101 Ways the Trump Administration has Undermined the Health of American Society and Democracy, and How the American Public Can Respond -- Full List

101 Ways the Trump Administration has Undermined

the Health of American Society and Democracy, and How the

American Public Can Respond

Inde Human

101 Ways is a compendium of actions taken by the Trump administration during the past 21 months. Many of the border issues of concern at the beginning of his second term have been addressed. Beyond that, however, a nonstop array of decisions and actions have resulted in detrimental impacts on American society, and globally. Because these actions have been wide-ranging, and coming in rapid succession, their significance can be lost – to our peril. We must learn not only from history, but from recent times well. That is the goal of this essay.

To provide some context for the observations noted in 101 Ways, they are drawn from my 40 years as a political Independent. In that span, I have voted in Presidential and other elections for both major political parties, third-party and independent candidates, depending on their platforms and what can be known about their character and leadership qualities. As with many others, I have friends who have supported President Trump through two administrations (so far), some who have decided they can no longer support him, and some who have never supported him for either policy or character reasons.

In this challenging social landscape, it is important that we refuse to pit one against the other, as is done all too frequently, nor demonize anyone for their beliefs and perspectives. In contrast, we should be striving to understand each other and respect the differences that may exist. Hopefully, in the process, we come to realize again that family and friends, and the welfare of our fellow citizens, are a far greater treasure than holding on to political dogma.

At the same time, it is important to pay attention to what is happening in society as objectively as possible and call out abuses of power and malintent when necessary – a time such as this. As members of a democratic republic, it is our responsibility to raise issues of concern and look for ways to remedy those concerns as positively as possible. This is paramount to ensuring government and other sectors of our society are operating, as they should, for the betterment of the American public, and the world more broadly.

It is through this lens that these observations are drawn. Many are well documented from publicly accessible sources. Others are based on 30+ years of experience in the world of public policy involving leaders at every level of government and typically a diverse array of stakeholders. The observations are not a commentary on what are commonly termed conservative or progressive, or Republican or Democrat values. They are a commentary on the leadership and decisions of one man and those around him, independent of party, who currently resides in the White House.

While policy considerations are certainly important, they should not overshadow issues of character and virtue. Important policies are usually implemented through a complex set of negotiations which require both major parties to come together to reach agreements. Much if not most of what a President is intended to do, however, is provide an example of servant leadership, to bring parties together for solutions that benefit all Americans. Effective leadership rests on demonstrating high standards of integrity, honesty and accountability. These qualities are what guide leaders, especially in times of crisis, when the unexpected requires a rational, high-ground, well-conceived response.

Why focus in detail on the activities of President Trump? In the 75+ years since World War II, this presidency, by most measures, has clearly been the most disruptive to American society. Through his actions, he has challenged the legitimacy of the Constitution as no other president has. His level of effort to expand the reach of the presidency and executive privilege run counter to the safeguards built into the Constitution to provide balance between the three branches of government. Yes, other presidents from both parties have sought to expand presidential power, and complained about the press and judicial decisions, but not in the manner, spirit or extent to which this president has done so.

President Trump has also made it clear through both word and action that he does not work for all of the American public, only those who agree with his agenda. He has stated publicly that he is not interested in uniting the country. Erratic, ill-conceived decisions have wreaked havoc, with negative impacts on people across partisan lines and beyond our borders. While some of his policies have been widely supported, polls indicate that even more people believe their implementation have been unduly harsh – a reflection of character.

While policy considerations are certainly important, they should not overshadow issues of character and virtue. Important policies are usually implemented through a complex set of negotiations which require both major parties to come together to reach agreements. Much, if not most, of what a President is intended to do, however, is to model servant leadership, to bring parties together for solutions that benefit all Americans. Effective leadership rests on demonstrating high standards of integrity, honesty and accountability. These qualities are what guide leaders, especially in times of crisis, when the unexpected requires a rational, high-ground, well-conceived response.

