. Moved to roll back restrictions on coal fired power plants	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Aug-2018
407. Named a Climate Change denier William Happer as his adviser on emerging technologies	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	4-Sep-2018
408. Cut nearly 1,600 EPA staff in his first 18 months in office	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	8-Sep-2018
409. Eased limits on methane pollution	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	11-Sep-2018
410. Sued by New Mexico and California for their attempt to roll back Obama era methane rules in #409	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	18-Sep-2018

411. Said the government should “work for” the oil and gas industry	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	21-Sep-2018
412. Presumed a worst case scenario on climate change and used to it to justify undermining environmental regulations under the presumption that the outcome was already unavoidable	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Sep-2018
413. Completed its rollback of safety regulations put in place after the Deepwater Horizon disaster	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	29-Sep-2018
414. Eased mercury emissions rules	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	1-Oct-2018
415. Moved to use military bases to export coal as a means to circumvent local officials who rejected private efforts to build coal ports	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	15-Oct-2018
416. Withdrew an Obama era rule on Uranium milling	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	19-Oct-2018
417. Approved offshore arctic drilling in Alaska	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	24-Oct-2018
418. Wrongly blamed “radical environmentalists” for California wildfires	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	20-Nov-2018
419. Buried a report on the devastating and accelerating impacts of climate change	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	23-Nov-2018
420. Approved harmful seismic blasting in the Atlantic	Environment	Conservation and Animals	30-Nov-2018
421. Called for an end to subsidies for renewables and electric cars	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	3-Dec-2018
422. Refused to sign the G20 statement until they inserted language restating their decision to abandon the Paris Climate Accord	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	3-Dec-2018
423. Moved to end protections for Sage Grouse	Environment	Conservation and Animals	6-Dec-2018
424. Moved to end requirement that new coal plants use carbon capture technology despite disastrous climate impact	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	6-Dec-2018
425. Stripped Federal protections for waterways and wetlands	Environment	Conservation and Animals	8-Dec-2018
426. Following up from #414, moved to roll back Obama era mercury emissions regulations	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	28-Dec-2018
427. Drove a sharp increase in carbon emissions with its rollback of environmental regulations	Environment	Energy, Climate Change and Green Infrastructure	8-Jan-2018

See a full list of Trump’s actions against the United States of America here

List last updated 6:40am EST, 3/19/2019

Access to Birth Control and Knowledge is a Human Right

When I Have Fears Part 3

If the increase in worldwide population is the issue that many people believe it is, then we should look closely at our own Congress and our own government for the irresponsible role that they play. Among the very first actions taken by this administration was to institute a worldwide gag order which was wildly supported by the born again Christian right wing of the Republican Party. The gag order means that organizations anywhere in the world receiving government money would be cut off from funding if they so much as mention abortion, birth control or any other issues that effect women’s reproductive health.

It is obvious that these people in this administration are so ignorant and so abusive of women that they do not even understand the relationship between women’s ability to take control of their reproductive lives and the subsequent decrease in the rates of both the population and the number of abortions. The distribution of contraceptives and information provided by the UN Population Fund prevented 3.7 million abortions last year, so obviously if you are against both population increase and abortion then you should logically support the UN Population Fund instead of destroying it.

The following weeks will be dedicated to listing Trump’s incredible moves against the United States of America and the Democracy for which we stand.

Action	Policy Area	Specific Policy Area	Date
198. Prevented foreign NGOs which receive US funding from providing abortion counseling	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Jan-2017
206. Provided the tie breaking vote to defund family planning clinics	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Mar-2017
207. Mike Pence won’t eat alone with women other than his wife in a move that’s not just bizarre, but does tangibly harm progress on women’s rights	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Mar-2017
208. Defunded a global maternal health organization which helps save tens of thousands of lives per year	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	3-Apr-2017
210. Ended Obama era rule that prohibited states from defunding healthcare providers which provide abortions	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	14-Apr-2017
211. Discontinued the “Let Girls Learn” program	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	1-May-2017

215. Broadened the Mexico City policy	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-May-2017
217. Moved to roll back birth control coverage	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-May-2017
219. Rejected the UN Human Rights Council’s call for access to safe abortions	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Jun-2017
221. The education department’s civil rights head trivialized 90% of rape cases	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	12-Jul-2017

229. Removed a report on sexual violence from the White House website	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Aug-2017
231. Moved to overhaul how colleges investigate sexual assault	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	7-Sep-2017
233. Appointed one woman for US attorney out of a total of 42, a horribly lopsided figure generally suggesting discrimination	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	12-Sep-2017
235. Backed a 20 week abortion ban	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	3-Oct-2017
237. Rushed to pack courts with anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ judges	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	7-Oct-2017
238. Rolled back a mandate for health insurance to cover birth control	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	6-Oct-2017

244. Introduced a rule to shield healthcare workers who refuse to provide patients with healthcare services due to “moral objections”	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-Jan-2017
245. Rescinded guidance from the Obama Administration which prevented states from de- funding Planned Parenthood	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	19-Jan-2017
265. The Supreme Court enabled “crisis pregnancy centers” that mislead and outright lie to pregnant women by overturning a basic consumer protection that requires clinics to notify patients if they’re medically licensed and let them know their healthcare options	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	26-Jun-2018

271. Moved to issue new rules limiting the liability of Universities for sexual assault	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	29-Aug-2018
272. After it was revealed that his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, had sexually harassed a classmate and lied under oath, continued to rush his nomination forward and sought to discredit his accuser	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	14-Sep-2018
275. Moved to expand the religious exemption for birth control coverage	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	19-Oct-2018
277. Moved to allow employers greater flexibility to deny health insurance covering birth control to their employees	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	31-Oct-2018
278. Published new rules denying birth control coverage mandated under Obamacare and billing Medicare and Medicaid users separately for abortion services	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	8-Nov-2018
279. Issued new rules protecting those accused of sexual harassment	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-Nov-2018

284. Moved to roll back roll back of anti- discrimination rules aimed at curbing actions that have a disparate impact on different groups of people based on ethnicity, gender and other characteristics	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	2-Jan-2018
285. A Federal Court blocked the administration’s expansion of religious exemptions to providing birth control in #275, citing dire public health and financial consequences	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	13-Jan-2018

See a full list of Trump’s actions against the United States of America here

Shedding Light on Civil Rights

When I Have Fears Part 2

The progress that has been made through careful and insightful legal action to improve the conditions under which people live, work, and survive in America are systematically being destroyed by a man who, by cheating, lying, and stealing, has managed to survive and flourish.

The following weeks will be dedicated to listing Trump’s incredible moves against the United States of America and the Democracy for which we stand.

