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Day 1 was supposed to bring lower prices, the end of the Ukraine war, and bold action to make America great again.
Instead, we got: Nazi salutes. Canceled cancer research. Potentially higher prescription prices. Pardons for criminals who assaulted cops. Hiring freezes, mass firings, and federal funding freezes. A gutted Federal Aviation Administration followed promptly by the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in 20 years.
Republicans say Day 1 priorities will take more time. Meanwhile, they are considering slashing Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans’ Benefits, and kids’ school lunches — to fund tax cuts for the rich.
But the president did find time to launch a meme coin, gaining more than $50 billion in net worth overnight; ask the Saudi crown prince for $1 trillion in investments in the U.S.; and start building a new concentration camp at Guantanamo Bay.
No one likely voted for an oligarchy, but it was the billionaires who surrounded Donald Trump at his inauguration while voters stood outside in the cold. These actions speak volumes and expose the con. Republicans essentially lied. They gained power with promises they likely have no intention of keeping.
Their power grabs come at our expense. We are the ones who lose our jobs, medical care, rights, and opportunities, while many Republicans pretend that this is what the people wanted.
Now that they have the power, they believe they can ignore the people. Will we let that be true? Write, call, post. Be loud, be persistent. Tell your representatives this is not what you voted for — they need to get to work on your priorities, not Project 2025’s.
Sydney Michalski
Columbia
