I get – we all get – that the party that controls Congress and the White House gets to remake the country in its own image. To the winner go the spoils.
But how are we a better country for it? That’s what I can’t figure out: Why do the Republicans in charge think America is a better and stronger nation by, for example, banning immigrants from seven Muslim nations, including Syrians fleeing a civil war?
My conservative friends will say, “Easy, if they can’t get in, they can’t blow us up.”
But according to a September risk analysis by the very conservative Cato Institute, foreign nationals from the banned nations (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen) are already not blowing us up. In fact, they’ve killed exactly zero Americans in terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since 1975. (And yet oddly enough, no ban on Saudi Arabia, home to 17 of the 19 9/11 terrorists who actually DID kill lots of Americans.)
With that in mind, the Cato analysis made the following recommendation pre-election, almost as a guide in case Trump won: “Any change in immigration policy for terrorism prevention should be subject to a cost-benefit calculation. A sensible terrorism screening policy must do more good than harm to justify its existence.”
That should be the measure for all policy change, in my mind. Otherwise, why do it?
So I ask again: Where’s the benefit in Trump’s ban? He’s banning people who aren’t terrorists based largely on their religion. That’s not only not keeping us any safer, it’s sending a message to billions of Muslims worldwide that we don’t like them and don’t want them.
I fail to see how that’s good for America. We gain nothing. We piss people and nations off. We lose the international moral high ground. It gives ISIS a recruiting tool. And we lose out on all the good that immigrants bring to this country. One of them, by the way, is Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, one of the heroes of the Flint water crisis. She tweeted this yesterday: “If Trump was @POTUS in 1980, my Iraqi family would be denied entry. I was 4 & we were welcomed. We are a country of immigrants. #NoBanNoWall”
Cost vs. benefit.
How about health insurance? Whether conservatives like it or not (and clearly they do not), the Affordable Care Act has been a good thing for many people, including those who couldn’t afford insurance, those who couldn’t get it (pre-existing conditions) and people under 26.
And yet they’ve already taken the first steps toward dismantling it, thereby imperiling the health and financial well-being of 18 million people, including people who vote Republican. (News flash: They get sick, too.)
All for what? Are health care costs expected to fall after repeal? Not that I’ve heard. Is there a better system to go back to? No. Does Congress have a better idea? Stunningly after eight years of complaining, no. Most importantly, will we be a better, strong nation because a lot of people suddenly can’t afford health care? Not at all.
So why are they doing it? Or why are they proposing a return to torture when experts say it doesn’t work and puts us on a level with criminal nations? Why are they taking steps to neuter the EPA – are profits for people who are already rich somehow more important than clear air and water, from which we all benefit? Why take Planned Parenthood services from millions?
These are rhetorical questions, of course. The obvious answer is quite simply “ideology.”
Fine. But if your ideology doesn’t objectively improve the lives of the vast majority of American citizens, doesn’t that mean that it’s not a very good ideology to begin with?
Image credit: Ana Paula Hirama
Maybe they think they have to cleanse the U.S. . Anything that changed in the last 8 years must be undone, even if there is no replacement.
They’ll figure the rest out later.
Thank you Andrew Heller for saying what the majority of sane, informed Americans believe. After all, while Donald Trump may have won the electoral vote, he most definitely lost the popular vote by a “yuge” amount–whether or not he wants to believe the real facts instead of his “alternative” facts.
You are so correct on all counts. Thank you Andrew.
One of your commenters a few days ago said “Trump has not stated that he would take away women’s rights” (?), and said he would stop illegal immigrants but said nothing about legal immigrants”. He ended by blaming Democrats for just repeating lies. I.Do.Not.Understand.Why.The.Republicans.In.Congress.Can.Not.Stop.Him.
They can but they won’t. Don’t forget a lot of people voted for Trump and as long as they see a political advantage in getting elected they are going to be his puppets. So sad that this country has lost its true morals and Christian beliefs. Love one another as thy self must have a different meaning for some people.
Sorry but you don’t have to be a Christian to have “true morals” and be a good, decent, honest, kind, loving person. Sometimes Christians say things that make them sound like they have a corner on that market but they do not.
I agree, that’s why I wrote true morals AND Christian beliefs. As a person of the Christian faith it bothers me when others of the same faith can’t support health care for everyone. When it comes to spending money on social services some folks forget their religious beliefs.
Thanks for clarifying your point. Sorry I misunderstood and I agree with you regarding health care and social services. Sadly, you’re correct about that.
They don’t want to stop him. Once their agenda is law, they will find a reason to impeach Trump, leaving Pence in power. I believe this was the Republican strategy all along, but they knew Pence would never win the election. Trump is their puppet.
I totally agree Andy. Most of my adult life I voted Republican. Until Barak Obama. Something about him made me trust that he would dothings to benefit the American people. And he did. Now the Republicans are trying to dismantle everything he accomplished. Not for the benefit of the American people, but out of spite. Sad.
Yup agreed. I was guilty of thinking Trump was still a closet Democrat. Turns out he’s a Tea Partyer.
This man is mentally ill period.
How the rest of the world sees Trump and us: Maybe think back to the inauguration. Trump said his outrageous stuff, AND he had five Christian clergypeople plus one rabbi. Not even a token imam.
Isis will use this to prove the USA and Israel, Christians and Jews are out to destroy Islam. And, with Trump in charge, it will be true. Trump’s delusions feed the terrorists’ delusions, and make the whole world more dangerous.
Thank you Andy for writing the words in my head in far better form than I could. Trump isn’t for the people, he’s on the biggest ego trip of his life.
NP Judith. I’ve never seen a bigger ego. He needs his balloon popped.
