By Leana Pardo

Why isn’t anything in American politics bipartisan anymore? According to a Pew Research study, “Republicans and Democrats are more divided along ideological lines – and partisan antipathy is deeper and more extensive – than at any point in the last two decades (Center, 2014).” But aren’t there a lot of issues that require bipartisan support? How did the Violence Against Women Act become a “liberal cause?” Understandably The GOP wasn’t a fan of the additions to the bill including transgender women and Native American women on reservations, but really guys, we can’t even agree on giving money to domestic violence and rape centers to protect women? What about denying that a country <cough, cough> Russia has influenced the 2016 election? Is that enough to get both sides support? What will it take?

We began 2017 with controversial cabinet confirmation hearings, a historic Women’s March, a ban on refugees, deportation of non-violent illegal felons, airport protests, a ban on travelers from seven Muslim countries, White House leaks, media wars, top official’s resignations, and this was only one month of Donald Trump being in office! It has been hard to prioritize the biggest news stories that require the most attention, because there have been and continues to be too many. However, there is one that should have been at the top of every American’s list: Russia. This isn’t a regular news story. This is THE NEWS STORY. And unfortunately Russia’s infiltration isn’t getting the attention it deserves or the bipartisan support it needs to be fully investigated.

There were several times during campaign season where The Democratic National Committee’s computer system had been hacked. “After closer investigation, these emails were traced to hackers signing in Clinton’s teams’ accounts from a region in Ukraine” (Lipton, Sanger, & Shane , 2016). Each month there were documents dumped onto WikiLeaks which hurt the Clinton campaign. The press focused more on the server Clinton used instead of how and why the emails were readily available for the world to see. With all of the fake news accusations circulating, it’s becoming harder to distinguish fact from alternative fact. Russian hacking was overshadowed with Trump’s knack for grabbing female genitalia.  However, there was a turning point in the Russian accusations that should have received much more attention and outrage from both parties. In early December, the CIA concluded that Russia tried tipping the American election in Trump’s favor (Kelly, 2016). Later 17 government agencies, including the FBI and NSA, determined that Russia had, in fact, interfered with the election. This should have been Washington’s main focus.  On a bipartisan level, the government should have halted and investigated these conclusions further. However, it was business as usual on the American political-crazy-train. Although it should be noted that President Obama made all Russian diplomats leave the country and created sanctions on Russia as retaliation.

There have been a few red flags along the way. Questions arose as to why billionaire Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson had been appointed Secretary of State. Tillerson has close ties to Russia. He has even been awarded the Order of Friendship by Vladimir Putin in 2011–one of the highest honors Russia can award a foreign citizen. Concerns were raised during Tillerson’s confirmation hearings but ultimately he was confirmed. Another recent red flag was when British ex-spy, Christopher Steele, compiled the infamous dossier detailing Trump’s dealings with Russia. “Mr. Steele has an excellent reputation with American and British intelligence colleagues and had done work for the F.B.I. on the investigation of bribery at FIFA, soccer’s global governing body” (Shane , Confessore , & Rosenberg, 2017). Although many Americans fixated on Trump’s alleged sexual acts involving prostitutes and streams of urine, more than embarrassing sex tapes was outlined. The dossier summarized, “real estate deals that were intended as bribes and coordination with Russian intelligence of the hacking of Democrats” (Shane , Confessore , & Rosenberg, 2017). The most recent bombshell involving Russia unleashed when National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned from his position. “Flynn is under fire for a discussion he had with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day that the U.S. announced sanctions for cyber-hacking that occurred during the U.S. election” (Harrington & Naylor, 2017). Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and the former Attorney General, Sally Yates, who was fired by Trump, warned the White House that Michael Flynn could be susceptible to blackmail by Russia. Donald Trump was told of Michael Flynn’s conversation with the Russian official on January 26^th, 2017, but it wasn’t until mid-February that any action was taken. There are so many unanswered questions. It has become extremely difficult to get any information since President Trump dismisses anything Russian-related as fake news.