Action	Policy Area	Specific Policy Area	Date
196. Removed all Spanish content from the White House website. Allegedly this was because the site was doing maintenance and Spanish language content was given a low priority, begetting the question of why it was given low priority. As of July 2017, the White House still does not have a Spanish language website	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	23-Jan-2017
197. Called for major investigation into unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, which can only be only be described as frivolous (pending)	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	25-Jan-2017
198. Prevented foreign NGOs which receive US funding from providing abortion counseling	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Jan-2017
199. Wiped pages on Civil Rights, Climate Change, and LGBT Rights from the White House website after taking office	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	20-Jan-2017
200. Had the Department of Justice halt a case on Texas’s voter ID law	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	20-Jan-2017
201. Withdrew a challenge to an injunction blocking guidelines that would prevent discrimination against transgender people in restrooms, then later withdrew the guidelines altogether	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	11-Feb-2017
202. Decided to treat transgender rights as a “states rights issue”, presumably knowing full well what “states rights” tends to mean for civil rights issues	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	21-Feb-2017
203. Dropped support for allowing Transgender students to use locker rooms of their choice	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Feb-2017
204. Had the DOJ officially drop the case against Texas’s discriminatory voter ID law	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	27-Feb-2017
205. Omitted sexual orientation and gender identification from the 2020 census, making it more difficult to collect information that may be used to improve research and policy on LGBTQ issues	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	29-Mar-2017
206. Provided the tie breaking vote to defund family planning clinics	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Mar-2017
207. Mike Pence won’t eat alone with women other than his wife in a move that’s not just bizarre, but does tangibly harm progress on women’s rights	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Mar-2017
208. Defunded a global maternal health organization which helps save tens of thousands of lives per year	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	3-Apr-2017
209. Attempted to strong arm twitter into disclosing the identities of numerous private user accounts	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	7-Apr-2017
210. Ended Obama era rule that prohibited states from defunding healthcare providers which provide abortions	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	14-Apr-2017
211. Discontinued the “Let Girls Learn” program	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	1-May-2017

212. Halted litigation against healthcare settings that discriminate against transgender people	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	3-May-2017
213. Cited a segregation era ruling to justify travel ban	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	8-May-2017
214. Launched investigation into frivolous voter fraud charges	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	11-May-2017
215. Broadened the Mexico City policy	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-May-2017
216. Proposed dismantling the Labor Department agency which polices Civil Rights issues among contractors	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	29-May-2017
217. Moved to roll back birth control coverage	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-May-2017
218. Broke with the new tradition of issuing a proclamation for LGBT pride month, while also reportedly looking into ways to roll back the Obama administration’s efforts to integrate transgender troops into the military.	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	2-Jun-2017
219. Rejected the UN Human Rights Council’s call for access to safe abortions	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Jun-2017
220. The “Election Integrity Commission”, the commission initiated by Trump in item #214 to investigate “voter fraud” on the basis of spurious claims, pushedfor data from the states that breached voter privacy laws	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	3-Jul-2017
221. The education department’s civil rights head trivialized 90% of rape cases	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	12-Jul-2017
222. Banned transgendered people from serving in the military	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	26-Jul-2017
223. Said that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will no longer protect people based on sexual orientation, allowing a return of employment discrimination against gay and lesbian employees	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	27-Jul-2017
224. Moved to divert resources in the Civil Rights division of towards undermining affirmative action	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	1-Aug-2017
225. Cut dozens of Native American tribes out of a land buy-back program	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	4-Aug-2017
226. Allowed Winchester to circumvent a federal order to end its discriminatory zoning practices	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	8-Aug-2017
227. Reversed the DoJ’s position in a supreme court case, backing Ohio’s voter purge	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	8-Aug-2017

228. Following up from #222, issued an executive order banning transgender people from the military	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	25-Aug-2017
229. Removed a report on sexual violence from the White House website	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Aug-2017
230. Ended an Obama era policy to reduce pay discrimination	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	29-Aug-2017
231. Moved to overhaul how colleges investigate sexual assault	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	7-Sep-2017
232. Filed papers with the Supreme Court backing a baker who broke Colorado’s anti- discrimination laws by discriminating against gay couples	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	7-Sep-2017
233. Appointed one woman for US attorney out of a total of 42, a horribly lopsided figure generally suggesting discrimination	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	12-Sep-2017
234. Argued, in court, that employers can fire people for being gay	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	28-Sep-2017
235. Backed a 20 week abortion ban	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	3-Oct-2017
236. Removed Title VII protections for transgendered employees	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	5-Oct-2017
237. Rushed to pack courts with anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ judges	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	7-Oct-2017
238. Rolled back a mandate for health insurance to cover birth control	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	6-Oct-2017
239. Betsy Devos and the Department of Education rescinded 72 policy documents that outline the rights of students with disabilities	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	22-Oct-2017
240. Requested an emergency stay on a court decision requiring the department of defense to begin accepting transgender recruits by Jan 1, 2018	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	11-Dec-2017
241. Took down the White House’s site for petitions	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	18-Dec-2017
242. Ended a rule to crack down on discriminatory practices in the housing market wherein the CFPB collects demographic data on borrowers in order to determine whether or not lenders are discriminating	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	21-Dec-2017
243. Refused to help transgendered teenagers in their discrimination suit	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-Jan-2017

244. Introduced a rule to shield healthcare workers who refuse to provide patients with healthcare services due to “moral objections”	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-Jan-2017
245. Rescinded guidance from the Obama Administration which prevented states from de- funding planned parenthood	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	19-Jan-2017
246. Moved to make it harder for immigrants using public health benefits to gain citizenship	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	8-Feb-2018
247. Removed anti-discriminatory language from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s mission statement	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	6-Mar-2018
248. Reversed a series of moves to reduce discrimination in schools, de-emphasizing diversity as a consideration in funding, delaying a rule aimed at stopping discriminatory standards in special education, and eliminating “systemic” investigations into discrimination	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	2-Mar-2018
249. Used the Parkland shooting as a pretext to re-introduce discriminatory school disciplinary actions	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	14-Mar-2018
250. Issued a new memorandum banning transgendered people from the military	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	24-Mar-2018
260. Moved to roll back an Obama era rule preventing doctors and hospitals from discriminating against transgender people	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	21-Apr-2018
261. Following up from #260, House Republicans voted to kill auto lending guidelines preventing discrimination	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	8-May-2018
262. Move to rollback various legal protections against housing discrimination	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	10-May-2018
263. Rolled back protections for transgender inmates	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	12-May-2018
264. With Niel Gorsuch providing the deciding vote, green lighted aggressive purging of voter rolls	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	11-Jun-2018
265. The Supreme Court enabled “crisis pregnancy centers” that mislead and outright lie to pregnant women by overturning a basic consumer protection that requires clinics to notify patients if they’re medically licensed and let them know their healthcare options	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	26-Jun-2018
266. Reversed Obama era guidelines aimed at improving racial diversity in college admissions	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	3-Jul-2018
267. Ordered the creation of a “religious liberty task force” to push conservative social policy	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	30-Jul-2018
268. Claimed people need IDs to buy groceries in order to justify harsh voter ID laws	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	1-Aug-2018

