What To Expect In the Dark Two Years Ahead

Donald Trump was not able to do a lot of what he wanted during his first term in office. But don't expect the same in his second term. He has a Republican controlled Congress, a compliant Supreme Court (that granted him immunity), and will make sure to only appoint sycophants to his staff and cabinet. He has a situation in which he can do whatever he wants.

He will try to massively deport millions of nonwhite undocumented immigrants.

He has to follow through on this. He has promised it too many times to his xenophobic base. But he (and his cult) don't realize the problems inherent in this. It will be very difficult (and tear apart families). It will be very expensive - costing hundreds of billions. And it will have a negative effect on taxation, the job market, and the economy.

He will reauthorize the tax cuts he passed during his first term.

He will try to sell it as a benefit to all Americans, but 82% will go to the top 1%. It will also add trillions of dollars to the national debt. That's OK with Republicans though. They only care about the national debt when a Democratic is in the White House.

He will make global climate change much worse.

He still claims global warming is a hoax. He will again withdraw from the Paris Accords, and will undo the regulations in place to control the climate change. 

He will instruct GOP senators to do away with the filibuster.

This is the only option left for Democrats to block much of the Trump/GOP agenda. And the first time they use it to block something he wants, he will ask MAGA senators to do away with it - and they might well comply with his wishes.

He will make sure there is no progress in re-establishing reproductive freedom for women.

Republicans are now convinced that banning abortion didn't hurt them in the election. They will likely try to nationally ban the abortion pill (mifepristone and misoprostol). Women will continue to die because doctors are afraid to give them reproductive care when problems occur.

He will stop most (or all) military aid to Ukraine.

Trump loves Putin and hates Ukraine. He wants to force Ukraine to agree to a peace with Russia controlling and annexing eastern Ukraine. He also will not allow Ukraine to join NATO - and may even withdraw from NATO. He is also likely to remove the sanctions against Russia.

He will seek retribution against his political enemies.

He will appoint a yes-man to be Attorney General, and then instruct them to go after his political enemies. Anyone with skeletons in their closet is in deep trouble, and even though without will have to pay a ton to hire good lawyers to protect them. 

He will deregulate Corporations and financial institutions.

Giant corporate mergers, price-fixing, and abuse of consumers will be rampant. Expect Congress to disband the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Those are just the things he will surely do. It could get much worse. There are no guardrails to prevent it.