So, as accomplishments in the first 100 days of a new Presidential administration are often used as the marker for a successful start, the 100 plus 1 actions identified are intended as a marker on how the Trump Administration has undermined the health of the American people and American democracy, with detrimental impacts on international relations and stability as well.

But this is only part of the story. What can we learn from current times and then do in response, to work towards the achievement of the aspirational values on which America is founded? Being a civil society, we need to make efforts, as objectively as possible, to learn from our experiences, our successes and our mistakes.

IMMIGRATION

  1. Immigration is one policy arena where polls suggest support for actions by the Trump administration to exert more control over borders; at the same time, broad disapproval exists for other aspects of his immigration policies, especially the violent handling of deportations which has led to the death of numerous people, including US citizens (ICE has reported 30+ deaths during 2025-26)
  2. Detention centers as holding cells for detained immigrants have been widely documented as plagued by abuse and neglect, and providing substandard living conditions, especially a concern where children are being detained; various aspects of these centers remain under legal review
  3. Disregard for due process and by-passing the acquisition of legal warrants in pursuit of potential unlawful immigrants, along with other Homeland Security’s tactics, have been ruled by the courts as illegal and an abuse of power
  4. Due to the unfettered, often violent approaches to apprehending potential violators of immigration guidelines, encouraged by President Trump himself, legal immigrants and even many US citizens are fearful of going into public places, potentially leading to long-lasting trauma from overly aggressive tactics even with women and children
  5. Claiming the Department of Homeland Security would only go after and deport the “worst of the worst” illegal immigrants, those convicted of violent crimes, most of those detained have not been convicted of any crime and are productive contributors to their communities; a recent independent study of 65,000 deportees found that 70% had not been convicted of a crime.

DOGE

  1. DOGE process – designed to bypass transparency and accountability by being moved from Office of Management and Budget to the Executive Office of the President, the records of which are not available to the public until five years after the end of the administration
  2. DOGE process – rather than a tempered, more surgical approach to reducing waste in government, a slash and burn approach was taken which was not only shortsighted but mean-spirited in the way it was implemented
  3. DOGE disruption – created widespread disruption in government agencies and the personal lives of those terminated, often unnecessarily without warning/cause
  4. DOGE rehires – after firing people wantonly, it was discovered that those skills and experience were needed, so efforts were then spent on rehiring in several agencies
  5. DOGE cuts – eliminating US AID was perhaps the most harmful and dangerous action, with recent research suggesting 700,000+, mostly children, have died from the abrupt closing of projects and firing of personnel, with the number of deaths projected to approach more than 10 million by 2030 if the elimination of programs is not reversed
  6. DOGE cuts – eliminating US AID resulted in the loss of “soft intelligence,” which for a country apparently focused on isolation is extremely dangerous
  7. DOGE cuts – eliminating US AID diminished the US role as an example of how more wealthy nations can help people in developing nations and promote the values of democracy worldwide
  8. DOGE cuts – eliminating US AID cost US farmers millions of dollars in international aid contracts, disrupting their crop planning and operations; all these consequences from cutting the budget of an organization representing less than one-third of one percent of the total US budget
  9. DOGE cuts – deep staffing cuts to military civilian protection offices have been tied to using outdated information early in the Iran conflict, resulting in our country bombing the girl’s school on the first day of the Iran conflict
  10. DOGE cuts – ‘fill in the blank’ of how many people’s lives – mostly pan-partisan, longstanding civil servants – were unnecessarily thrown into turmoil, with some personnel representing the US internationally being left on their own to find their way back to the US.

