Now that President Donald Trump has discovered the dotted line, he has spent the first week of his presidency signing on the dotted line a host of executive orders fulfilling his campaign promises to his supporters. Since day one, he has moved forward on efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, placed a freeze on all federal hiring and government contracting, banned funding to international groups that perform abortions and directed resources to build a wall along the Mexican border.
While it appears he is keeping his promises to his campaign supporters, the question is whether President Trump will ever be the president of all Americans. Will he ever understand that if a democracy is not inclusive it will undermine its ultimate virtue?
There is much speculation about what the future holds under a Trump administration. More important, the question many are asking is what impact a Trump administration will have on their lives.
Trump’s measures could also have a substantially negative impact on the Washington area, whose majority Democratic voters voted against him in the recent presidential election. The area has enjoyed a rich economy with a wealth of development projects aimed at attracting more highly-skilled workers. With Trump’s signature on a dotted line, things could topple if voters turn a blind eye to his actions.
Of course, this is not the first time that Black America has faced anxieties based on who’s occupying the White House. And it is nothing new for District residents who have lacked an advocate in the White House and the Congress who supported our efforts for self-determination.
The truth is the 2018 elections are right around the corner and our call is to be vigilant and engaged and never to drift into hopelessness. Instead, this is a time to face our resounding challenges and to strengthen our resolve to stay engaged in the democratic process and to dare ourselves to speak truth to power.