269. Underreported instances of racial discrimination in schools	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	22-Aug-2018
270. Backed students suing Harvard over it’s admissions policy aimed at promoting diversity	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	29-Aug-2018
271. Moved to issue new rules limiting the liability of Universities for sexual assault	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	29-Aug-2018
272. After it was revealed that his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, had sexually harassed a classmate and lied under oath, continued to rush his nomination forward and sought to discredit his accuser	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	14-Sep-2018
273. Killed fetal tissue research that could save lives and instead decided to audit it	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	25-Sep-2018
274. According to a leaked memo, considered removing transgendered from the definition of sexual discrimination under Title IX	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	15-Oct-2018
275. Moved to expand the religious exemption for birth control coverage	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	19-Oct-2018
276. Vowed to end birthright citizenship, which would reduce countless immigrants to a perpetual second class status and violate the Constitution	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	30-Oct-2018
277. Moved to allow employers greater flexibility to deny health insurance covering birth control to their employees	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	31-Oct-2018
278. Published new rules denying birth control coverage mandated under Obamacare and billing Medicare and Medicaid users separately for abortion services	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	8-Nov-2018
279. Issued new rules protecting those accused of sexual harassment	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	16-Nov-2018
280. Pressured 4-H to drop its LGBT friendly policy	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	19-Nov-2018
281. Urged the supreme court to immediately take up the transgender ban in the military	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	23-Nov-2018
282. Following up from item #273, killed NIH contracts to fund fetal tissue research aimed at finding treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	4-Dec-2018
283. Continued to press having the military restrict transgender troops	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	9-Dec-2018

284. Moved to roll back roll back of anti- discrimination rules aimed at curbing actions that have a disparate impact on different groups of people based on ethnicity, gender and other characteristics	Civil Rights	Enfranchisement and Access	2-Jan-2018
285. A Federal Court blocked the administration’s expansion of religious exemptions to providing birth control in #275, citing dire public health and financial consequences	Civil Rights	Gender Issues and Reproductive Rights	13-Jan-2018

See a full list of Trump’s actions against the United States of America here

List last updated 6:40am EST, 3/19/2019

When I have fears…

Part 1

I am sure that Trump has fears that he may cease to be before he has destroyed our nation and brought us all down with him.

Alone and desperate, he sits at his desk in the Oval Office and dreams up actions he can take to hasten our demise as a nation, as a world power, as a democracy and as a world in which we might choose to live with intelligence, industry and compassion.

The following weeks will be dedicated to listing Trump’s incredible moves against the United States of America.

Action	Policy Area	Specific Policy Area	Date
1. Has taken a weirdly Nixonian line on executive privilege, using loopholes in the law to circumvent laws on conflicts of interest and nepotism	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	24-Jan-2017
2. Possibly violated the constitution by allowing his hotels to accepting payment from foreign governments, then merging his personal and government finances by passing the money on to the treasury department.	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	22-Jan-2017
3. The Justice Department will be defending the Trump Administration on conflict of interest cases at tax payer’s expense. It, along with the significant federal expenditures required to track Trump’s business interest, represent a dubious public expense that could have been avoided had Trump more clearly divested himself of his private holdings.	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	23-Jan-2017
4. Used congressional staffers to create the Muslim Ban Executive Order. Had staffers sign non-disclosure agreements so that their employers (congress) would not know about it, thus circumventing the division between the executive branch and the congressional branch.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Jan-2017
5. Weakened the Obama Administration’s lobbying ban	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Jan-2017
6. Maintained much of his private security after assuming office, which has previously been accused of using excessive, racial profiling, and trampling free speech	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Feb-2017
7. Threatened to cut federal funding to UC Berkley after student protests	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Feb-2017
8. Questioned legitimacy of judges who blocked his travel ban, an attack on judicial independence which even Trump’s own supreme court nominee found demoralizing	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	4-Feb-2017
9. Possibly broke ethics rules by going out of their way to criticize Nordstrom for dropping Ivanka Trump’s product line, then publicly endorsing them	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	8-Feb-2017
10. As President-Elect undermined Obama’s foreign policy and possibly broke the Logan Law when Michael Flynn called Russian Ambassador and suggesting that the Trump Administration would roll back sanctions. Flynn was eventually forced to resign as questions emerged as to whether or not he had misled the White House and received money from the Russian government	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	10-Feb-2017
11. After learning of Michael Flynn’s potentially illegal activities in #10, did nothing for 18 days.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Feb-2017

12. He and the Republican Congress have also rejected investigating potentially serious misconduct by administration officials related to #69, and instead have indicated their desire to go in the opposite direction by cracking down on whistle blowers	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Feb-2017
13. Caught lying about communicating with Russian intelligence officials during the 2016 campaign. In fact, the Trump campaign maintained regular contact with Russian intelligence officials	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Feb-2017
14. Ordered government economists to cook up rosy economic forecasts. Also appears poised to tamper with the way economic statistics are calculated to advance his policy goals	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Feb-2017
15. Spent several times what the Obama Administration cost in vacations	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	22-Feb-2017
16. Jeff Sessions failed to disclose ties with Russian officials, possibly lying under under oath	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Mar-2017
17. Meddled in the FBI by trying to direct the agency to dispute reports of Trump’s ties with Russia	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-Feb-2017
18. Refused to participate in ethics training prior to assuming office	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Mar-2017
19. Trump’s advisor and son-in-law, Jarod Kushner, also attended A meeting with Russian envoys in December with Michael Flynn, potentially breaking the Logan Law. Kushner was also likely paid $50,000 by a Kremlin linked Foreign Policy Group	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Mar-2017
20. Deregulation czar, Carl Icahn, apparently used his position to strong-armthe ethanol lobby to save his own company millions	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	2-Mar-2017
21. Skirted its own ethics rules by hiring lobbyists to serve in areas where they had lobbied while in the private sector	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Mar-2017
22. During his campaign had approved an adviser’s trips to Moscow, despite continuing to deny any links with Russia	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Mar-2017
23. Dramatically fired justice department attorneys from the Obama era in a move that many law enforcement officials considered to be confused and disruptive	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	10-Mar-2017
24. EPA Director, Scott Pruit, started using the EPA as essentially his own PR firm	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	14-Mar-2017
25. After ostentatiously pledging to donate both his Presidential salary and profits from the patronage of foreign governments at his businesses, refusedto provide any actual proof that he is doing either of those things	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	12-Mar-2017

25. Possibly divulged classified information	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	16-Mar-2017
26. Continued to attract potential conflicts of interest with lobbying groups holding events at Trump properties	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	21-Mar-2017
27. Made a severe ethics violation and caused significant potential conflicts of interest by having Ivanka Trump move into the West Wing	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	21-Mar-2017
28. Appears to have colluded with Representative Devin Nunes to subvert the probe into the Trump Administration’s connections to Russian intelligence agencies and shutting the public out of the proceedings and later cancellinghearings	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	23-Mar-2017
29. Broke promise to ensure XL Pipeline delivered “significant profits” to Americans	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	24-Mar-2017
30. Tried to block Sally Yates from testifying in the Russia probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Mar-2017
31. Broke ethics pledge for appointments as appointments return immediately as lobbyists	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	29-Mar-2017
32. Stopped disclosing troop deployments in Iraq and Syria	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Mar-2017
33. Betsy DeVos’s brother, Blackwater founder Erik Prince, held talks to establish secret back channel with the Russian government	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Apr-2017
34. Undermined transparency and drew law suits by not release visitor logs to the white house	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	10-Apr-2017
35. Earned a GAO investigation into whether or not the Trump Administration followed federal guidelines and ethics rules in its transition	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	12-Apr-2017
36. In addition to keeping the White House visitor logs secret, also shut downthe Open.gov portal, which also makes information on public financial disclosures and white house staff	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Apr-2017
37. Ivanka Trump won China trademarks the day she dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping, suggesting a breach of conflict of interests	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	19-Apr-2017
38. Overall, was determined to be the least transparent administration in decades	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Apr-2017
39. Threatened to break up the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after another court overturned his immigration ban	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	26-Apr-2017