Every day … and I mean EVERY DAY he comes up with a new law that is worse than the day before. It makes you wonder if he has a method to his madness. There are so many things he’s throwing out there that it’s hard to focus on any one thing. It’s an all out attack. I don’t know who I am madder at- Trump or the Republicans party for letting this continue.
He does, Andrew- now. And ‘Amen’ , Teddy. Love your neighbor, don’t judge, and share ~ basic human principals to live by are no where to be seen in this unwell man. Sad, mortifying, and completely frightening.
More fake “outrage” courtesy of George Soros and radical leftists….. YAWN….. The liberal tears make it so much better!
Where were the “outraged protesters” when Obama made almost identical restrictions during his presidency?
Get ready for more “outrage from the masses” (I.e. Soros funded lib groups) after the SCOTUS nomination this week!
LOL
One glaring difference between liberals and conservatives, is that conservatives struggle to have compassion for anyone outside of their bubble. More specifically, they will likely lack empathy for people who don’t look like them or worship like them. I believe this lack of compassion and empathy is based in their fear of what they don’t know or understand, and their unwillingness to learn.
As for donald trump; there is known trait among narcissists, where nothing is more entertaining than to sit back and watch all the chaos they have created. However, they also can not tolerate the criticism when they are called out for their behavior. It just boils down to one thing; “Unfit for office”.
trump’s recent ban on Muslim’s from 7 countries in the middle east will only serve to create more enemies who will do the American people harm. The actions and words from him and his cabinet have directly placed American lives in danger. For this reason as well as his willful ignorance of the U.S. Constitution many groups around the U.S. are calling on Congress to immediately begin the impeachment process of trump.
If you click the link below my name, there is an example of one petition started today, but if you google Impeach trump Now, you wind many more with up to 500,000 signatures already.
Well said, Fred.
Did President Trump go to far in his EO denying entry for someone from some islamic countries?
Yes, his staff should have written the EO and then read the Eo better. They made too many errors in drafting it. Should those who are fleeing from isis be better vetted? Yes.
I watched some of the guests on the morning news(talking heads) this morning and from following their chain of thought they sounded like President Trump was banning everybody forever.
One talking CEO(?) said that they would not be able to hire computer experts to run/program computers. What he and other MBA’s fail to mention is the fact that they are paying an American worker,say, $20.00 an hour. They want to cut costs so they offer the programmer $15.00 dollars an hour. The American says no. They then petition the government to allow them to import a foreign worker, because they say they cannot find an American to fill the position at the rate of pay they want to pay someone. So the government (immigration) says yes. The MBA’s import the foreign worker and tell the American worker to train them. Then they would fire the American worker and give him/her a severance package with a clause in the severance package that they do not talk about how they were treated or they could be sued for violating the contract.
There are businesses that are run by liberals who do this (main contenders) and republican owners.
When Ellis Island was open in the 1880’s and someone who came from Europe. They had to sign a statement that they were healthy, had someone to sponsor them and gainful employment. If they failed and did not have these basic items they were denied entry.
Why would we want in our country a religion that treats women like chattel. with no rights.
A women in a muslim country that follows sharia law does not allow women the right to vote, drive a car, vote, cannot go out of the house alone(unless she is escorted by a male relative).
if she is raped, she needs at least five men to certify that she was raped in front of them or she will be punished by either been beaten or killed.
They do not allow gays and lesbians any rights. In fact, being gay in a islamic country means the death penalty.
There is FGM(female genitile mutilation) that is practiced by islam. The supposed purpose id to keep a women chaste.
There are quite a few other things but the list is long enough for now.
You are getting culture and tradition mixed up with religion. Your entire comment was biased and consisted of cherry picked negativity that exists in all religions, including Christianity.
If you take the time to look at the big picture, you will see that Muslims are really not that different from yourself. Their lives revolve around their families. They work hard to provide a good life and education for their children and they are full of love, affection and even compassion for those who appear different than them.
The traditions that you view so negatively, such as women covering their bodies from head to toe, might not make sense to you, but it makes sense to them, including those women. Sure some would like to change, but many are accustomed to that tradition and would feel naked otherwise. More importantly, it doesn’t hurt you.
It is natural to be afraid of what we don’t understand, but I encourage you to open your mind and learn. Your argument follows the similar mindset of keeping gays as far away from our kids as possible, because maybe their homosexuality is contagious. Most Americans have evolved past that mindset, but too many are still stuck on the mindset that Islam equals evil terrorist.
Amen, Fred~beautifully said.
Andrew
You are a wise and well written person . . . thank you!
Andrew,
Go and read Bill Clinton’s State of the Union Address in January 1995. He proposed some of the same things that President Trump has and no on the left held any riots(protests).
A few years ago obama banned for 6 months anyone from Iraq from entering the country and no body protested that action. The left only gets their panties in a bunch if a republican does the same thing as a democrat.
The difference between this administration and others is that Trump is like a bull in a china shop. No thinking of how one action may lead to other problems down the road.
The official doctrine of the Democrat party is as follows….
“Hate America First!”
Get ready for Andy’s article of OUTRAGE about the nomination of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch for SCOTUS…. Get ready for typical lib talking points. Get ready for liberal tears and hatred!
I know little about Gorsuch, but I’ll be disappointed if Dems don’t seek to delay a Senate vote until the next Democratic president is elected, as Republicans did for a solid year.
He was confirmed for his previous federal judicial position 95-0. All Democrats voted to confirm him.
If Democrats don’t fully support his confirmation to SCOTUS, they are two faced, partisan liars.
You seem to have some heavy disdain towards liberals. If you look carefully, I bet you will find a few in your own family and they are not all mooching off your tax dollars.