RETRIBUTION AND JANUARY 6TH

  1. President Trump directly contributed directly to fomenting the aggressive temperament and actions of the January 6th crowd
  2. President Trump pardoned nearly all January 6th participants, including those convicted of violent acts, some against law enforcement officers; all this from a president who says he is an advocate of law and order, and the police
  3. President Trump promoted the establishment of a monetary fund to reimburse January 6th participants, even those convicted of crimes by a jury of their peers
  4. On numerous occasions, President Trump has called January 6th participants patriots, many of whom endangered members of Congress and were complicit in the deaths of police officers
  5. Based on testimony from then Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, President Trump called on participants to hang VP Pence for not altering the outcome of the election, even though Pence had no power to do so, further inducing violence
  6. President Trump initiated a retribution campaign using the Department of Justice, intended as an agency most distant from the whims of the Executive Office, against those who have publicly opposed him or conducted investigations into actions under his previous term
  7. President Trump pushed efforts to censure and punish decorated military officers now serving in Congress who created a video reinforcing that soldiers are specifically trained to follow the Constitution and can refuse an order that would violate the constitution
  8. After the 2020 election, ex-President Trump’s continual unfounded, false claims about the election being rigged placed election officials around the county in danger, leading to a barrage of intimidation and even death threats
  9. President Trump’s ongoing attacks against leading educational institutions, researchers and scientists, along with shutting down the Department of Education, demonstrates disinterest in keeping higher education and scientific inquiry a priority; labeling higher education and scientific inquiry as “elitist” undermining their value to society
  10. President Trump’s desire for retribution has left him silent, instead of calling out and condemning acts of violence against his perceived enemies as unacceptable and contrary to the values American society
  11. Continuing personal attacks on judges who have ruled against him, or his actions, have created an environment of distrust of the judicial system among his followers and led to serious threats of violence requiring stepped-up protection for judges; politicization of the judiciary has led to serious security incidents rising by 57% in the past year.

PERSONNEL DECISIONS

  1. Selection of Cabinet and other major appointees seemingly rested on two criteria – (1) be willing to continually shower President Trump with praise and (2) do whatever is demanded regardless of the constitutionality and wisdom of the request
  2. Appointment of Kristi Noem – unqualified based on lack of experience for the position, subsequently fired for extravagant and inappropriate use of public funds and her dealings with Congress
  3. Appointment of Pam Bondi – fired for Epstein files debacle and being contemptuous in her dealings with Congress
  4. Appointment of Tulsi Gabbard – inadequate background and experience for the position, ultimately resigned/forced out
  5. Appointment of Pete Hegseth – completely inadequate background and experience for the position, bi-partisan efforts underway to impeach him
  6. Appointment of Kash Patel – inadequate background and experience for the position, under continual scrutiny by Congress
  7. Appointment of Robert Kennedy – inadequate background and experience for the position, undermining longstanding and validated approaches to disease prevention which has contributed to recent deadly measles outbreaks; he recently noted the vaccine skeptics "have a friend in the While House,” mirroring President Trump’s anti-science bias
  8. Appointment of numerous other agency leaders who, by most objective measures, have inadequate background and experience for the position
  9. Many respected experts in the intelligence community and military leaders, in place with bipartisan support, have been relieved of their position by the Administration because they would not blindly follow requests against their better judgement – the number of which, again, could fill out the remainder of this list.

CLAIMS AND FALSEHOODS

President Trump……..