40. It was revealed that Michael Flynn’s numerous questionable activities had been flagged years ago, mean that at the very least, Trump failed to do proper due diligence with Michael Flynn	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	27-Apr-2017
41. Harassed Sally Yates before she was set to testify on the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	8-May-2017
42. Fired James Comey under suspicious circumstances, possibly in retaliationfor his role in escalating the Russian probe, and then attempted to pass blameonto Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, then admitted he fired Comey over the Russian probe and threatened him with implied tapings of their meetings	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	10-May-2017
43. Asked Comey to stop the FBI investigation of Michael Flynn. Also in that session asked whether they should start jailing a couple of journalists to intimidate the press.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-May-2017
44. Jeff Session’s background check form omitted meetings with Russians	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-May-2017
45. Jared Kushner attempted to set up a secret back channel with Russia, outside monitoring by US security agencies.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-May-2017
46. Moved to return Russian compounds which had been seized over concerns of Russian meddling in the 2016 election	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	31-May-2017
47. Once again issued dozens of ethics wavers to dozens of former lobbyists working in his administration	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	7-Jun-2017
48. Former FBI Director James Comey revealed in a prepared testimony that Trump attempted to impede a Federal Investigation and undermine the independence of the FBI	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Jun-2017
49. Came under investigation for obstruction of justice	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Jun-2017
50. In response to #49, began making threats towards Robert Mueller	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	16-Jun-2017
51. Has generally packed his administration with people with extensive ties to corporate America at a rate of 70%	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	21-Jun-2017
52. Republicans held a huge fundraiser at one of Trump’s hotel	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	28-Jun-2017
53. Was so riddled with so many ethical problems that even one of its own ethics advisers resigned in disgust	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Jul-2017
54. Similar to item #320, The Trump Administration’s own ethics chiefresigned in disgust at the apparent corruption of the administration	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	6-Jul-2017
55. Possibly meddled in anti-trust cases for political reasons	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Jul-2017

56. Attempted to use “presidential immunity” in order to get a sexual harassment suit against Trump thrown out	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	8-Jul-2017
57. It was revealed that during the Election, Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer who had promised “damaging information” against Hillary Clinton which he knew was connected to Russian intelligence gathered to help elect his father, very likely breaking the law and making plain Trump’s willingness to participate in foreign meddling in US elections and very likely broke the law to do so	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-Jul-2017
58. Pulled the plug on a new FBI headquarters, which is at worst a conflict of interest for Trump (Trump hotel is across the street from the FBI building, so he has a vested interest in how that land is redeveloped), and at the very least is a short sighted move that will negatively impact the functioning of the agency	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	11-Jul-2017
59. Posted sensitive private information of people who had criticized the administration online	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Jul-2017
60. Had a pretty obvious conflict of interest when Kushner invited a small tech which his family has a stake in to the White House	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	14-Jul-2017
61. Began investigating Robert Mueller’s team of investigators in an attempt to discredit and/or intimidate them	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	20-Jul-2017
62. As an indicator of just how corrupt the Trump administration is, it was revealed that Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is now being investigated for money laundering, and was in debt to pro-Russian interests for $17 million dollars	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	20-Jul-2017
63. Trump declared that he has “complete power to pardon” in reaction to the unfolding Russian scandal, implying that he would pardon Trump Jr, his associates, and possibly himself were they implicated in criminal activity by the ongoing investigation into their dealings with Russia. This would not only impede the investigation, but would seriously undermine the Constitution if acted upon.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	22-Jul-2017
64. To highlight the generally corrupt and somewhat alarming nature of the first family’s business dealings, it was revealed that Kushner bought real estate from an oligarch cited in a money laundering case, while firms linked to his family business have used his white house connections to lure in Chinese investors	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-Jul-2017

65. Helped his son write his misleading statement on his 2016 meeting with Russians	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Aug-2017
66. Refused to turn over documents in an investigation into Scott Pruitt’s conflicts of interest	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	11-Aug-2017
67. It was revealed Trump’s hotel in Washington has generally been profiting off his status as President	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	10-Aug-2017
68. Tried to kill a bill that would have prevented him from firing Robert Mueller	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-Aug-2017
69. It was revealed Trump’s business continued to carry out shady business deals in Russia during the Presidential campaign, including emailing Putin about a project in Moscow	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	30-Aug-2017
70. Blocked the Senate from interviewing FBI agents over the firing of James Comey	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Sep-2017
71. Spent his travel budget recklessly, with administration staff spending money on charter flights which were obviously not necessary	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	20-Sep-2017
72. Used campaign funds to pay his legal fees	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	19-Sep-2017
73. It was revealed Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump used her personal email for government work	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-Sep-2017
74. Tom Price used a military jet for his travels, at a staggering cost of $500k to tax payers	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	28-Sep-2017
75. Reversed decades worth of policy on nepotism to appoint family members to cabinet, as indicated by memos released from the Department of Justice	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	3-Oct-2017
76. Similar to #74, Steve Mnuchin wasted 800k of tax payer money flying on military planes	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	6-Oct-2017
77. The Office of Government Ethics chastised the administration and its officials for their misbehavior and general corrosive influence on government ethics.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	11-Oct-2017
78. Jeff Sessions stonewalled the Senate investigation into the firing of James Comey using a dubious pretext of executive privilege	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	18-Oct-2017
79. It was revealed that Trump’s Interior Secretary had personal connections to the contractor Whitefish, which had recently been the subject of a scandal when it was awarded a contract to rebuild Puerto Rico’s electrical grid despite having no experience in the work, strongly implying some involvement of the Administration in facilitating the corrupt deal	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Oct-2017

