“I will drain the swamp in Washington.” This is one of many campaign promises made by Donald Trump. The Truth is that Trump ran out of room in his attempt to grow the swamp, and has added a cesspool. Let’s take a look at his most repeated promises, and how they look today.

Trump claims that the construction of his ‘wall’ is underway. Lie. Repairs of existing structures have begun, but there are no plans to extend the wall.

He promised to ‘repeal and replace Obamacare.’ Republicans lied about Obamacare for seven years. After Trump’s gift from the Electoral College, they rushed to create a new healthcare bill. They had not planned for a new system, and what they composed was a disaster. Millions of Americans would have lost their access to medical care. Thanks to Democrats and a few courageous Republicans, Trumpcare was defeated.

Trump promised to ban Muslims from entering the United States. Multiple federal courts have declared that Trump’s efforts were unconstitutional. Interestingly, the terrorists who were the greatest danger to America were from Saudi Arabia; they were not on Trump’s list of banned nations.

Deporting undocumented workers was high on Trump’s list of promises. After he was elected, he said that he would deport only criminals. Today Trump and Sessions are intentionally taking children away from their parents and ICE conducts a program not unlike Nazi Germany. Only a very small percentage of those being deported are criminals.

Trump also promised to ‘defeat ISIS.’ The truth is that the effort was already in place thanks to President Obama’s planning. He cannot continue to take credit for a real president’s policies.

He promised to place ‘conservative’ judges on the Supreme Court. The Senate was forced to take the ‘nuclear option’ to confirm Neil Gorsuch; 60 votes were not available.

The promise of ‘tax cuts’ was not a lie; it was another con. He gave himself; 559 other billionaires; 10.7 million millionaires; and large corporations huge tax cuts; and they are permanent. Tax cuts for the middle class will end in 2020. The national deficit will rise by at least $1.8 trillion.

Trump has no idea how to create jobs, but he promised to. It’s true that unemployment is decreasing, but the facts prove that the reasons are based on President Obama’s recovery plans. If Trump’s suggested tariffs become a reality, unemployment will rise.

Trump promised to end the nuclear arms agreement between the United States and Iran; he just did just that. Sadly, he has no alternative, the same situation as with healthcare. Our closest allies oppose his decision. Only his supporters, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Vladimir Putin are pleased with this mistake.

He lambasted NATO, but has now changed his mind. Trump continues to complain about some nations not paying what he considers ‘their fair share.’

Trump promised to repair our nation’s failing infrastructure. Nothing has been proposed, and the White House is hoping that America will forget about the idea.

He promised to end our trade agreements and establish new ones. He has ended the effort to participate in TPP, and continues to claim that our NAFTA agreement will soon be repealed. The world’s nations have ignored the United States and are making their own agreements. This will also add to our unemployment rate.

Ending ‘common core’ education and installing a system of ‘choice’ is underway. Betsy DeVos, another billionaire in Trump’s cabinet, is working to destroy public education, and offer vouchers for private and charter schools. She is a supporter of private Christian schools. This policy would place our inner city children in a dangerous position where they would not receive adequate education; not to mention parts of it would be unconstitutional.

Donald Trump said that he would give his administration and ‘A+.’ His only ‘accomplishments’ are harmful to the majority. If it were possible, I would give him an ‘F-.’

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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