  1. Made unfounded claims that the 2020 election was “stolen,” but his own Attorney General at the time refuted that claim and the outcome of numerous legal challenges (60+) in several states reinforced that the election results were accurate and valid
  2. Asked the Republican Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger, based on numerous false claims, to “find 11,780 votes…because we won the state” and to overturn the election results, which Raffensperger refused because he was confident in the election results; he rose above political allegiances to stand for the truth
  3. Falsely claimed Raffensperger could have committed a criminal offense by refusing to overturn the election; legal experts noted instead that President Trump’s actions potentially violated state and federal laws and he was later indicted
  4. By continuing to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen, has created a false narrative that elections are not trustworthy despite a mountain of evidence that confirms US elections are secure (he hasn’t questioned the outcomes of the elections he has won)
  5. Claimed he won the 2024 by a landslide and that he had a mandate to pursue whatever actions he desired; although handily carrying the Electoral College, the final vote count was 77 million for Trump, 75 million for Harris, not even 50% of the total when counting votes for other candidates, let alone a mandate
  6. Claimed during the Presidential campaign he would end the Russian war against Ukraine on his first day in office – still unabated
  7. Claimed during the Presidential campaign he would end inflation on his first day in office – now economic hardships have increased dramatically on most people due largely to illegal tariffs and the Iran war
  8. Claimed during the Presidential campaign he would “make America affordable again,” and when his actions actually made life in America (and elsewhere) less affordable called affordability a “Democratic hoax;” as one political observer has noted, “When President Trump reaches for the H-word, two things are happening: He’s facing a controversy threatening his political or personal priorities, and he’s lost control of the politics”
  9. Claimed during his 2024 victory speech “I am not going to start a war but stop wars,” yet another example his words holding little meaning
  10. Claimed during the Presidential campaign that he knew nothing about the Project 2025 Report which was prepared by a team of more than 100 former Trump allies and clearly has been the Trump administration blueprint
  11. The destructive results from all the President’s falsehoods, misrepresentations and misdirection are that neither the American people nor international leaders can believe or trust what he says.

AUTOCRATIC BEHAVIOR

President Trump….

  1. Initiated destruction of the East Wing without required review after previously claiming he “would not interfere with the current building” or touch the East Wing
  2. Initiated building the proposed Ballroom before standard review practices were conducted, apparently following the old real estate adage, “break ground and ask for forgiveness later;” numerous lawsuits have followed
  3. Hired his Florida pool maintenance contractor, without receiving other bids as required, to paint the bottom of the reflection pool; when it failed due to inadequate experience and expertise, attempted to scapegoat people seen around the pool to avoid the truth
  4. Had the Defense Department accept the Qatar jet without Congressional approval required by the Constitution
  5. Expended taxpayer money to equip the Qatar jet as Air Force 1, despite the inappropriateness of accepting the plane
  6. Imposed unilateral tariffs without approval of Congress which was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court after causing major upheavals in the global marketplace, costing Americans individually thousands of dollars unnecessarily
  7. Alienated even our closest allies in North America and Europe due to the illegal tariffs which have destabilized international economics, relations and trust
  8. Has courted, and even touted as patriots, fringe organizations which do not support the basic premise of American society, (as noted in the Declaration of Independence) that all people are created equal and have certain inalienable rights; it should be noted that racism and while supremacy that hide behind the guise of Christian Nationalism are false representations of biblical principles which call for caring for the poor, widow, orphan and foreigner
  9. Deployed the National Guard against the wishes of states which oversee them, despite having not been trained for the mission to which they were assigned, which are normally the purview of police
  10. Promoted efforts to assert greater federal involvement over elections, contrary to state rights to oversee elections stipulated by the Constitution
  11. Attempted to thwart mail-in voting, apparently thinking it will disadvantage Republicans, even though he has personally utilized mail-in voting; the Supreme Court has ruled against the administration’s efforts to end or restrict mail-in voting
  12. Alienated close allies by suggesting Canada become the 51st state, or acquiring/annexing Greenland (even though a Greenland-US treaty already existed); after treating Canada as a second-class nation, complains when they seek a potential partnership with the EU
  13. Has spent excessive time (why any time?) on trivial matters such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, and remodeling a golf course, rather than focusing on major domestic and international issues
  14. Has taken various unilateral actions, e.g. tariffs and Iran war, the responsibility for which lies with Congress; he has dismissed the significance of the negative impacts on people both at home and abroad, especially harmful for those with limited or fixed incomes
  15. Has alienated and demeaned our international economic and defense partners by speaking down to and judging leaders of other countries and our closest allies (think, the Davos World Economic Forum)
  16. Deems financial gains for himself and his family acceptable, engaging in blatant and open graft related, at a minimum, to presidential actions taken to prop up personal investments in cryptocurrency as well as real estate and other family business generating, from publicly available information, at least $2.2 billion of income during 2025 alone
  17. Has signed the highest average number of Executive Orders per year, by far, since the Franklin Roosevelt presidency, supporting the idea that with a stroke of a pen his wishes should simply be implemented without question; this has led to an increasingly large number of lawsuits filed to question their appropriateness, legality and constitutionality
  18. Brought a personal lawsuit against the government he now leads for monetary damages and immunity for any past or future action against him by the IRS related to his tax returns, another blatant example of self-dealing
  19. Reflects tendencies similar to developing-world dictators who seem prone to gilding everything in gold as a sign of their personal power and wealth, contrary to leaders of democracies who understand they serve at the behest of the electorate and are intended to be public servants
  20. Often treats other autocratic tendencies with more respect than the leaders of other democracies who are our longstanding allies and defense/economic partners
  21. As the presumed leader of the free world, his demonstrated affinity towards more autocratic approaches may well embolden those tendencies in other countries, even other democracies where fringe movements often built on racism are gaining momentum
  22. Has berated journalists who ask questions he realizes expose his vulnerability to scrutiny, often targeting women using unacceptable slurs pertaining to their intelligence or physical appearance; who would want this see behavior modeled for their children?

