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Our next president will be Donald Trump. The first 100 days of any presidency is a time where the president tries to set the course for the rest of his presidency. President-elect Trump has enunciated a 100 days agenda here: http://www.npr.org/2016/11/09/501451368/here-is-what-donald-trump-wants-to-do-in-his-first-100-days .

Donald Trump has made it clear that he thinks fossil fuels have an important place in America's economy. President Trump has bolstered support among voters where oil, coal, and gas have been the dominant source of employment by attacking and undoing many of Obamas climate change regulations. But I think it would be wise for the president to recognize that renewable energy is not just what he called, “an expensive way for tree huggers to feel good about themselves". He should recognize that 29 states continue to work towards renewable fuel standards. Many of Americas largest retailers including Wal-Mart and GE have been vocal about their commitment to renewable energy despite Trumps focus on fossil fuels. On the global stage, China has taken a lead role on curbing climate change by installing more solar and wind resources than any other country in the world. Clearly, climate change and renewable energy is not just a fringe fad among tree huggers. I would like Trump to look beyond temporarily renewing coal jobs and invest more in the technology that will benefit America and the globe in the long-term.

What would you, our readers, like the new Trump administration to tackle as it highest, or even its highest three, priorities? We’ll publish your comments here as we receive them!




Full Citation for this Article: SquareTwo Journal (2016) "SquareTwo Readers' Puzzle for Fall 2016," SquareTwo, Vol. 9 No. 3 (Fall 2016), http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ReadersPuzzleTrump.html, accessed <give access date>.

Would you like to comment on this article? Thoughtful, faithful comments of at least 100 words are welcome. Please submit to SquareTwo.

COMMENTS: 9 Comments

I. Rachel Zirkle

I would love to see the Trump administration tackle the public education system. In Trump's "100 days" outline, he mentions a School Choice and Education Opportunity Act, but the focus of that largely seems to be choosing the type of school children can go to. My family lives in New Mexico, a state that is consistently ranked 50th in education for the country (http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/2016/06/21/nm-again-ranks-49th-child-well-being-50th-education/86140070/ . Here, the concern isn't what "type" of school our children can go to, but the quality of education offered across the board. The budget for education in New Mexico is struggling, with some school districts turning to four-day school weeks to save on heating and bussing costs (http://www.slate.com/blogs/schooled/2015/05/13/the_four_day_school_week_is_it_good_for_the_kids.html. Instead of cutting funds for education, the Federal government could help with the proposed community school approach that would address the childhood poverty that is closely tied with low education. School staff could also be better supported. If the administration proposes returning "education supervision to local communities," I'm sure many communities in New Mexico will need additional training, support, and funding. It is not a flashy issue like military spending, but educating the future of America should be a top priority for the country's well-being. With rates in New Mexico like 77% of fourth graders not reading at a proficient level, or 86.5% of eighth graders not being proficient at math, one has to wonder if such neglect could possibly make America great again.


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II. Carl Brinton

Trump has recently joined the Republican Party and agreed with its ideology that government shouldn't seek to solve people's problems for them. What I'd like him to make the highest priority as president is to take that a step further. As President of the United States, he should be the change he wants to see in the world by focusing first on getting himself, the head of government, out of everyone's way. Rather than him trying to steer the government, he should practice a more laissez-faire form of governance by letting go of the reins and decentralizing decisionmaking to the front-line bureaucrats who are closest to the problems they're trying to solve. How better to defang the deep state than to deny it any chance to disobey him...by issuing no orders whatsoever and making no appointments. He's already half-way succeeding at this, with many unfilled positions throughout the government and most executive orders lacking any specific instructions or executive power. We just need him to finish the job, and if there's one thing Trump is eminently capable of, it's doubling down.


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III. B. Kent Harrison

President Trump needs to do better in science. Rick Perry was not the best choice for Energy Secretary. Both of them tend to minimize global warming. Yes, we should not make drastic revisions immediately, but there is urgency to the matter of which they seem not to be aware. The president should be careful about reducing EPA regulations; again, there needs to be reasonable approach to those. I do not see any mention of the need for controlled fusion research or safe fission power plants. It is my impression that both Trump and Perry do not accept the scientific theory of evolution. They also show no comprehension of the need to study the extreme dangers of cyberwar and electromagnetic pulse and to prepare for them as much as possible. President Obama was much better on those matters.


