Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JeBuhfpm1/

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3875062092759408&id=100007669651617

A friend wrote what he believed might happen if Trump wins a second term. I've taken this and adapted it a bit, and added my own thoughts. Truthfully, it will probably be much worse.

We may disagree on various political positions and that is okay. I will always defend your right to disagree, to have a difference of opinion. But I hope you can see that Kamala Harris will be a president for all of us and that Trump, even if you agree with much of the what he says, will ultimately harm you because his greatest priority is not the American people—it’s himself and his inner circle.

Here is what I believe Trump will do if given power again:

• Incompetency - Trump has declared that he plans to remove experts and professionals from the U.S. government and military, and replace them with loyalists. This is usually the tactic of a dictator, and in all cases, it's led to wildly inefficient and incompetent government and military because the loyalists are either inexperienced or incompetent. Expect the U.S. military's ability to respond and defend the country to be deeply weakened and to see shortages and collapses of food and good supply chains, as well as basic and emergency services, to deteriorate.

• Weakened global presence - The U.S. will surrender to China and Russia its authority as a global superpower, allowing those two countries to gain dominance and impose their will across the world. This will weaken not only our allies and democracy in other countries but also endanger American citizens who may live or travel abroad for work or leisure.

• Economic chaos. Trump’s tariffs would make basic consumer goods much more costly to the average citizen, and his tax cuts would enrich the 1% while harming the middle class and lower class. It would increase the deficit significantly and potentially increase inflation. Unemployment could skyrocket.

• Removal of Consumer Protections. Trump would give control to the corporations to regulate the “safety” of their products, leading to more dangerous products on the market, and greater chance of chemicals and diseases in basic goods we use and food we eat.

• Abortion Rights and Healthcare - Restrictions on access to abortion pills like mifepristone. - Criminalize traveling to obtain an abortion. Potential restrictions on basic contraceptives, like condoms, birth control bills and IUDs.

• Disempower the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making health insurance more expensive, and making it easier for health insurance companies to discriminate against you on the basis of a preexisting condition.

• Human health impacts: More heat-related illnesses, expanded range of vector-borne diseases, and poor air quality due to smog.

• Economic and social disruptions: Climate-related displacement, economic losses in agriculture, fisheries, and tourism, and increased migration pressures.

• Climate feedback loops: Melting permafrost releasing methane, and large-scale forest dieback reducing carbon sequestration.

• Temperature rise: Global temperatures could increase by 0.3°C to 0.8°C, leading to more frequent heatwaves and hotter summers. - More extreme weather: Stronger hurricanes, increased flooding, prolonged droughts, and more intense wildfires. - Erratic seasonal patterns: Unpredictable winters with cold spells and shifting agricultural growing seasons.

• Rising sea levels: Accelerated melting of polar ice and glaciers, leading to coastal flooding, erosion, and saltwater intrusion. - Ocean changes: Ocean acidification and coral bleaching, disrupting marine ecosystems and food chains. - Biodiversity loss: Species migration, extinction, and ecosystem disruption, especially in vulnerable habitats.

• LGBTQ+ Rights - States gain authority to ban or limit same-sex marriage rights. - Religious individuals and businesses can refuse services related to same-sex marriage. - Decrease LGBTQ+ rights, such as employment protections. - Limit the ability of schools to enforce non-discrimination policies towards LGBTQIA+ students regarding bathroom access, sports participation, and the use of preferred pronouns.

• Education Policies - Permit more religious expression in public schools. - Restrictions on the rights of students with disabilities. - Increase corporal punishment in schools. - Increase searches of lockers, personal devices, or drug testing in schools. - Deepen disparities between well-funded and underfunded public schools. - Allow schools more leeway to control student speech or behavior that is considered disruptive. - Expand the use of public funds for private, including religious, schools.

• Breakdown of Constitutional Separation of Church and State - Increased government accommodation of religion. - Religious schools can receive government funding without violating the Establishment Clause. - Religious individuals and businesses can refuse services related to same-sex marriage.

• Race and Discrimination Policies - Weaken protections against racially discriminatory voting and employment laws.

• Federal and State Government Power - State legislatures gain increased authority over federal elections. - Curtail federal agency climate crisis regulations. - Curtail federal agency health protections. - Curtail federal agency union protections. - Weaken public sector unions.