IRAN

  1. Immediately after the June 2025 strike force to disable Iran’s nuclear weapons capability, President Trump and Hegseth immediately claimed that the nuclear facilities had been “utterly destroyed” – this of course has been proven false
  2. On the day the Iran war began, President Trump, Secretary of State Rubio and Hegseth each gave a different reasons for initiating the war – (1) remove nuclear weapons grade materials, (2) support regime change and (3) get involved with Israel before it acted alone; this confusion and lack of clarity indicates that US involvement was poorly planned and the implications not fully considered
  3. Early claims that the Iran conflict “will be over in a matter of weeks” has now passed many months, with 18 soldiers killed and more than 800 wounded as of fall 2026
  4. Early claims that Iran’s military force had been decimated again proved to be false as evidenced by their ability to close the Strait of Hormuz and still attack US positions
  5. As has now been made public, Hegseth/the Administration lied about/concealed information that hundreds of US structures and many aircraft at US bases in the Middle East have been destroyed by ongoing strikes by Iran, not just “random” strikes
  6. As reported by the Pentagon Inspector General, poor management of US military weapon usage has created potentially significant shortages should they be needed in other circumstances
  7. Previous firings of highly experienced State Dept personnel created a significant void of historical and cultural knowledge crucial to understanding international affairs and negotiations
  8. Firing of top experts in intelligence agencies created a significant void of experienced personnel which again was reflected in the poor planning and poorly considered decisions to initiate the Iran “conflict”
  9. Due to the logjam through the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices have created an ongoing, months long hardship on people, especially those with limited income and rely on transportation for their living
  10. For the first time in American history, the price of diesel, needed to transport almost all goods around the US, exceeded $6 per gallon causing a major burden on the transportation industry and contributing to the high cost of food and other resources needed for daily existence
  11. Early claims that utilizing the US oil reserves would keep gas prices from increasing as a result of the Iran conflict have proven false.

