Another Trump Presidency

by Will Espero

The race for president of the United States has ended, and Donald Trump has won with a majority of the popular vote. He claims to have a mandate, but honestly, our country is more or less split 50/50 on the choice to govern us.

It was a tough, brutal campaign on both sides with enormous sums of money involved, name-calling, celebrities, dark rhetoric, and a billionaire or two actively involved.

I was surprised by the results, but upon post-election evaluation, Kamala Harris had an uphill climb despite the excitement and enthusiasm her candidacy brought to the Democratic Party.

Had President Biden decided not to run for a second term, a spirited primary to select the Democratic nominee for president would have been intense and engaging. What we ended with was a shortened time frame to fully convince the voters of their choices.

The way Biden was forced out after a terrible debate against Trump left the Democratic party handicapped with about 100 days to campaign compared to Trump who had been campaigning for years. Massive donations were raised by the Harris/Walz team, but it wasn’t enough to stop the red wave that hit many battleground states.

Trump won, and in a White House meeting, Biden assured Trump of a non-violent smooth transition of power, something Trump failed to do when he lost to Biden in 2020. The contrast is remarkable.

Trump wasted no time in creating controversy with several questionable picks to be in his cabinet choosing loyalty over qualifications. Matt Gaetz was a lightning rod and the laser focus on him brought a swell of chaos and opposition due to a House Ethics report about compromising sexual exploits and unfavorable actions.

Gaetz has since stepped away from the attorney general appointment, and I can’t help but wonder if it was all a show or set-up to hide the damaging ethics report from the general public.

Gaetz can still work for Trump in a position that does not need Senate approval, and I guess this is what might happen.

Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense has made many in the military pause due to his stance against women in combat and LGBTQ people in the military.

An allegation of sexual misconduct has also come back to haunt Hegseth, a Fox News host with no experience that would make him a candidate for Secretary of Defense.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health has alarmed many. His anti-vaccination positions, anti-fluoride concerns, and war of words against the Food and Drug Administration have not helped his cause and stature.

Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence has many scratching their heads. Although Gabbard served in the Hawaii National Guard and is in the Army Reserves, she has very little experience working with any intelligence agencies.

Some believe she is a Russian asset based on her words and actions supportive of Russia. She secretly met with Syria’s leader, Bashar Hassan, outraging many of her colleagues in Congress and DC, and Gabbard called Edward Snowden, now living in Russia, a whistleblower against the USA.

These are just a few of Trump’s controversial picks, and it will be up to the U.S. Senate to determine if they are worthy and qualified to serve on Trump’s cabinet.

How the U.S. Senate handles these nominees will determine the fate of many bills and issues in the next four years.

Will Trump play hardball to get his way or will he work with or compromise with our U.S. senators since only 53 of 100 senators are Republican?

If Trump expects to get a lot done in his final four years, he must show Congress he can dialog, listen, and adjust if necessary. A slim majority in the House of Representatives will also affect his positions and posturing.

For illegal Filipino immigrants in Hawaii, time might be running out in a Trump presidency.

Filipino Ambassador Jose Manual Ramualdez has suggested undocumented Filipino immigrants voluntarily go home so there might be a chance to return to the USA one day.

Those caught hiding and sent back are not expected to have a chance of returning due to their illegal status.

Trump has made it clear that he will begin the process of removing undocumented residents from our borders, and this campaign promise will be a high priority.

How it affects our economy remains to be seen, but businessman Eddie Flores stated on the news that Hawaii businesses will struggle due to a shortage of workers.

Trump’s relationship with Elon Musk is also turning many heads. Musk spent over $100 million to get Trump elected, and now it seems they are best friends and inseparable.

Having a billionaire as a close advisor can be helpful, but many dislike the closeness and chumminess of a possible quid pro quo relationship.

Money talks and Musk now is in a strong position to benefit himself and his commercial businesses.

It will be interesting to see how long this friendship and relationship last as Musk shares his perspective about clean energy, space exploration, fossil fuels, and Russia.

Trump and Musk are two economic powerhouses, and eyes and pundits are closely watching these two strong-minded individuals and their actions.

Democrats must now reflect on and review the past year as they reassess the political landscape and prepare for the 2026 elections. America was not ready for a woman of color to be president of the United States, and the results proved this.

Even with a damaged and weak candidate like Trump with his criminal record and questionable actions, voters especially men voted against a qualified and capable woman in favor of a convicted felon.

The fact that Donald Trump is a prolific liar with a propensity of twisting the truth did not hurt him one bit.

Voters’ disdain for politics as usual, inflation, and the border seemed to drive undecideds and independents to a former president hoping to stay out of prison and seek revenge against political enemies.

With only four years to serve, it will be interesting to see who starts making noise first about the 2028 presidential elections.

Republicans and Democrats will have a large field of men and women to choose from although I, unfortunately, believe a woman of color will not lead either ticket.

Women are more than capable and ready to lead our nation, but the 2024 presidential election results have highlighted the continuing battle between the sexes when it comes to power and politics.

It’s still a man’s world in the USA, and we’re weaker for that notion.

The prejudices and fears of women’s leadership and the misogynistic attitudes of men must be overcome to reach our full potential as leaders of the free world.

There are women leaders throughout our world who are doing an outstanding job and making a difference. Why the USA can’t grasp this idea is insane.

One day, I do hope the USA will elect a woman president and that she will unleash a movement and legacy second to none. I do believe that day will come.

In my last column, I mistakenly wrote ‘Badoc, Ilocos Sur’ when it should have been Badoc, Ilocos Norte. I apologize for my error and will make certain it doesn’t happen again.

Stay safe during the holiday season, and support local businesses and establishments if you are able.