Spampinato: Elect a leader to unite, not divide
Phil Spampinato is a resident of Dover.
What happens if Donald Trump becomes president? Let’s examine some consequences. Trump regularly makes the claim that, during his administration, the U.S. had “the best economy in the history of the country.” Not true. We can expect an economic downturn if he repeats his past performance. Consider two things: growing the economy (gross domestic product) and creating jobs.
Economic growth, or gross domestic product, has improved since Trump lost the 2020 election. His policies led to a 1.2% annual GDP growth. Since he left, we have enjoyed 3.5% growth. Now, Trump complains that we should not include 2020 pandemic effects, as though he was not running the economy that year. But, even if we only consider his first three years, the economy only grew at a 2.5% rate. Thus, if Trump economic policies return, expect economic growth to slow down.
Donald Trump promised to be the greatest job-producing president in U.S. history. He pledged to create 25 million jobs in the next 10 years. However, there were 3.1 million fewer jobs in December 2020 than in January 2017, when Trump took office. Trump was the first president in modern times to experience a net loss of jobs over his time in office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since he lost the election in 2020, the economy has gained 384,000 jobs per month. Again, even if you excuse his handling of the economy in 2020, his job creation numbers are less than half the job creation after he was gone. So, if Trump job creation policies return, expect a slowdown in job creation.
And one more note on Trump’s “best economy in history.” He brags about cutting taxes, but after doing so, he proceeded to spend over $7 trillion more than taxes took in. Trump set a record for increasing our debt, leaving a problem for future taxpayers to fix. Since, if elected, he is intent on further tax cuts with inadequate offsetting income (tariffs won’t replace income tax), we can expect the debt to rise to record levels in the next Trump economy.
So, based on his last performance running the economy, the economic consequences of another Trump presidency will be slower growth, less job creation and a ballooning deficit.
What happens to the climate if Trump returns? In 2023, the U.S. suffered 28 climate-related weather events that did $1 billion or more in damage, for a total cost of $93 billion, the most on record. These were driven by the Earth heating. The scientific community is in unison in stating that the Earth heating is due to burning fossil fuels. After Trump left office, the country was set on a course to reduce greenhouse gases and help stem rising temperatures. Trump denies climate change. He shut down U.S. climate offices and research in his last term, and he plans to do so again, while increasing fossil fuel drilling and burning. Who pays for this, besides the people burned out or flooded out, or whose homes are lost to hurricanes? Taxpayers pay, and we pay more every year. Once again, Trump plans to leave the Earth worse off and taxpayers to foot the growing bill for climate disasters.
We need to better control immigration. To do so, we need permanent legislation, not temporary executive orders. Why, then, did Trump order his minions in Congress to reject the bipartisan immigration legislation supported by Border Control agents? Because it would hurt his chances of winning an election. Trump puts self before country. He claims that immigrants are taking Americans’ jobs. Which jobs? Employers can’t find workers to fill jobs. Trump wants to deport all undocumented persons in the country or put them into prison camps. He calls them rapists, terrorists and more. Isn’t it ironic when a convicted felon calls others criminals? Half the undocumented people in the U.S. came here legally, then overstayed. He lies about crime, claiming it has increased due to illegal immigration. According to the FBI, violent crime, which rose during Trump’s administration, now is at the lowest point in four decades. Property crime is also the lowest in decades. Trump will first dehumanize immigrants to make them easier to attack. He’ll then — so he says — deport all undocumented immigrants, hurting the economy by deporting needed workers. Home construction and farming will be especially hurt.
As I write this, Americans who had been held illegally by Russia have come home. Multicountry diplomacy, working with our allies, brought these victims home to their families. You might think this would be a moment when the whole country could be united in celebration. All but Trump, who disdains these allies. He took the opportunity to criticize, then lie about his record of freeing prisoners. He tried to divide us.
We need leaders in this country who have the ability and the character to bring Americans together to solve big problems and improve life for everyone, not just special interests. Donald Trump fails when we consider character and leadership. He is a convicted felon. After bragging about grabbing women’s genitals, he was found liable for sexual assault. Trump committed very public adultery. A judge ruled in February that Donald Trump and his company committed hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud. He was fined over $400 million. This man is a pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. Practically every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie. These aren’t my words; they were spoken by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Just recently, Trump again lied that he sent the National Guard to quell riots after George Floyd was killed. He didn’t. And let’s not forget the “Big Lie.” Despite losing 60 of 60 court challenges, he continues to claim he won the election. Do you want a president who is a sore loser? Who attacks poll workers when he loses? When has Trump worked to bring Americans together? He would rather divide. He regularly speaks about retribution, apparently going after the courts who found him guilty or who told him he lost the election. Perhaps it’s those who indicted him for election interference or illegally taking secret documents. And let’s not forget that he is the only twice-impeached president — once for trying to blackmail Ukraine and, of course, for instigating an insurrection to overthrow the election he lost. That’s not a leader.
Before you vote, consider the consequences of electing a convicted felon who wants to divide us, not unite us.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