FOLLIES

  1. Changing the name from the Department of Defense to the Department of War, conveying the message that the US will be more oriented to war than focusing on peacebuilding and defending the nation from attacks
  2. Signing an Executive Order to dismantle the US Institute of Peace (established by a Republican administration 40 years ago); fired its leadership and staff in March 2025 even though it is an independent, congressionally established agency; it is currently shut down pending the resolution of the legality of the actions taken; ironically it has been renamed the Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace
  3. Firing experienced personnel in the Attorney General’s office creating a significant void of institutional and historical knowledge that has reduced firewalls between the AG’s office and the presidency
  4. Firing experienced foreign relations staff both before and during the Iran war has undermined the capacity to effectively navigate complex international situations including international peace negotiations, clearly driven home given the US is now being represented in numerous international negotiations by real estate agents, one of which has personal interests in the countries which are party to the negotiations and one of which has called Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian”
  5. Firing leaders of congressionally established nonpartisan, independent oversight institutions designed to curb inappropriate actions of government agencies, trying to infuse partisan perspectives counter to the purpose of the organizations
  6. Creating derogatory and offensive names for his critics and those who are not “followers,” and making them a part of staged rallies where this mean-spirited behavior is sadly considered by some as fair play and even humorous
  7. Posting bizarre ideas on Truth Social, often demeaning other people; while perhaps some are meant to be comical in some warped way, they are often mean spirited and/or out of touch with reality
  8. Surrounding himself with “yes” people whose job is to flatter him, bolster his self-image, and often ingratiate themselves; this is unhealthy, and a stark contrast to effective leadership which seeks out opposing ideas as part of shaping well-conceived and broadly supported solutions
  9. Attempting to control the messaging and historical information associated with highly regarded institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute, National Museums and National Parks is being blocked by courts who have interpreted the administration’s actions as efforts to interject partisan opinions in public spaces
  10. Ongoing narcissistic behavior hitting the zenith with the closing of the Kennedy Center in Washington DC when his demand to have his name on the façade was blocked by the courts, then followed by threats to tear down the Kennedy Center if his name was not emblazoned on the exterior.
  11. At the recent “Trumpapalooza,” asking the crowd to repeat the following pledge, “I pledge to the greatest president in American history….get your family and friends and go and vote… I don't care if I'm registered or not, I'm going to try…and cheat like hell like they do;" judge for yourself
  12. Treating the American public either as ignorant or fools, clearly trying to ‘buy’ votes by offering $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans win both houses of Congress in the 2026 mid-term elections; many Republica leaders have expressed their concern/disdain for various reasons
  13. Treating the American public either as ignorant or fools, with midterm elections rapidly approaching, announcing a $500 rebate to one million Americans in 30 states who were “massively overcharged” on the federal health exchange under the previous administration (another claim made without providing evidence)
  14. Emanating from his early tutelage by a person infamous for his Machiavellian approach to life, President Trump was coached to deny any claims against him, redirect blame to someone else, never admit making a mistake, and if caught in a falsehood just keep repeating it with confidence that some will eventually believe it, even if knowable facts clearly refute the falsehood; this creates a false view of reality
  15. Attacking the press and claims “fake news” – now a catch phrase – when the facts do not line up with claims made by President Trump, representing a range of efforts to control free speech and manipulate news and entertainment outlets to his liking
  16. Stating on numerous occasions that he is not interested in uniting the US, only supporting those who support him, as opposed to the following long-accepted expectations of any President – (1) must serve all who live in the US, not merely one constituency, (2) serve as a unifying leader for the whole nation, (3) exemplify the highest leadership qualities, and (4) honor the values of democracy through words and actions
  17. As “Fabricator in Chief,” continuing repeated falsehoods about the validity of past elections and promoting unnecessary distrust by attacking judges who have ruled against him, including Supreme Court justices he has appointed (assuming they are beholding to him rather than the constitution), all of which unnecessarily undermine trust in government and the judicial system
  18. Ignoring the best science available, continually trying to justify rollbacks in environmental, climate and natural resource protections as part of a larger effort to essentially undermine the Environmental Protection Agency (which along with the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts were established by a Republican administration more than 50 years ago) and other natural resources agencies
  19. Using taxpayer dollars for a recently released series of television ads promoting himself and laying down a relentless, blistering attack of misrepresentations about those who oppose him; this has been roundly criticized by leaders of both political parties and some suggest could be a criminal diversion of Homeland Security funds being used for the ads

LEFT TO CONSIDER

  1. The current level of divisiveness in the US cultivated by this president should not be surprising when he continuously demonizes those who not agree with him or oppose him – a large proportion of our population – as “left-wing lunatics,” “vermin” and “communists (he apparently does not know the definition) who want to destroy the country;” hyperbolic hate-filled mischaracterizations are not acceptable in a civil society, especially from the president, they tear at the soul of America and should not be tolerated by anyone, regardless of political affiliations
  2. The best of Presidents challenge people to live virtuously even selflessly, making efforts to contribute positively to society, regardless of where they are from or their place in society – they appeal to the higher instincts of human attitudes and behavior; this President appeals to lower instincts through denigrating others, name-calling, self-aggrandizement, ongoing attempts at retribution, and unconcealed efforts for him and his family to benefit financially from his presidency; what a tragic legacy to leave the American people.