80. In the clearest indication yet of collusion with Russia in the 2016 election, Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, along with foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos and business associate Rick Gates were arrestedand charged with conspiracy against the United States and money laundering, among other things. Papadopoulos immediately plead guilty to charges that he had lied to the FBI	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Oct-2017
81. Former Trump campaign adviser, Carter Page, refused to hand over his documents in the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Nov-2017
83. It was revealed that, during the meeting raised in #57, Trump Jr. had pushed a quid pro quo deal with Kremlin linked lawyers	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	6-Nov-2017
84. Following up from #55, pushed AT&T/Time Warner to drop CNN in exchange for approving their merger	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	8-Nov-2017
85. Former Trump adviser, Carl Icahn, came under investigation for abusing his position to benefit his own company, as noted in #20	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	8-Nov-2017
86. After it was revealed that Commerce Secretary had numerous shady dealings in Russia in the Paradise Papers, it was later revealed that he not only continues to hold a considerable stake in shipping Russian oil, he has been actively expanded that stake since taking office	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	6-Nov-2017
87. It was revealed Trump Jr. had maintained contact with Wikileaks during the 2016 election, likely a criminal violation of campaign finance laws	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Nov-2017
88. Illegally installed Mick Mulvaney as the director of the CFPB	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	21-Nov-2017
89. It was revealed that Trump has been pressuring Senate Republicans to end the investigation into Russian interference into the election for months	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Dec-2017
90. Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, plead guilty to charges that he had lied to the FBI about his communications with Russia. It was reported that, as part of this plea, Flynn will testify that Trump had directed him to contact Russia. Later	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	4-Dec-2017
91. Trump’s lawyer argued that Trump could not be prosecuted for obstruction of justice because he is above the law	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	4-Dec-2017

92. Emails released by the New York Times seemed to heavily imply that the Trump campaign had indeed known of his Russian contacts at the time, and then shortly after Trump made a tweet that he had known about his contacts at the time he fired him. This would have constituted obstruction of justice.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Dec-2017
93. It was revealed by former Trump aide Steve Bannon that Donald Trump knew about Donald Trump Jr.’s meetings with Russians and almost certainly met with them himself at one point. Bannon also said that Trump’s campaign staff knew that the activities were treasonous at the time and wanted to go ahead with the meeting anyways.	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Jan-2017
94. It was revealed that Trump’s lawyers had strongly urged Jeff Sessions not to recuse himself in the Russian investigation despite the obvious conflict of interest in play	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	5-Jan-2017
95. Opened several probes into Robert Mueller’s investigation in an attempt to derail it	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	23-Jan-2018
96. Reportedly asked FBI Director Andrew McCabe who he voted for, allegedly after fuming about McCabe’s previous political connections with the Democratic Party	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-Jan-2018
97. Reportedly threatened to fire Robert Mueller in June 2017, and only backed off because the White House counsel Don McGahn refused to go along with it	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	27-Jan-2018
98. Deputy Director of the FBI Andrew McCabe stepped down after a months long smear campaign by the Trump Administration, Congressional Republicans, and right wing media outlets	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	29-Jan-2018
99. Refused to implement Congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia for their meddling in the 2016 election	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	29-Jan-2018
100. Similar to #96, asked if Deputy Attorney General Rosenthal was “on his team” on the Russia investigation	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	31-Jan-2018
101. Attempted to undermine the investigation into possible collaboration within the Trump campaign with Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election by releasing the Nunes memo alleging bias in the FBI as the primary driver for the investigation	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Feb-2018
102. Despite knowing of staff secretary Rob Porter’s history of domestic violence did nothing to address the issue, and instead praised Porter and urged him not to resign	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Feb-2018

103. Similar to #101, it was revealed that Trump’s speechwriter had a history of domestic abuse	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-Feb-2018
104. After releasing the memo alleging bias in the Russia probe in #101, refused to release a memo rebutting the claim	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-Feb-2018
105. Similar to #71 and #74, it was revealed that VA Secretary David Shulkin squandered tax payer money on extravagant travel expenses to Europe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Feb-2018
106. Donald Trump Jr. engaged in staggering corruption on his trip to India	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	21-Feb-2018
107. It was revealed that Ben Carson had spent $31,000 on a dining room set in an extravagant effort to decorate his office	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Feb-2018
108. Partly as a result of #107, demoted an official who refused to break the law by exceeding the legal limit to decorate Ben Carson’s office	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	27-Feb-2018
109. A report revealed that the administration has hired a staggering number of lawyers hailing from industries they are expected to regulate	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	1-Mar-2018
110. Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act by participating in a series of interviews with Fox News	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	6-Mar-2018
111. Profiteered off his reelection campaign by using donor money to pay exorbitant rental fees for office space he owns	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	7-Mar-2018
112. Trump’s personal assistant, John McEntee, lost his security clearance, most likely because he is under investigation for financial crimes related to Trump	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	13-Mar-2018
113. After dismissing Tillerson, had his daughter Ivanka handle foreign policy in what’s been called “blatant nepotism”	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	16-Mar-2018
114. Fired Andrew McCabe, likely in retaliation for his role in the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Mar-2018
115. It was revealed that a Trump linked analytics firm, Cambridge Analytica, stole the information of more than 50 million facebook users in their efforts to get Trump elected	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	19-Mar-2018
116. Sued for violating the emoluments clause of the constitution	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	28-Mar-2018
117.It was revealed that Scott Pruitt rented a condo for 6 months in 2017 owned by a Healthcare lobbyist for under market rates, raising serious ethics concerns	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	30-Mar-2018

118. Scott Pruitt used an obscure provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act to give substantial pay raises to two of his closest aides after the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office’s rejected his request for those raises.	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	3-Apr-2018
119. Trump attorney, Michael Cohen, was arrested for bank fraud as Robert Mueller’s investigation continues to bring down officials close to Trump for potential collusion with Russia and illicit business dealings	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-Apr-2018
120. Used flimsy pretexts to justify Scott Pruitt’s extravagant security details, such as people being critical of him on social media	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	11-Apr-2018
121. Excused former Cheney aide Scooter Libby	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Apr-2018
122. Demanded James Comey prove the “pee tape” wasn’t real	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	12-Apr-2018
123. Scott Pruitt broke the law when he built a $43,000 phone booth in his office	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	16-Apr-2018
124. Medical staffers reported feeling pressured to give out prescription drugs to Trump’s staffers	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	27-Apr-2018
125. Raided his doctor’s private practice to seize his medical records and dictated his own medical evaluations as a candidate	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-May-2018
126. Threatened to block the release of Department of Justice records in the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-May-2018
127. It was revealed that Michael Cohen sold access to Trump	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-May-2018
128. Suggested there may have been more women who received hush money from Trump	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	6-May-2018
129. Was caught lying about whether he had reimbursed Michael Cohen for his payoff to Stormy Daniels	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-May-2018
130. Watchdog, CREW, noted that Jared Kushner has revised his financial disclosures so many times that he should have been fired by this point, and hasn’t because of his family ties to Trump	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	5-May-2018
131. After China poured $500 mn into a Trump Organization project Trump lifted sanctions on the Chinese Telecom ZTE, a deal which was promptly shut down by a House Panel over concerns that they the firm would steal and misuse consumer data	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	15-May-2018
132. During the 2016 elections met with Saudi and UAE emissaries promising to help in the election	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	19-May-2018
133. Personally pushed the postmaster general to raise rates on Amazon and other firms as part of his general practice of trying to punish businesses he personally doesn’t like	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	18-May-2018

