Making America Afraid Again

Trump Returns to Power, Spreading Lies, Chaos, and Confusion

Trump: Season 2 by Dave Whamond, Canada, PoliticalCartoons.com

The U.S. under Trump is looking to be more divided than ever, after an inauguration speech that jabbed at every exploitable division, starting with an immigration emergency and Drill Baby Drill to the sole use of “male” and “female” as genders. It was less an inaugural than another MAGA rally, albeit without the dancing.

Democrats responded by drawing battlelines even before Trump signed the first of the executive orders he had promised: January 6 pardons, a declaration of national emergency along the southwest border and in energy, U.S. removal from the Paris climate accord, going after the Biden administration through the Department of Justice, ending birthright citizenship. There are so many more, a blizzard of activity as during the last Trump administration, though they are much better prepared this time.

Santa Barbara’s federal legislator, Rep. Salud Carbajal, immediately sent press releases objecting to the harm to families that would occur with Trump’s orders and protesting that they exceeded a president’s legal authority. Among them was Trump’s order to stop sending funds awarded under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“As the President was literally impeached over his withholding of Congressionally approved funds in his first term, I would have thought he’d remember this law the second time around,” Carbajal said. “Not only is this executive order illegal, but it will be a job killer for communities across the United States. These two landmark laws are responsible for more than a million American jobs, and investments that are lowering energy costs, improving our infrastructure, and doing all the good things President Trump claims to support.”

Carbajal also addressed the issue of birthright citizenship, something that’s guaranteed in the 14^thAmendment: “In the game of federal power rock-paper-scissors, Constitution beats Executive Order — every time,” said Carbajal. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus called it a “futile” attempt.” Lawsuits have been filed.

Chaos on Repeat

But Trump revels in causing division and creating chaos almost as much as he enjoys venting his grievances. As much as he complained of a witch hunt during the January 6 investigations, he now seeks revenge by stacking his cabinet with individuals whose only qualification is loyalty to the Boss. Against the likelihood of prosecutions — expensive even when without merit — Biden pardoned the entire January 6 committee, his family, and even Dr. Anthony Fauci. What a weird precedent, pardoning people who’ve done no wrong.

But Trump likes to see people squirm. So he’s issuing orders whether or not the law allows anyone to enforce them. He’s making America afraid again.

California Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat from Los Angeles, reflected on the chaos the anti-immigration orders caused: “We can all agree that we need a secure and orderly border, however these executive actions only further complicate that effort — and many of them violate the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. So make no mistake: It won’t be long before a policy of chaos costs the American people.”

The Benefits of Confusion

Another of Trump’s hollow promises was his pledge to end the Green New Deal and revoke electric vehicle mandates — neither of which ever made it through Congress. He arrived at climate change through the backdoor of falsely claiming the feds refused to help North Carolina after Hurricane Helene and the fires in Los Angeles that he claimed burned “without even a token of defense.” Simply not true.

The real danger with Trump is taking him for a buffoon; he’s no fool, and he has an agenda.

When it comes to oil and gas, it’s about profits — before the ice sheets melt and refugees begin appealing for higher ground and clean water. Climate experts say the climate crisis has arrived, and the hurricanes, wildfires, and drought conditions would indicate they are correct. The hottest year on record is now 2024. “Today’s [national energy emergency] executive order is Donald Trump’s attempt to double down on the drivers of climate change while the rest of the world recognizes the true threat. It’s especially ironic that Trump is focused on increasing drilling in Alaska, a state that is warming much faster than the rest of the world,” said Rachel Hemby of the Center for Western Priorities, a conservation policy group based in Colorado.

Trump also reversed 78 of President Biden’s executive actions, among them prohibitions of discrimination for gender identity, requiring an ethics pledge for executive branch appointees, and banning private prison contract renewals. And tax savings for the uber-wealthy? He intends to continue those.

Pair that with Trump’s “Golden Age” of America and — adding a touch of paranoia — his promise that America would not be taken advantage of anymore. It’s a prelude to tariffs and taxes, and the External Revenue Service he’s dreamed up to collect those tariffs and taxes. It’s got a nice ring, but tariffs are paid by the importer — and the folks buying the stuff in the U.S. — not by the exporting country.

For the orders that require action by Congress — any involving funding, for instance — the narrow margin of Republican votes in both the House and Senate makes the success of Trump’s agenda slightly harder. And the balance may shift after the midterm elections in two years.

Trouble is, 77 million people voted for Trump. It’s possible that millions will buy his claim to be a “peacemaker” and to understand “peace” to mean “menace,” much as they did in Charlottesville the summer of 2017, during the blood-and-soil rally eight months into his last presidency. And now we know “peace” means “pardon.”

That’s the trouble with lies. They leave a bad taste in the mind.