The threat of Russia’s infiltration of the American government has become increasingly real. It’s shocking that this has somehow become a partisan issue. In our extreme polarized political state, bipartisanship has become nearly extinct. It’s difficult to defect on your political party when the other side seems remote from your own ideology, but at times it must be done. It has taken me years into President Obama’s term to admit aloud that I disagreed with his foreign policy and his disciplinary actions of whistle-blowers. I felt like a traitor. But I had to admit it; in my eyes, he was a drone-airstrike-loving bully with opposite foreign policy views than my own. He is still my favorite president, and I believe the good outweighed the bad. However, I had to start admitting his flaws, or I wouldn’t be true to myself. Attention must be given to Trump’s ties with Russia immediately. Democrats are the minority in Washington right now, and the only way this can be done is with Republican support. There is a major crisis in the American government, and it cannot withstand being brushed aside and divided by party lines. This should be enraging people who call themselves an American. You can be pro-Trump and/or pro-Republican and still be concerned about Russia. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. To request an investigation into Russia and demand answers regarding a foreign country subverting our democracy doesn’t make anyone a traitor for going against Trump. It makes them a patriot.

 

Bibliography

Center, P. R. (2014, June 12). Political Polarization in the American Public. Retrieved February 2017, 20, from Pew Research: http://www.people-press.org/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/

Harrington , D., & Naylor, B. (2017, February 14). 6 Unanswered Questions After Michael Flynn’s Resignation. Retrieved January 21, 2017, from NPR.org: v

Kelly, M. L. (2016, December 10 ). CIA Concludes Russian Interference Aimed To Elect Trump. Retrieved 21 2017, February , from NPR.org: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/10/505072304/cia-concludes-russian-interference-aimed-to-elect-trump

Lipton , E., Sanger, D. E., & Shane , S. (2016, December 13). The Perfect Weapon: How Russian Cyberpower Invaded the U.S. Retrieved December 13, 2016, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/russia-hack-election-dnc.html

Shane , S., Confessore , N., & Rosenberg, M. (2017, January 11). How a Sensational, Unverified Dossier Became a Crisis for Donald Trump. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/donald-trump-russia-intelligence.html?hp&amp;action=click&amp;pgtype=Homepage&amp;clickSource=story-heading&amp;module=a-lede-package-region&amp;region=top-news&amp;WT.nav=top-news

By Leana Pardo 

Before November 9, 2016, I had no patience for conservative ideology. Zero. The day Donald Trump won the presidency I had a very public social media meltdown. I was pointing fingers. I was calling out his supporters. I was defriending anyone that mentioned “building a wall.” I was not in a good place. I called my father fired up. 

Me: “Pop! Can you believe this? These uneducated white men! That’s why we lost!”

Pop: “We lost because of EDUCATED WHITE WOMEN, Leana! They were too embarrassed to say they were voting for a misogynist.”

BOOM! 

Instantly I became ashamed of my identity. Being half Latina didn’t translate in my looks. I was an educated white woman on a census form. 

Me: “Well, it’s these uneducated racist white men that wanted “their” country back! And that’s a demographic not even an insult.”

Pop: “And here’s the problem. How dare you call these people uneducated white men? That is an insult as a demographic! And since when are people with a high school diploma and a degree from trade school uneducated? THIS IS WHY LIBERALS DON’T WIN. YOU THINK YOU’RE SMARTER THAN EVERYONE!” 

*** MIC DROP***

I tell this story, because it was an eye-opener for me. I live in a liberal elite bubble. I can sit here and rattle off social policies for the hell of it. I surround myself with people that have similar beliefs as I do, and I tend to forget that not everyone reads Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crowe” about mass incarceration for fun. 

I watch my father talk to Republicans with such eloquence and grace. He doesn’t point a finger and scream “STUPID! RACIST!” He has a real discussion with them. He listens. He educates. And then he leaves the topic alone and continues with whatever else is on the table of conversations. I’m trying. Don’t get me wrong it’s frustrating. It’s disconcerting when someone says all lives matter and racism doesn’t exist anymore. It’s mind-boggling when people say climate change isn’t real. It hurts when I hear victim-blaming after violent acts against women, but screaming “racist” is just pushing people away. Saying “read a book dummy” is ensuring the person won’t read up on climate change. Shouting “misogynistic pig” is creating a deeper divide. I am not saying you shouldn’t debate all of these issues. You absolutely should, but personally I have to start doing it in a better way. I’m trying not to use insults as hard as it may be. Sometimes people just don’t know. Some may be stubborn and racist, but many may be misinformed and less equipped with knowledge on American politics. 

I wonder if majority of the women marching at the Women’s March knew that the feminist movement only protected white women and excluded minority women. In addition, many may not have realized that the March was “peaceful” not because the women were well-mannered but because white women (people) receive protection from police that a BLM or Standing Rock protest wouldn’t have received. Facts like these help educate those who are unaware, and it’s our job to educate. If a person is asking what pronoun to call a transgendered person out of curiosity, please try not to shame them and exclaim “I can’t believe you didn’t know that!” Explain to them gender-neutral pronouns so they know for the future. Are they really the ones you should be picking the fight with? Or is it the Mike Pences of the world that hate the LGBTQ community we should be worrying about? Liberal on liberal arguments are so counter-productive. 

