Donald Trump has been President of the United States for over a month, and in that time he has done everything in his power to challenge the framework of this nation’s fundamental values. Trump supporters complain that they suffered eight years under President Obama so liberals need to “quit wining and suffer for their own share of 4 to 8 years”.
Yeah, okay. Here’s the thing though: HOW exactly did those people suffer under President Obama? Were their rights violated as women? Were mining companies in their neighborhood poisoning them by dumping toxic waste into the rivers? Were their family members barred form entering the country because they were Muslim?
For example, Scott Mednick points out that the Dow was at 6,626 in 2008. Near the end of President Obama’s second term, the Dow reached 19,875. Mednick also reminds Trump supporters that President Obama added an incredible 11.3 million new jobs, a number far higher than the administration before him. Homelessness among US Veterans dropped by half. Oh, and a rover also happened to land on Mars.
The list goes on and on. The number of adults who have health insurance increased to 90%. Insurance companies are now mandated to cover pre-existing conditions. The number of America cars being sold increased from 10.4 million to 17.5 million. The practice of putting juveniles in solitary confinement was ended in federal prisons. Under President Obama, it became illegal for credit card companies to raise your interest rate without notifying you. Finally, huge strides were made in LGBTQ rights. How, Mednick asks, did these things cause suffering?
Now, in fairness, Mednick is being partisan with his selective list. Mednick fails to put several of these items in context. For example, the increase of the Dow seems unimpressive compared to its incredible rise a mere 30 days after President Trump took office. It is more likely the Dow grew in spite of President Obama and not because of him. In the current stock market, President Obama seems to be more accurately viewed as ball and chain finally removed from the market.
Health insurance statistics are also misleading. It’s great that more Americans are covered under insurance, but it’s unsettling to realize this coverage was only gained through the threat of fines for not having insurance. If you are a millennial being forced to pay for a product you probably won’t use, it’s fair to say there is suffering involved there. This truth is compounded when remembering that millennials are now forced to pay higher premiums due to the removal of pre-existing conditions. This means millennials essentially pay the medical costs of aging baby boomers.
Finally, strides in LGBTQ rights seem celebratory, but the sufferings of those forced to chose between their creative livelihoods and participating in ceremonies that violate their religious beliefs shouldn’t be dismissed. After countless liberals took great pride in denying their business services for President Trump’s inauguration, this pain seems particularly ironic.
However, notwithstanding the above statements, Mednick makes an excellent point. President Obama did his best to make the lives of Americas easier, and the record shows a consistent track record of accomplishments to validate that claim. President Obama worked hard to move America forward. Suffering that did happen under President Obama seems to be an unwanted side effect of good intentions.
In contrast, Trump actively enjoys dismantling and destroying institutions that have protected and assisted Americans for generations. There’s no comparison – people weren’t suffering under Obama. This new “So-Called” President doesn’t seem to have the people of America in mind at all, and people are bound to actually suffer.