The Tea Party was a Precursor to the Present Protests in Washington D.C.
The Trump Administration has been serving since January 20th, 2017. It has already spawned some of the largest protests against an administration that I have witnessed in my lifetime. On January 21st, large contingents of people marched on Washington and in cities throughout the country and the world. It was a Women's March and the majority of the marchers were horrified by the prospect of Donald Trump, his past comments about his actions towards women, and the tone and tenor of his administration. There is already an effort by this administration to defund Planned Parenthood. How that move would benefit the country and women seeking reproductive health assistance is beyond me. Over 50,000 people marched in Philadelphia and the numbers are estimated at 2.6 million worldwide.
The Trump Administration created another firestorm of protesters on Saturday and Sunday when it issued an Executive Order banning citizens from seven majority Muslim countries. It also banned the acceptance of refugees from Syria altogether. On paper, it supposedly was the fulfillment of a campaign promise. In reality, it was a poorly thought out and reactionary move that is reverberating world wide. A five year old boy was detained for hours as a result. Families who had green cards and were properly vetted were denied entry into the United States. Some families who endured eighteen hour flights to get here were turned around at the airport. The official mouth piece, Kelly Ann Conway, referred to an Obama Admistration effort in 2011 to slow the flow of Iraqis into the country. Trump hated everything about President Obama. Why refer to his rule when he created this maelstrom? Poor planning and lack of vision are two culprits.
I have not participated in any marches during President Trump's brief tenure. I thought back to when President Barak Obama was sworn in and how the Tea Party came into prominence soon afterwards. One of their signature moments was the Taxpayer March on Washington on September 12th, 2009. President Barak Obama was sworn in for his first term on January 20th, 2009. It took eight months for the anger that created the Tea Party members to culminate in its largest official action. Upon doing my research I discovered that current Vice President Mike Pence was one of the featured speakers that day. I guess he parlayed his anger over the election of the first African American President into his present role. Even Mike Pence has to be surprised by the angry protests that engulfed the nation due to this immigration restriction.
There were a number of factors that facilitated the growth of the Tea Party and the election of Donald Trump. 88% of Tea Party members believed that immigration is a major problem. 66% doubted the impact of global warming. 89% are white while only 1% are black. 75% are 45 years of age or older. 54% are Republican. Only 7% of Tea Party members believed that President Obama did a good job as President. The major issue that solidified the Tea Party was the passage of the Affordable Care Act. It has been called Obama Care and I think this moniker has driven its opponents crazy. The first official act of President Trump was an Executive Order signalling his intent to dsimantle this act. Almost twenty million Americans are now covered by the A.C.A. President Trump has presented no viable alternative for this much needed safety net.
I am of the opinion that the current marchers could have been better served by getting more voters to the polls. Hillary Clinton did win the popular vote but the percentage of people of color, Hispanics and African Americans, did not come out in number for her like they did for President Obama. I feel like she won all three debates and was more prepared to lead based on her experience in government. She has weighed in briefly on this immigration issue. As much as I want the energy being displayed in the protests to be galvanized for upcoming elections, I appreciate our First Amendment rights to Free Speech. Steve Bannon and Kelly Ann Conway want to muzzle the press in the worst way. I heard that protesters are expected to show up for President Trump's Supreme Court appointment. I don't see the value in this action.
President Trump has been defiant in terms of doing things his way. He hasn't really drained the swamp in Washington, This was one of his mantras on the campaign trail. He also is hinting that Americans will have to pay for his much hyped wall. This is strike two in my book as a political observer. The current protests have to give his administration some cause to reflect on brash actions going forward, Being sued by the ACLU and losing the support of Republican colleagues is a bad sign for a nascent administration. My advice as an American is to listen to established leaders in Congress and the Senate. Try to set aside the hatred that he has for current government leaders and utilize their expertise. Otherwise, we are in for a long ride. I think the energy and anger of protesters can outlast his willingness to run roughshod over decency and the proper respect towards human rights.
The Trump Administration created another firestorm of protesters on Saturday and Sunday when it issued an Executive Order banning citizens from seven majority Muslim countries. It also banned the acceptance of refugees from Syria altogether. On paper, it supposedly was the fulfillment of a campaign promise. In reality, it was a poorly thought out and reactionary move that is reverberating world wide. A five year old boy was detained for hours as a result. Families who had green cards and were properly vetted were denied entry into the United States. Some families who endured eighteen hour flights to get here were turned around at the airport. The official mouth piece, Kelly Ann Conway, referred to an Obama Admistration effort in 2011 to slow the flow of Iraqis into the country. Trump hated everything about President Obama. Why refer to his rule when he created this maelstrom? Poor planning and lack of vision are two culprits.
I have not participated in any marches during President Trump's brief tenure. I thought back to when President Barak Obama was sworn in and how the Tea Party came into prominence soon afterwards. One of their signature moments was the Taxpayer March on Washington on September 12th, 2009. President Barak Obama was sworn in for his first term on January 20th, 2009. It took eight months for the anger that created the Tea Party members to culminate in its largest official action. Upon doing my research I discovered that current Vice President Mike Pence was one of the featured speakers that day. I guess he parlayed his anger over the election of the first African American President into his present role. Even Mike Pence has to be surprised by the angry protests that engulfed the nation due to this immigration restriction.
There were a number of factors that facilitated the growth of the Tea Party and the election of Donald Trump. 88% of Tea Party members believed that immigration is a major problem. 66% doubted the impact of global warming. 89% are white while only 1% are black. 75% are 45 years of age or older. 54% are Republican. Only 7% of Tea Party members believed that President Obama did a good job as President. The major issue that solidified the Tea Party was the passage of the Affordable Care Act. It has been called Obama Care and I think this moniker has driven its opponents crazy. The first official act of President Trump was an Executive Order signalling his intent to dsimantle this act. Almost twenty million Americans are now covered by the A.C.A. President Trump has presented no viable alternative for this much needed safety net.
I am of the opinion that the current marchers could have been better served by getting more voters to the polls. Hillary Clinton did win the popular vote but the percentage of people of color, Hispanics and African Americans, did not come out in number for her like they did for President Obama. I feel like she won all three debates and was more prepared to lead based on her experience in government. She has weighed in briefly on this immigration issue. As much as I want the energy being displayed in the protests to be galvanized for upcoming elections, I appreciate our First Amendment rights to Free Speech. Steve Bannon and Kelly Ann Conway want to muzzle the press in the worst way. I heard that protesters are expected to show up for President Trump's Supreme Court appointment. I don't see the value in this action.
President Trump has been defiant in terms of doing things his way. He hasn't really drained the swamp in Washington, This was one of his mantras on the campaign trail. He also is hinting that Americans will have to pay for his much hyped wall. This is strike two in my book as a political observer. The current protests have to give his administration some cause to reflect on brash actions going forward, Being sued by the ACLU and losing the support of Republican colleagues is a bad sign for a nascent administration. My advice as an American is to listen to established leaders in Congress and the Senate. Try to set aside the hatred that he has for current government leaders and utilize their expertise. Otherwise, we are in for a long ride. I think the energy and anger of protesters can outlast his willingness to run roughshod over decency and the proper respect towards human rights.
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