Since November 9th, I’ve really tried to change how I discuss politics. It’s my passion, and I believe I’m very educated in the topic but who can take me serious if I’m calling half the country dumb? Hopefully this Resistance Movement will open the eyes of many to a dark world of American oppression. But for those of us who are already there, lets try to do this respectfully. When I debate with a Republican I talk to myself and think, “Leana, use words; use your words” like what I tell my 6-year-old when she’s having a temper tantrum, I feel her pain. I want to cry out, “sea levels are rising, morons! We don’t have four years to convince you about a fact!” But that’s not constructive. Trust me. I’ve been doing it this way for years, and it isn’t working. Before I engage in a political debate I ask myself, “what would Obama do?” The man had a full eight years of insults, and he handled them professionally well. He was stern in his decisions but eloquent in his explanations. He was aggressive but never insulting. I believe the Democratic Party needs a strong leader. All of us can’t be Anthony Weiner screaming on the House floor, or no one will take us seriously. Half of my high school friends on Facebook have blocked me due to my berating words. I didn’t exactly enjoy their social media presence, but is this really progress if we just defriend who we choose to silence? Should we listen and ask questions? Barack Obama won places that Hillary Clinton didn’t even campaign in. He included everyone in his plans for the country. And I was the first to applaud Hill on the “deplorables” comment, which ultimately only hurt The Democrats. I am sucking up my pride and learning from Hilary’s mistake and mine. As challenging as it has been, they’ve gone low, but we’ve gone even lower. Let’s stick to the motto and go higher or find the balance where neither tips over the other. 

By Leana Pardo

I think a lot of Americans are wishing they paid a little more attention in history class especially during the unit when the powers of each branch of government were taught. I know I am! When my teacher explained what an executive order was, I should have listened better. Week one of Donald Trump’s presidency has past and numerous signed executive orders was pushed forward. Wasn’t that the foundation of America? Not to have one ruler? To have a checks and balance system? “An executive order is not the president creating new law or appropriating new money from the U.S. Treasury — both things that are the domain of Congress; it is the president instructing the government how it is to work within the parameters that are already set by Congress and the Constitution” (Blake, 2017).  Although many Americans are shocked by how quickly President Trump signed these orders, this is actually pretty normal.

When a new president comes into office, usually the first course of action is the issuance of executive orders. This measure is done to show the American people that campaign promises are kept. Donald Trump’s executive orders are not only scary but not exactly progressive or constitutional. Not to mention his mental health is in question. Executive orders have also been issued in times of crisis. One of the most celebrated executive orders in history was issued by Abraham Lincoln, The Emancipation Proclamation. This was the direct order from the President to abolish slavery. The country was facing a crisis, and it was time for slavery to end in the free world.  Franklin D. Roosevelt also acted in efforts to help America out of the Depression when he signed The New Deal, which had also been done through an executive order. “Roosevelt has the leading number of issued executive orders with 3,721 during his 12-year presidency (Wellford, 2014).” George Bush signed 291[1] executive orders. Barack Obama totaled 277, the fewest since President Cleveland[2]. Obama was coined a dictator by conservatives for having signed the most famous executive order of his career, The Affordable Care Act. He was praised and demonized by many for attempting to grant every American affordable healthcare. He also signed the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) as an executive order. This order “exempted the children of illegal immigrants and parents of legal children from deportation (Blake, 2017).” Some executive orders have done great things for this country while others America has shamefully disappointed.

One of the most abominable executive orders in American History was signed by FDR himself which sent Japanese-Americans to internment camps, because the country was at war with Japan. This executive order sounds eerily similar to the recent executive orders signed by President Trump, which targeted Muslim countries. During his first week in office, he signed an executive order that banned citizens from 7 Muslim countries from entering the United States. In the order, he halted the refugee resettlement program to ensure the vetting process was efficient. The United States already has one of the most intricate vetting processes taking up to 18 months to complete. Sadly the same day these orders were signed the world was remembering the Holocaust. Holocaust Remembrance Day was January 27, 2017. Had we paid more attention in high school we would have known that the U.S. denied Jewish refugees in fear of being spies. It wasn’t until the end of the war in 1944 where FDR redeemed himself by issuing an executive order creating the War Refugee Board, which vetted Jewish refugees and allowed them in (Museum, 2016).