134. Donald Trump Jr. lied to the Senate Judiciary committee by saying he was “unaware” of any other foreign governments attempting to collude with the campaign to influence the election, which appears increasingly unlikely due to #132	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-May-2018
135. Scott Pruitt spent $3.5mn on security in his first year, more than 110% more than his predecessor	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-May-2018
136. Pardoned Dinesh D’Souza, who had previously plead guilty to campaign finance fraud	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	31-May-2018
137. Threatened the Russian probe not to subpoena Trump	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Jun-2018
138. Claimed unfettered power to interfere in investigations and even pardon himself	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Jun-2018
139. It was revealed Paul Manafort had attempted to get witnesses to lie for him court	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	4-Jun-2018
140. Scott Pruitt used an EPA aide and donors to find a job for his wife	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	13-Jun-2018
141. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump made $82mn while working in the White House last year	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	12-Jun-2018
142. It was revealed Trump operative Roger Stone met with a Russian man trying to sell dirt on Hillary Clinton for $2mn	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Jun-2018
143. The Congressional GOP escalated it’s antagonism of Rob Rosenstein and the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Jun-2018
144. Scott Pruitt resigned, completing his tenure as one of the most scandal ridden cabinet members in modern American history	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	5-Jul-2018
145. Just days into his tenure, new EPA chief Andrew Wheeler already faced ethical problems regarding illicit hiring practices and tampering with the release of public documents	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Jul-2018
146. Following #131, allowed Chinese Telecom ZTE to reenter business in the United States	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Jul-2018
147. Jared Kushner came under investigation for allegedly trying to force tenants out of their apartments, using tactics up to and including exposing children to toxic substances	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	16-Jul-2018
148. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke racked up numerous ethics scandals, including retaliating against staff for political reasons and failing to disclose his business connections	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	23-Jul-2018

149. At a time when former Trump campaign staffers and administration officials are under investigations which the administration is actively attempting to undermine, nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, who expressed the opinion that the unanimous Supreme Court decision to make Nixon turn over the white house tapes in Watergate investigation was wrongly decided	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	21-Jul-2018
150. Encouraged by the Trump administration, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as part of their campaign to discredit the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-Jul-2018
151. The released Cohen tapes seemed to confirm that Trump had insisted on payments that violated campaign finance laws	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	25-Jul-2018
152. Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Guilliani, tried to claim that “collusion is not a crime”	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Jul-2018
153. Pushed Jeff Sessions to end the Russia Probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Aug-2018
154. Admitted that his son, Donald Trump Jr., met with Kremlin linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to obtain incriminating information on Hillary Clinton	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	6-Aug-2018
155. Began revoking security clearances of former officials in retaliation for criticism	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	15-Aug-2018
156. Bizarrely tried to avoid being interviewed by Robert Mueller on the logic that he would perjure himself	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	19-Aug-2018
157. Granted a high level of influence over VA policy to an oligarchic “Mar-a-Lago crowd”	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	8-Aug-2018
158. Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, revealed under oath that Trump ordered him to illegally interfere in the election	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	21-Aug-2018
159. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of 8 counts of tax fraud, bank fraud and other illegal activities	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	21-Aug-2018
160. Suggested cooperating with prosecutors should be a crime	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	23-Aug-2018
161. The Republican Congress systematically failed to investigate 52 separate instances of misconduct by the Trump administration	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	24-Aug-2018
162. Pushed a bizarre conspiracy that Google is rigged against him	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Aug-2018
163. Fired Paul McGahn after it was reported that he had cooperated Robert Mueller’s probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	29-Aug-2018
164. Criticized his own attorney general for investigating corrupt Republicans	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	3-Sep-2018

165. Gave Mar-a-lago $17 million for non- existent hurricane damage	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	7-Sep-2018
166. Trump’s FEMA chief was put under investigation for misusing official vehicles	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Sep-2018
167. Spent absurd amounts of public money on furnishings, such as $52,000 drapes	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	14-Sep-2018
168. Ordered the release of unredacted texts from the Russia probe, potentially undermining the ongoing investigation	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Sep-2018
169. It was reported that Trump had spent decades engaging in dubious tax schemes and outright fraud on behalf of his father as part of an elaborate tax evasion strategy	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	2-Oct-2018
170. It was revealed Devin Nunes had buried evidence to protect the Trump administration	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	5-Oct-2018
171. It was revealed Jared Kushner has paid almost no Federal Income Tax for years	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Oct-2018
172. It was revealed that Trump was directly involved in the decision in #58 to nix a new FBI headquarters, which he then lied to Congress about	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	18-Oct-2018
173. It was revealed that Melania Trump’s one night stay in Egypt cost taxpayers $95,050	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	1-Nov-2018
174. Fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and replaced him with a party loyalist apparently to open the path to substantial interference in the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Nov-2018
175. Violated campaign finance laws by being directly involved in hush money payments	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	9-Nov-2018
176. Directly profited off the 2018 midterms, with Trump owned properties earning $3.2 million from campaigns and PACs	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	10-Nov-2018
177. Admitted that he had installed Matthew Whitaker as Attorney General over the Russian probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	15-Nov-2018
178. It was revealed Ivanka Trump used her personal email account to conduct government business	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	19-Nov-2018
179. Raised prosecuting Clinton with top officials in the White House and Justice Department on frivolous grounds	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	20-Nov-2018
180. It was revealed that Paul Manafort had met with Julian Assange while working on Trump’s campaign. It was also revealed that Manafort has lied to the Mueller probe about business and Ukrainian dealings	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	27-Nov-2018
181. Suggested he may pardon Paul Manafort	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	28-Nov-2018

182. Violated the Hatch Act when 6 administration officials promoted Trump’s political message from their positions	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	30-Nov-2018
183. It was revealed that Saudi lobbyists had bought 500 nights at Trump’s hotel after the 2016 election	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	5-Dec-2018
184. Federal prosecutors concluded that Trump committed a felony by instructing Michael Cohen to make payments to Stormy Daniels and lie to investigators	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	7-Dec-2018
185. It was found that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner personally profited from a tax policy they championed	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	11-Dec-2018
186. It was revealed that Trump was in the room when discussing hush money for tabloid scandals, violating campaign finance laws	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Dec-2018
187. Trump’s inaugural committee came under investigation for various financial abuses	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	13-Dec-2018
188. The Trump Foundation was dissolved after it was found that Trump had used the organization to commit numerous abuses, essentially using it as a slush fund	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	18-Dec-2018
189. Michael Flynn was denounced as having “sold out” his country by a Federal judge	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	18-Dec-2018
190. It was revealed that Paul Manafort had shared campaign finance information to people with extensive ties to Russian intelligence agencies	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	8-Jan-2018
191. Came under investigation by the FBI to determine if he was a Russian asset	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	11-Jan-2018
192. Attempted to hide details of his meeting with Putin from administration officials	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	12-Jan-2018
193. Attorney General nominee Bill Barr suggested he would bury the Mueller probe	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	15-Jan-2018
194. It was revealed that the General Services Administration had ignored the Constitution when approving the lease of Trump Hotel	Abuse of Power	Conflict of Interest	16-Jan-2018
195. It was revealed Trump had directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the construction of a Trump Hotel in Moscow	Abuse of Power	Legal and Ethical Issues	17-Jan-2018

See a full list of Trump’s actions against the United States of America here

List last updated 6:40am EST, 3/19/2019

I Spy

Hoda Mathana left the United States to join ISIS in Syria, fully knowing that The Caliphate was dedicated to the destruction of the USA. In my opinion this woman , Hoda Mathana, should be left in the Syrian Refugee Camp where she is now.

