The huge ideological divide that exists in the current political landscape--marked by confusion and apprehension-- puts that much more weight on every decision Trump makes. On one end of the spectrum, we have #NotMyPresident voters, in shock from the lack of empathy, and who feel a sense of unease knowing he has been sworn in to one of the most powerful positions in the world. On the other hand, we have #MakeAmericaGreatAgain voters who may not fully agree with his use of rhetoric, but feel that after the past two terms, he'll bring about much needed change.
Since the topic of politics alone seems to be taking 10 years off of everyone's life, I couldn't think of a better person to ease the tension of this conversation. If you're one of those people who detached yourself from the shit show of the 2016 election, I'd say now is a good time to familiarize yourself with the current situation our country is facing. Here's Ryan Gosling to help explain what has been done in 2017 so far:
1. On January 20th, an executive order to appeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was signed.
2. On January 21st, there was a Women's March.
And it was epic. One day after the inauguration, over 500,000 people held a peaceful protest in the nation's capital to stand up for women's equality and the protection of reproductive rights. It's estimated that over 2 million in total marched throughout cities in the U.S. and overseas. With his goal of overturning Roe vs. Wade, Trump intends to put a pro-life judge in the running for the open Supreme Court seat which has been a major point of contention.
3. On January 23rd, the Mexico City Policy aka the global gab rule was reinstated.
The policy states that international organizations and clinics receiving government funding for their missions to provide family-planning and safe abortion services are banned from providing or discussing abortion. This means millions of women in underdeveloped countries won't have access to contraceptives, leaving them prone to more unwanted pregnancies and serious health concerns.
4. On January 25th, an executive order to begin building the wall was signed.
Remember when Trump promised America a giant wall between here and Mexico? We have a man that keeps his word. In order to undertake the project, which will cost billions, he first needs congressional approval. Nobody builds a wall better than him though, so stay tuned.
5. On January 27th, Trump signs an executive order on immigration.
The order bars entry of citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries for the next 90 days, including green card holders, who are legal (and sometimes permanent) U.S. residents. The countries include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The admittance of all refugees has been suspended for 120 days. Peaceful protests have arisen in airports, where people have been detained, and in cities across the country. In response to the singing, the American Civil Liberties Union has raised $10 million and has received over 150,000 new members as of Saturday. The driving app Lyft, was one of the many donors, offering $1 million to the ACLU, who is currently taking the ban to court.
The first measures taken under the Trump administration were met with an outpouring of public backlash and hopefully doesn't serve as a precedent for the rest of his term. We can only wonder if he has the lowest approval rating of any president during their first week in office.