AND

  1. ……….A placeholder for additional deleterious activities which have been missed, have not yet occurred, or are occurring today.

But, this is only part of the story. Perhaps the more pressing issues are what we can learn from current times and how best to respond, to work towards the achievement of the aspirational values on which America is founded. Claiming to be and living into being a civil society, we need to make efforts, as objectively as possible, to learn from our experiences, our successes and our mistakes.

George Washington warned the nation upon his departure from office that political parties are a danger when allegiance to a political party overrides allegiance to the underlying foundational principles of our nation (or when one party presumes it has all the answers). This can be further problematic if people put their faith in one person, especially one who continuously challenges the validity and intent of the constitution and puts his/her interests first. Further, unexamined loyalty to one party or person or policy approach can blind us to broader truths, realities, needs and concerns encountered by many in our society. After 200 years, his warning still rings true and suggests we re-examine our perspectives about allegiance to any one party or person, especially when considering the complexity of many issues facing American society.

The American people twice have elected Donald Trump to the presidency. The first time likely resulted from long-term frustration and extremely low approval ratings of Congress due to their ongoing ineffectiveness and inefficiencies over recent decades. The idea was to put a non-politician into the Oval Office and “drain the swamp.” But many people have forgotten that his approval rating at the end of his first term was 34% – a nearly all time low for a president. How come this was not an issue when seeking office again? What could we have learned? Could the detrimental impacts he has imposed on American society, and the world more broadly, have been anticipated? Certainly, some people will have a different take on the points identified in this narrative. But current events have spoken. It’s difficult to deny realities.

Here, then, are four examples of what we can learn and actions we can take to bring civil discourse and thoughtful decision-making back to forefront in American society:

  1. Oppose the divisiveness fostered by any elected official, including and perhaps especially the president, since elected officials are expected to be responsive to the interests of all, not just those who agree with or vote for them. We need to support efforts to bring people together, to develop healthy relationships. As a counter to divisiveness, we can get involved in efforts to build bridges across differences – it’s much more satisfying and can change the course of the future.
  2. Recognize that character matters. We have heard many people say, “Well, I don’t particularly like how he acts, but….” Or “He just likes to joke around and tweak people.” Or “character doesn’t matter as much as policies.” But perspectives which lead to diminishing the importance of character and integrity are now under a bright light. The character of our elected officials must be an essential part of the equation for who receives our votes.
  3. Be willing to grow beyond our tendency to be fed only by information that reinforces what we want to believe, for whatever reason. Let us not fall prey to partisan news outlets and other purveyors of information which feed people the information they want to hear, often demonize others, but never report the full story for fear of losing viewers. We can demand better by not ‘tuning in’ to media outlets or supporting leaders who deliberately misrepresent or demonize the issues or their opponents.
  4. Reject efforts of those who foster divisive politics and simple one-approach solutions to complex issues and demand better, starting with ourselves. We can start by actively building stronger relationships with others in our communities. This includes supporting leaders who break out of the stale mold of using platitudes to promise what they cannot individually deliver, and rather than relying solely on negative campaigning offer new ideas for solving problems. These changes will only come if we work for them together.

I offer the 101 observations with no great pleasure. We need to root for our elected officials, regardless of their party, to do and be their best, and support them if at all possible. But we must not gloss over, or be held in such a state of malaise, that we ignore serious threats when they exist, and do nothing to counter and learn from them.