She was an adult when she made up her mind to destroy the US by join ISIS.

When I was 15 years old, most of my friends were really excited about signing the Communist Manifesto. I read it through to the very end where it was clear that the aim of the Communist Party was the destruction of the US Government.I did not sign on and I have never joined any group or any organization whose express aim was the destruction of the US Government.

This woman who married 3 times, to men all of whom were members of ISIS. Each time her husband was killed, she promptly married somebody else who was a member of ISIS. Admittedly, she might not have had a choice in this matter.

If she is, allowed back into the United States, she should be tried for treason and jailed for life.

Think about it. She could easily be a mole and we would never know it.

Why should the American tax payers take on all of that? There is a hight cost for court time, for lawyers , and paying for her while she is in prison.

We have so much trouble deciding on a realistic immigration policy for this country, and we are disallowing and turning away people who are legitimately seeking asylum.

This girl left the United States to join a force that was dedicated to the destruction of the US and the Western World. She would be lucky to remain in the Syrian refugee camp where she is, with people who are legitimate refuges from an abusive and destruct Government.

The Huddled Masses

“Give me your tired, your poor,

your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

– Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus”

Engraved on the Statue of Liberty

In view of the present inhumane approach to immigration, I’d like to clarify my concept of how America might be able to more willingly accept refugees whose culture and language are different from our own. Sixty-seven million people are refugees in the world at this time. No one abandons their home except in desperation. The world has never dealt with anything of this magnitude before. As the crisis evolves, so must our vision of a solution. We must redefine our entire concept of our border policy.

I think it is essential for refugees to be able to assimilate into their host country as easily and as soon as possible. America needs a study to ascertain how many people this country can assimilate per annum. And it would not be unreasonable to decide how many, and what trades or skills the country needs.

In my opinion, if people are allowed to concentrate in the same area, forming their own communities, it makes assimilation more difficult and sometimes takes several generations. There are communities in America, and particularly in the larger cities, where several generations of immigrants barely speak English, and certainly do not speak it well. Since the language of the United States is English, I believe firmly that all public schools should teach only in English, with a mandatory second language for every student.

After all, English is the language of our country, and I believe it should be preserved as such. Universal language and public education are essential for assimilation and for the life of a democracy.

Therefore, I would have new arrivals to the United States spend a certain amount of time in some kind of border facility, such as a university where they would have an intensive English Course. They would also learn about the history of America, understand the constitution, and understand the social contract under which they will be living, and the laws that will effect them. People’s lives can be improved when they are provided with the necessary skills and knowledge.

We probably should have trade schools, offered not just to refugees, but throughout the country for our own citizens, to help people adjust when they are forced to change jobs or trades. Trade schools and training would help people to make a quicker adjustment and enable them to get jobs.

To assimilate people as quickly as possible they need language skills and jobs, enabling them to enter the workforce and pay taxes, which is part of citizenship.

Even without Mr. Trump’s harassment at the borders, it’s extremely complicated to enter this country legally. And after finally entering, it is difficult to work legally. An Employment Authorization Document is needed to enter the workforce. In order to even request this employment, one must file a complex application which costs 410 U.S. dollars. It can take up to 150 days to process the papers. Given the desperate conditions under which people arrive, and the additional cost of employment papers, people have to be able to work as soon as possible. It takes too long to receive permission to work. The cost and the length of time together are almost by themselves an invitation to illegal entry and illegal employment.

In order to expedite successful assimilation, newcomers who enter the country should be dispersed, rather than be allowed to huddle together and form their own exclusive communities. For a period of time it might benefit them to be dispersed to less populated parts of the country where there is need for workers. I believe that existing local American communities would be more likely to accept and be helpful to smaller groups of people if they don’t feel overwhelmed when faced with what they perceive as an invasion of their communities where their jobs and culture are threatened.

Today’s problems are enormous and desperately require a new outlook, a new vision.

ACHTUNG!

ACHTUNG!

1. Attention!

2. Beware!

Anybody who lived through WWII who is still alive today will remember that “ACHTUNG!” was the Nazi call to attention. They recognize the classic signs and symbols of a systematic takeover by a totalitarian dictator. Do not forget that it was the people of Germany who voted Hitler into power, and that is what We The People of the United States are facing today.

A democratic society is complicated, confusing, and difficult. A dictatorship dismisses societal protections (whether they be for the environment, education, healthcare, or the arts) as complications and simply eliminates anything or anybody who gets in the way of simple, direct action and total control.

Unfortunately what this country needs at this time is complicated. It is made even more complicated by the social progress that has been made over the last 90 years. Probably the advent of computers and cell phones has exacerbated the problems and simultaneously shed more light on the divisions within the country, whether they be race, creed, religion, gender or financial inequality. This is a time in our history where leadership is as crucial as it has ever been. This nation, this democracy, is being torn apart and is in dire need of a healer who brings people together instead of what we now have, a divisive and destructive egocentric dictator.

The last Republican administration was that of George W. Bush and it was on his watch that we became involved in the total destruction of Iraq and the endless wars in the Middle East. It was on his watch that the banks were failing and the country was heading towards a serious financial depression. It was also George W. Bush who at last recognized the situation; late, but at least in time to start the turn around.

Obama ran his campaign on the need for a National Health Program, but even as he took office as President, he became caught up in the desperate need to stop and reverse the downward tide of the financial crisis facing the nation. He supported the banks for which he has received endless criticism. However, in the 1930’s, it was also the Republicans who caused the financial collapse. The banks were not saved, and a financial crisis plunged our country into a deep depression that swept the globe. There were no jobs, there was no money, and people starved. The truth is, we didn’t recover from the depression until after WWII.

So here we were in 2008 facing the same dilemma. Obama took action to put the country back on the path to recovery. It was not speedy but at least it was constant. Jobs were being created. The banks were secured. The stock market was on an upward trend. However, a certain portion of the population was still left behind, and their jobs disappeared. Numbers of people slipped from the middle class into poverty. Trump seized upon their vulnerability. He was subsequently elected and immediately claimed credit for all that Obama had accomplished.

Instead of addressing the ongoing problems and divisions in the country, he has exacerbated them, causing irreparable damage to the fabric of our society and to the very core of our Democracy.

This is a time in history where this country needs creative, enlightened leadership to help solve the many problems facing and endangering our society. This is a time to address the social, racial, and financial issues that separate the poor and the middle classes from the 1%. This is not the time to cut taxes for the wealthiest people in the world, nor for many wealthy corporations.

The country is split by serious problems of job displacement. Due to the advancement of technology, our economy today relies less on manufacturing, and more on technology. Therefore, the requirements of the workforce are different and more demanding than they ever were before.

