As the results of the 2016 presidential election became clear, Americans across the country sat up and took notice. The race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump was undeniably one of the most contentious in recent memory.
That’s not to say that there weren’t other divisive candidates—just look back at how many other Republican contenders had also run for president before Trump came along. It was only a matter of time before he cloned himself as a candidate once more, only this time his beefed-up ego meant he couldn’t go through life without running for office again…and this time he won.
A lot has been written about what it means to have a Trump presidency—and it isn’t all positive. Here is a summary of some of the potential effects that a Trump presidency could have on America:
A Tighter Rung On The Ladder For Women In Politics
President Trump has a habit of commenting on several issues in a very public way. One of those issues is the presence and status of women in politics. He has been quoted as saying that he would consider replacing the first female U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with a man, and that he doesn’t think that there are enough qualified women to be senators.
For anyone who has been watching the current election cycle and who has been paying attention, his comments about women have had enough of an underlying tone to make it seem as though he is quite literally rooting against them.
While Trump has since walked back and denied that he ever said those things, he has also made it clear that he thinks he can make a run at Hillary Clinton’s old seat on the Supreme Court. That could mean that the Supreme Court will once again be made up of eight justices and not nine, pending the outcome of the election.
If Trump wins, it seems very likely that he would choose an anti-abortion justice to replace the late Antonin Scalia. With the Supreme Court being a huge factor in how rulings are made, losing that seat could have a major effect on how decisions are made going forward.
The U.S. Will Be Less Safe As A Result Of A Trump Presidency
Trump’s disdain for the U.S.’s commitment to NATO is well documented. He has suggested that members of the military should be armed and that the U.S. might not honor its financial commitments to NATO. The safety of the country could very well be at risk as a result.
The country’s commitment to NATO is very important when it comes to keeping other countries in the region from getting aggressive and possibly even invading. While we must try to remain as safe as possible on a day-to-day basis, it is also important that we remember that safety is relative and that it does not come without risk.
If we pull out of NATO, or if we arm our military to a level that exceeds international agreements, we run the risk of making our country less safe than it is today.
College Will Cost Way Too Much, Or It’ll Be Free For Everyone
Trump has made it clear that he believes that public colleges are too expensive and that they are pricing out many of the people they would otherwise help. He has promised to make college “affordable” again, although it is unclear exactly how he plans to do that.
He has also promised to make the country’s healthcare system “free” for everyone. It is unclear exactly how he would do this, but he has made it clear that he does not want the government to be involved in any sort of healthcare system.
This is a dangerous idea for several reasons. It could mean that people are no longer made accountable for their own health decisions, which could lead to a lot of unneeded and expensive medical procedures.
Healthcare Will Get Even Steerer
Trump has made it crystal clear that he believes that healthcare is a privilege, not a right. He has said that he would like to allow insurance companies to once again offer policies that exclude coverage for certain conditions, something that would have a major impact on LGBTQIA+ individuals.
He has also made it clear that he does not believe that climate change is real, something that could have a major effect on the way that our nation thinks about the safety of its people.
A person who does not believe that climate change is real does not believe that the effects of human activity are harmful. This could mean that Americans are less likely to take steps toward protecting themselves against extreme weather and natural disasters.
Foreign Relations Will Stay Stalefish
Trump has made it very clear that he does not believe that America has any obligations to other countries. He has said that he would make it a priority to eliminate “unfair trade deals” and to expand tariffs on trade partners, possibly including China. He has also said that he would make it a priority to get out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement and the Paris Climate Agreement.
It seems very likely that he would do this, and it would be very unfortunate. America has a lot to offer the world, and pulling out of international agreements would be a huge step backward. America should be pushing the envelope, not pulling back.
No More Boy Scouts — Or Girls, Either
Trump has made it clear that he does not believe in the value of participating in voluntary, non-religious organizations for young people. He has said that he would defund the Boy Scouts and that he would defund the National Parks. He has also made it clear that he does not believe in allowing immigrants from other countries into our country.
These are all wonderful and valuable things for young people to be doing, but if Trump’s platform is successful and he gets into office, they could all come to an end.
Government Will Be Even Bigger And More Wasteful, Or It’ll Be Tiny And Crucial To Citizens
Trump has made it clear that he thinks the government is too big and that it wastes too much money. He has vowed to eliminate and defund several government programs, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, and the Department of Energy.
He has also vowed to eliminate and defund funding for Planned Parenthood and the National Endowment for the Arts. It is unclear exactly how much money these things would save the government, but it certainly seems likely that they would represent a significant amount of waste.
If Trump can make these promises come true, we will likely see an even bigger government and one that wastes even more money than it does now.
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