In just a few days in office, the new president banned federal scientists from communicating with the press and the public. Scientists went rogue by making alternative Twitter accounts to keep Americans informed of the science world, specifically information regarding climate change. There is no surprise President Trump signed an executive order to start the repeal of Obamacare. As campaigned, the rise of the border wall was initiated when Trump issued a highly anticipated executive order in efforts to crack down on illegal Mexican immigrants. In connection with this executive order, Trump signed for another executive order that denied federal funding to sanctuary cities, or cities that have policies protecting immigrants from deportation.

There has been serious outrage over these executive orders. Nonetheless this is exactly what he said he would do. He wasn’t joking. Granted it’s hard to take an ex-reality-star-turned-president seriously, but this was his campaign. Despite the guy’s Twitter beef and a limited vocabulary, he’s truly pushing forth his agenda. Countless times I heard Trump sympathizers say, “He won’t really build the wall.” Well, he is, and he wants us and Mexico to pay for it. Executive orders have been done in times of crisis, but are we in crisis? Do Muslim refugees shoot up our malls and theaters? Or do Americans in states with lax gun laws do? The biggest threat to America right now is climate change. President Trump has continued to hurt our planet by withholding valuable scientific data from the public. I think American people would rather see executive orders that limit gas emissions to help save the planet, or an order bailing out millions of Americans paying off student debt, among other things.

Executive orders are an essential power given to our president. All presidents have issued them; many have greatly impacted American history. Unfortunately President Trump’s recent executive orders go against America’s principles. The home of the free is banning people from the American Dream; however, this should really come to no surprise. Many have been outraged and shocked by watching Trump’s campaign promises foster into executive orders. The American people have to face the biggest crisis of all. Has a demagogue been elected president? Is there an executive order to ban Trump?

Bibliography

Bialik, K. (2017 , January 23). Obama issued fewer executive orders on average than any president since Cleveland. Retrieved January 2017, 2017, from Pew Reserach Center: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/23/obama-executive-orders/

Blake, A. (2017, January 27). What is an executive order? And how do President Trump’s stack up? Retrieved January 28, 2017, from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/27/what-is-an-executive-order-and-how-do-president-trumps-stack-up/?utm_term=.d52aee946520

Museum, U. S. (2016). UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD JEWISH REFUGEES, 1941–1952. Retrieved January 27, 2017, from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007094

Wellford, R. (2014, June 18). Here’s every presidential executive order going back to George Washington. Retrieved January 28, 2017, from PBS.org : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/table-every-presidential-executive-order/

 

 

[1] (Wellford, 2014)

[2] (Bialik, 2017 )

Images by Sammi Cardoso 

This post is in loving memory of Brian D. Murphy. He was personally my greatest loss in 2016. He was a bleeding liberal, a staunch feminist, a gay rights advocate who once called me from the 2004 Republican National  Convention chanting “we say no Bush must go” with other protesters. He’s not physically with us anymore but his unmatchable energy, kindness and laughter is a legacy that will never die.

By Leana Pardo

With the start of a new year, everyone is optimistic and jovial. When 2016’s spirit declined rapidly, it annihilated us all. Memes began circulating the Internet poking fun of 2016. It brought light to a confusing and an appalling year. With the death of iconic staples of American culture like Maurice White, Prince, David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, George Michael, Janet Reno, & Carrie Fisher—just to name a few—to electing Donald Trump to govern the U.S, we can easily agree that 2016 was one hot mess.

The jaw-dropping news started early January when a state of emergency was issued for Flint, Michigan. The city’s water supply had been tested for an elevated percentage of lead that had been harming the residents for over a year. The issue has yet to be resolved while we move into 2017!

In February, American conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonio Scalia passed away at 79. The famous judge who once said, “Get over it” after the Bush vs. Gore election has still not been replaced. The Republican-held Congress has since refused to hold hearings to confirm President Obama’s choice.

The powerhouse politician, Senator Bernie Sanders, 75, started a revolution, which received overwhelming support from the millennial generation. The nation watched Sanders become a political superstar as he ran a campaign that raised millions of dollars through small contributions. His democratic and socialist policies resonated with Americans causing stiff competition for Hillary Clinton. 

Although Sanders fought a good fight, the Democratic nomination soon went to Hillary Clinton who became the first woman in American history to be nominated for a major U.S. political party. During her campaign, Clinton struggled when America discovered she had been using her personal server while on duty as Secretary of State. Her campaign did not recover from this mishap.