We need to have a high level of education in order to prepare people for today’s job market. It takes an educated public to make demands of their government and hold them accountable. Education in this country is at a lower standard than it has ever been and we have never ranked higher than in the middle worldwide. Now we have a woman in office, chosen and backed by the President, neither of whom understands the value of a high quality public education, nor do they want it. They do not want an educated public. They do not want free speech. They are not open to accountability or criticism. A democracy cannot survive with an uneducated public. A dictatorship cannot survive with an educated public.

The congress, which constitutionally should be the nation’s check and balance system, has become an exclusive club to which members swear allegiance. Instead of representing their constituencies, the members are representing their party and drumming out anyone who disagrees with the party line. Our check and balance system is broken, and has played right into the hands of a demagogue.

Only someone incapable of dealing with the complications of a Democracy, someone looking to line his own pockets and to have the power to do so, chooses to be a dictator and thus rids himself of the problems or blame. Instead of governing he rules by edict. And further to save his own skin, he forces the appointment of his sycophant to denigrate the Supreme Court. Only someone incapable, incompetent and ignorant wants and needs to get rid of Free Press and Free Speech and any possible criticism. Are we as a nation really willing to give all of our freedoms and rights away to an ignorant and corrupt President and this sycophant’s followers in the Congress? Hit the streets folks: Rebel. Vote! Vote the despots out!

New vision for immigration

Today there are more displaced people in the world than there have ever been at any time in history. According to the United Nations, 67 million people are desperately seeking refuge somewhere. This vast displacement of people has caused a major crisis, and a growing crisis, to every nation in the developed world.

Huge numbers of refugees and asylum-seekers are being forced to live under unacceptable conditions while they desperately try to gain legal admission to any country that will accept them. The current systems are not solving the problem of massive immigration. It is incumbent upon the governments of all nations, the United Nations, the European community, and even the World Economic Forum to redefine immigration programs. It is also imperative that all of us, worldwide, find ways to aid refugees facing extraordinary challenges.

There is a sense of destabilization that occurs when a large population of different races, religions, and customs overwhelm an existing culture. As The United States does not have any viable immigration plan, these fears have empowered this administration and its tyrannical zero immigration policy. This policy has lead to cruel and inhumane treatment of desperate people.

The present anti-immigration policies of The United States, such as the deportation of people who have lived here for many years and the separation of children from their parents at the border, is absolutely not acceptable. It is not in any way a plan or solution to the massive refugee problem, nor is it a solution to immigration. It is tyrannical, unacceptable and totally short-sided for The United States.

America should welcome immigrants. We have almost full employment and we are an aging population with an historically low birth-rate. This confluence of circumstances can bring development and growth to a halt in The United States. Immigration is an important way of reversing the tide. In order to grow the economy we will need skilled workers to fill future jobs in farming, building infrastructure, and other trades.

It is often costly and usually takes an inordinately long time for people to apply and gain legal entry into The United States. There should be more entry ports and consulates so that this process could be shortened, and so that asylum-seekers could be dealt with more quickly and humanely.

Legal entry into The United States should have certain requirements. Obviously no criminal record, but also English should be required. Instead of having internment camps at the border, there should be English language schools.

No one should be allowed a green-card until they have a working knowledge of English. After all, English is the language of the country and it is what binds Americans together along with the social contract, the laws of the land, and the culture. English must be the primary language. Without it we lose the ability to take on jobs, assimilate, or feel a sense of patriotic love of country.

We as a nation have lost our moral compass. We must re-establish our own social and moral values in order to be able to impart them with impunity to the new arrivals. This should be done even as they are learning to speak English.

Another problem facing host countries receiving an overwhelmingly large number of refugees is that these people tend to seek their own kind. In turn they set up their own enclaves within the existing communities. Unless immigrants have families to go to, it would make sense to spread them out and direct them to areas of the country where they are needed and would be welcomed. For a period of years, their choice of settlement should be restricted. This would prevent them from forming separate communities.

Most communities have activities for all age-groups in which everybody can participate regardless of race, creed, or religion. It is simply easier and less threatening for communities to accept newcomers if they arrive as individuals.

It is abundantly clear that The United States nor other nations of the world can any longer run immigration systems with antiquated methodologies and concepts. This seems to be a time when America has to redefine itself just as we did at the time of the American Revolution and again during the Civil War.

White supremacists and religious fanatics cannot be allowed to shape the world in their own image. We, as Americans, must not allow it. These extremists are only a small part of our country. Our values are not, and should not, be so narrowly defined as they would have them be. People are and continue to be on the move. The genie is out of the box.

Clear The Swamp

It seems that what Trump supporters were hoping to achieve by electing Trump to be their president was really to reduce the effect of the federal government and the interaction of the federal government in their lives.

It would seem that the total destruction of the federal government is synonymous with clearing the swamp. It made me wonder what the federal government really does do for the citizens of the United States of America.

This is the list that I’ve come up with:

Federal:

1. Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

2. Immigration law

3. Federal discrimination and civil right laws protecting against racial, age, gender and disability discrimination

4. Provides 8% in funding for educational programs and stimulates a dialogue on how to create a globally competitive educational system

5. Bankruptcy laws

6. Patent and copyright laws

7. Federal criminal law such as tax fraud law and the counterfeiting of money

8. Oversees repair, management, and funding for interstate highways and national parks

9. Provides roughly 1% of necessary funding towards the arts

10. Federal voting laws

State laws:

There are 50 states and several commonwealths and territories within the U.S. Each one has its own system of laws and courts that handle the following:

1. Criminal matters

2. Divorce and family matters

3. Workers Compensation for injuries at work

4. Personal injuries, such as car or medical malpractice

5. Welfare, public assistances, or medical matters

6. Wills, inheritance and estates

7. Real estate and other properties

8. State laws govern overall educational standards

9. The major portion of funding for education is provided by the state

9. Oversees repair, management, and funding for state highways and parks

10. States provide about 2% of funding towards the arts in contrast to the federal government’s 1% of funding.

11. States oversee business contracts

12. State voting laws

City/local:

1. Local safety (police and fire department)

2. Rent laws (leasing, rent control, evictions, living conditions)

3. Zoning laws

4. Oversees repair, management, and funding for city roads, parks and recreational areas

5. They provides roughly 3% of funding towards the arts.

These provision are all made by federal, state, or local governments. I went over this list pretty carefully and I couldn’t find very much that I would like to give up or have taken away from me. I can understand that people feel that the government is not adequately addressing their needs.

Over the past 90 years, since Franklin D. Roosevelt, many of these laws and institutions have been created by various presidents in order to protect and benefit all of us who live in the United States of America. Everyone who can work and can contribute is obliged to do so. Not everyone contributes equally, some need more from the government than others do, but that is that nature of living in our democracy.

I understand that although the intention is to benefit or protect everyone, there will always be imperfections. My belief is that we should work to correct and improve, but not to destroy the structures that have been put in place. If there are inadequacies it is the right of the citizens of this country to seek to improve and make changes. However, what this president and administration has done to destroy all of these benefits is not constructive.

It is up to all of us to vote for the people locally and nationally who will seek to make the improvements, changes, and find remedies that will satisfy the needs of the neediest member of our society. Don’t toss the baby with the bathwater. Hit the streets!