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IV. Michelle Brignone

I would like President Trump to concentrate on strengthening confidence in the basic institutions of our democracy - the executive, congress, and the judiciary. It would also be nice if he could work to strengthen confidence in some crucial private institutions as well like the press, churches, and civil society. Confidence in the basic institutions of a democracy is crucial for stability and growth. Instead Trump seems to be working hard to destroy what little confidence Americans have left in these vital institutions. While Presidents and politicians come and go regardless of popularity or lack thereof, the institutions are a constant. America's confidence in our core institutions has hit an all time low, which will lead to greater instability. President Trump has gone out of his way to question the legitimacy of the press, of Congress, of the Judiciary, of the FBI, CIA, DHS, and practically every other government agency. His budget shows either a monumental naiveté as to how government actually works or a colossal indifference. Either way, by slashing the budget of the State Department by almost 30 percent, and slashing or eliminating development programs when these two institutions work to maintain peace, and instead increasing the defense budget, which responds to violence after the fact, he is implying that violence and force are preferred over peace. By constantly questioning the legitimacy of our core institutions he is implying the chaos and instability that will result are preferred over peace. While he is not solely responsible for our low confidence levels, he is pushing us towards the brink instead of working to heal the country and create stability after a brutal election cycle. His actions are making the matter worse, not better - I would like to see him work to inspire confidence not chaos, but I am not holding my breath.


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V. Neylan McBaine

President Trump has a unique opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of American women, which are making up the vast majority of the "resistance" movement against him. Additionally, the presence of his daughter, Ivanka Trump, in his close circle gives him the perspective and motivation to address women's issues in the country today. First and foremost among these is the need to guarantee that every new mother has the opportunity to recover from birth and bond with her baby, without the fear of losing her job or spending all of her savings. Today, 25% of American mothers return to work within two weeks of giving birth because of these fears. As the only developed nation in the world not to mandate paid maternity leave from employers, the United States currently taxes our mothers for childbearing and rearing, rather than rewards or encourages them. Decades have proven that companies will not take this responsibilities on themselves. It's time for President Trump to prove he is an ally of women and pass a law mandating paid maternity leave.


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VI. Stephen Cranney

Scientific research. I’m skeptical that we’ll ever find the magic macroeconomic pill or algorithm that will make less developed countries develop or everybody be rich, but the past couple of decades have shown that if there is a rising tide that really does lift everybody’s boat, it’s technological development. From alternative energy storage to automated farming and transportation that will lead to cheaper food, technological advances are one of the few things we can count on to help just about everybody.


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VII. V. H. Cassler

It’s my sincere wish that President Trump turn his attention to resurrecting the art of political compromise in US politics. Our politics has become so polarized that even common-sense compromise is shunned by politicians for fear they could never be re-elected. Trump—as almost a third party candidate (he’s not totally Republican, and he’s not not-Democrat)—is in a unique position to do this. He should outline clearly what each side would have to give up in order for Americans to get their government to act, and praise those who agree to compromise. And as a woman, I cannot help but add as a second point that it is time for the US to join the rest of the world and institute paid maternity leave. I am very pleased that this is no longer a point of partisan debate, but of true non-partisan consensus now.


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VIII. George Handley

The Paris Accord was a monumental achievement of international cooperation, one that has been decades in the making. I would hope that the US could continue to honor its agreement in the Accord and find a way to make an economically healthy and sustainable transition to clean and renewable energy. As the highest producers of carbon emissions per capita, we have a moral obligation to show restraint, innovation, and courage to make this transition.


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IX. Erik Linton

Donald Trump has made it clear that he thinks fossil fuels have an important place in America's economy. President Trump has bolstered support among voters where oil, coal, and gas have been the dominant source of employment by attacking and undoing many of Obamas climate change regulations. But I think it would be wise for the president to recognize that renewable energy is not just what he called, “an expensive way for tree huggers to feel good about themselves". He should recognize that 29 states continue to work towards renewable fuel standards. Many of Americas largest retailers including Wal-Mart and GE have been vocal about their commitment to renewable energy despite Trumps focus on fossil fuels. On the global stage, China has taken a lead role on curbing climate change by installing more solar and wind resources than any other country in the world. Clearly, climate change and renewable energy is not just a fringe fad among tree huggers. I would like Trump to look beyond temporarily renewing coal jobs and invest more in the technology that will benefit America and the globe in the long-term.