Way to the right (pun intended), Donald Trump secured the GOP nomination by indoctrinating and promising to make America great again. Trump tapped into an audience the Clinton campaign and supporters often criticized and overlooked during the campaign. He built a hateful platform on promises like building a wall to keep immigrants out of the country and planning a Muslim registry.

In June, we learned of the tragic shooting in Orlando, FL, at a gay nightclub, Pulse, leaving 49 people killed and 53 injured. The gunman who later died pledged allegiance to ISIS. This was considered the deadliest shooting in modern American history, which has left many desensitized to gun violence and mass shootings in America. 

In early July, the country was heartbroken after watching footage of African-American, Philando Castile, get fatally shot at a routine traffic stop in front of his wife and four-year-old daughter. Along with Philando Castile, Terence Crutcher, Alton Sterling, Carnell Snell Jr., and Gregory Gunn also fell to their death at the release of a bullet from the hands of law enforcement. These tragedies were added to the ongoing list of unarmed black men killed by police. These are just a few names on this list from 2016.

On July 7th in Dallas, TX, a peaceful protest was coming to an end when a lone gunman fatally shot five police officers and wounded nine heightening tension in America between Black Lives Matter supporters and the police. 

On a lighter note, there were wins for progressive politics. In April, California became the first state to raise the minimum wage over the next six years to $15 an hour. New York signed a similar minimum wage bill leaving hopes for the future. In November, California also legalized the recreational use of marijuana while also signing legislation and the Paris agreement, which pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in the next century. The Paris agreement was signed in April 2016 and became effective November 2016. Side note: President- Elect Trump vows to withdraw from this agreement. Moral of the story: let’s move to California or to another country.

Over 300 Native American tribes joined together at Standing Rock, North Dakota in one of the largest Native American protest in American history. The tribes protested the Dakota Access Pipeline that was set to disrupt their water supply. In December, the Army Corps announced that the pipeline would be rerouted and construction would halt. 

Undoubtedly the most shocking event was the election of Donald Trump for the next president of the United States. Hillary Clinton historically won over 2.5 million popular votes while Trump won the Electoral College vote, which only happened four other times in history. The tweet-crazed-politically-incorrect reality star promised anti-establishment but since the election has appointed a billionaire pro-establishment-infested cabinet.

 Image by Leana Pardo 

On December 19th, the Electoral College had their last chance to cast their final vote faithfully or faithlessly to officiate the presidency. During this time, many non-Trump supporters used this opportunity to declare democracy and exercise their rights. Oddly enough, a few days before the election, the FBI re-opened the doors to the email scandal adding to Hilary’s downfall. In retrospect, a few days before the Electoral College casted their final vote, the CIA presented evidence that there was Russian interference in the election. Many argued that Hillary’s email scandal did not provide enough evidence while the evidence of Russian interference was more prevalent to deny Trump the presidency. Despite the demand for investigation, electors voted faithfully in Trump’s favor leaving Hillary yet again at a loss. 2017 seems foggy and unexpected, but the best can be hoped for after January 20th.

Our hearts went out to the people of Eastern Aleppo who suffered and continue to suffer a detrimental civil war. Citizens of Aleppo posted videos on social media outlets describing their horrific situations while declaring their soon-to-be death in efforts to seek help. While Americans argued over allowing refugees in and Russia’s involvement in the war, we saw a fragile five-year-old, Omran Daqneesh, sit in an ambulance vehicle and wipe blood and soot from his tiny face. We watched mothers and fathers cry searching desperately for their children buried in rubble and The White Helmets risk their lives to save them. 

2016 was undeniably a rough year filled with great loss, but there are two options in the aftermath. We either: 1) Sulk and quit or 2) Continue and persevere. When you experience loss, your world tilts and your senses change. You begin to see things differently. Your eyes catch a different perspective of the world. You take deeper breaths. You feel things more intensely, and you listen differently. You start hearing the subtle things you may have missed before. A loss of any kind changes your perspective. And you can either shut down or grow from it.

As we leave 2016 behind us, we can choose to sit in fear waiting for the next mass shooting and/or anticipating the worst from a new administration. Alternatively, we can choose to continue and push through the grief. From my experience with grief, the latter is proving more effective. Maybe 2016 was America’s wake-up call. Maybe we needed our senses shaken up. It’s time to see the world from a different lens and channel the energy of the ones we lost and the ones we lost during political races to make for a better 2017.