This section will take a while to fill in. Trump cares nothing about governing, the Constitution, the balance of powers or ethics. He either does not know or care (or both) about what has made the United States a great country and an example to others. On the other hand, the actions that he and others are taking seem to be designed in part to dismantle the country as quickly as possible.
He has normalized bullying, threats against his political opponents and anyone else he disapproves of, which is almost anyone of virtue.
Trump started his denial of the Constitution in 2016 when he said he would not necessarily accept the election results. He should never have been allowed to get past that point.
He has attacked governmental institutions and infrastructure. A very large number of crucial agencies and offices have been shut down or effectively neutered, including the American scientific establishment, the arts, public media, and pretty much anyone with a regulatory or investigative function — ie anyone in government with the power to stop or punish bad behavior. The IRS will not be able to effectively collect taxes from people (especially the rich) who want to dodge them or litigate.
He has destroyed much of the national security apparatus, leaving us vulnerable to spying and interference, mainly from Russia.
He has cut FEMA and suggested that states should handle disaster relief on their own, which is something they are not equipped to do and that is far more expensive if handled state by state.
He has damaged our international standing, both with his betrayal of alliances and abandonment of commitments and with his economic moves.
His tariff announcement caused about $1 trillion of losses on the stock market; much of that has been recovered but the new budget bill is estimated to cost over $1 trillion in the energy sector alone from 2026-2034. His trashing of the middle class, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP will undercut the economy, lowering the GDP, government revenue and standards of living. Medicaid and Medicare cuts alone put over 25 million people at risk of their lives. Income inequality will increase dramatically.
He wants to sell off public lands. This could be catastrophic for US ecology and wildlife and will deprive Americans of natural beauty and recreational opportunities.
His attacks on DEI go against our basic ideas of equality and the worth of people.
Cuts and denial in the area of public health will lead to more people being at risk, decreased ability to track and respond to disease, and reduced ability to either continue current treatments or to develop new ones.
The list goes on. This is not sustainable.e.
The Thermometer 