We asked the Mass. Peace Action working groups to describe what they believed four more years of a Trump presidency would mean for the issues they work on. While the range of issues was broad – climate change, nuclear disarmament, racial justice, Latin America, immigration, authoritarianism – the underlying assessment of what another Trump term would bring was consistent: a disaster. But, tweaking the old rallying cry of Mother Jones, “Don’t despair, organize!”
—Jackie King, editor
Ten Years to Save the Planet: Defeat Trump!
by Rosalie Anders
Defeating Donald Trump is essential if we are to have any chance of avoiding worldwide climate catastrophe. The scientific consensus is that we have about ten years to do that, and it means taking extreme measures, starting now. With Trump, we have instead a systematic unraveling of the relatively small steps that have already been taken. The ten-year timeline makes climate destruction unique among the issues the world faces. We are entering negative feedback loops that are accelerating the destruction, such as the warming of Arctic sea ice into ocean water that absorbs sunlight, and droughts that cause forest fires that increase CO2 emissions. The ten-year warning is a conservative estimate, scientists tell us. We may have much less time. Read more.
Hopes for Nuclear Disarmament Would Dim
by Jonathan King
What would another four years of a Trump presidency mean for the prospect of nuclear arms control and disarmament? President Trump has already withdrawn the US from the painfully negotiated Iran nuclear deal; unilaterally pulled the US out of the very valuable Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) agreement with Russia; and withdrawn from the Open Skies agreement with Russia. He has explicitly threatened the use of nuclear weapons – for example, against North Korea. Given that his finger alone is on the nuclear launch button, his erratic, volatile and often adolescent behavior increases the risks of a nuclear launch, which would be catastrophic for human society and the planet. What would another four years bring? Read more.
Racial Justice Would Be Under Fire
by Rosemary Kean
What would another four years of Trump mean for the cause of racial justice in this country? Trump has done more to foment and feast on racism than any president in recent times, both before and after his election, turning away people of color from his NY buildings, calling for death penalty for Central Park Five, promoting birtherism, openly supporting white supremacists, telling violent groups and militias to “stand by” and sending Border Patrol to attack peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters. We can expect more of the same, including such scenarios as: increased physical attacks and killings by pro-Trump militias and other right-wing nationalists, increased deportations, more funding for militarized police forces, reversals of progressive changes in the criminal justice system, voiding of remaining protections for Indigenous sovereign nations, and more. Read more.
A Grim Prospect for Latin America
by Ellen Mass
What would a Trump victory in November mean for the future of US policies in Latin America? In short, the results would be devastating. Most assuredly, the practices of the 21st century version of the Monroe Doctrine, which enforce US corporate capitalism and neoliberalism, would continue. Austerity policies for the local populations and extractive policies that enrich US corporations would dominate. Among some of the worst, but quite plausible, scenarios we envision are intensifying sanctions against Venezuela, funding of opposition to overthrow Maduro, possible outright invasion; continued arming of Latin American despots such as those in Colombia and Brazil; continued blackouts or distorted reporting by our mainstream media of advances made by progressive Latin America governments. Read more.
Cruel Immigration Policies Would Only Worsen
by Sunny Robinson
The election of Donald Trump for a second term would be a continued unmitigated disaster for migrants attempting to enter the United States. We are likely to see cruel policies get much worse, total disregard for those forced to flee from violence and chaos—caused or intensified by US foreign policy—or for those seeking to escape drought and starvation brought on by climate change. Among some of the dire possibilities we are likely to see are: The Mexican border will remain closed. Even fewer claims for asylum will be approved. The Border Patrol staff will be increased; more will be used in cities in response to demonstrations. The DACA program will be ended, with Supreme Court approval. Read more.
Both Candidates Push Harmful Plans for Latin America
by Richard Krushnic
The Trump administration’s imperial foreign policy has done deep damage in Latin America, attempting to overthrow the Venezuelan government, weaken the Cuban government, and support the right-wing coup governments of Honduras and Bolivia. But these policies were an extension and deepening of the efforts of the Obama administration. The 2009 Honduran coup was brought to us by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. And Joe Biden was the nuts-and-bolts creator of Plan Colombia, which funneled more than $8 billion to that country’s right-wing government while its paramilitaries were massacring labor, peasants and human rights leaders. Read more.
Authoritarianism on the Rise
by Joseph Gerson
The incumbent owns all the instruments of power and has sycophants in charge of most of those instruments, with the possible exception of the military. Strategic deployments of federal law enforcement and Homeland Security contractors to Democratic strongholds reflects his strategic testing. We face a unique confluence of crises: pandemic, the threat of nuclear war, the climate crisis, white supremacist racism, and the assault on the democratic foundations of government. Trump’s creeping coup is underway: the purging of governmental institutions such as the ousting inspectors general, the preventing of intelligence and other agencies from being accountable to Congress is already happening. Police violence against protesters continues. We must organize to encourage people to vote, protect the election, education the media, and stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Read more.