The Trump Administration and Specifically for Seniors
What we as senior citizens can and must do
“Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear.
Hold on to the truth and to hope. …
I will not give in to the lies. I will not give in to the fear.”
- Jim Acosta
Throughout the last three years, Specifically for Seniors has attempted to bring conversations of interest, importance and just plain fun to you, our listeners. We have talked with artists, politicians, authors, physicians, historians, journalists, comedians, biologists, retirement experts, political activists and other podcasters.
But in our more than 90 podcasts, we have never become actively involved in attempting to change our world. The current president and his sycophants, however, have forced Specifically for Seniors to change direction. We older adults must make our voices heard to create a better life for ourselves, our children, grandchildren and beyond.
President Trump, in just the first few weeks of his presidency, has imperiled our democracy, the democracy that so many before us have fought and died for. In light of the current administration’s hostility to issues that directly and indirectly affect the interests of the senior community, Specifically for Seniors is planning to play a significantly greater role in advocating for those issues that affect our listeners, and their families and generations to come.
Here is an extensive list of actions taken by Donald Trump in less than two weeks in office. I urge you to read through the list and identify which of these actions directly affect you and/or your family and friends.
The Press
The Trump administration notified four major news organizations that they would have to give up their dedicated office space at the Pentagon to make way for other outlets, including the right-wing sites Breitbart News and One America News. The New York Times, NBC News, NPR and Politico will have to vacate their office space to allow for “a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon press corps”.The New York Post will replace The Times as a print outlet; the conservative cable channel One America News will be swapped in for NBC News; Breitbart News will be a radio outlet instead of NPR; and the news outlet HuffPost, owned by BuzzFeed, will switch with Politico.
Environmental Issues
Withdraw from Paris climate agreement
Drill baby, drill
Endangered species act cannot be an obstacle to energy development
Opened areas of Arctic Wildlife Refuge for drilling
In reviewing new facilities that emit pollution, officials are no longer required to consider a concept known as environmental justice, or how that new pollution will add to the emissions that have tended to fall more heavily on poor and minority communities.
Trump killed a major report on the state of America’s land, water and wildlife just two weeks from completion.
End the “electric vehicle mandate”
End leasing to massive wind farms that “degrade our natural landscapes and fail to serve American energy consumers”
Elimination of paper straws, back to plastic ones
January Pardons
Trump issued 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 of his supporters in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,, when thousands of them stormed the building amid his false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him.
Trump commuted the sentences of individuals associated with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy.
He then issued "a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021," a category that included people who assaulted law enforcement officers.
Firing of FBI agents who participated in the January 6 investigation and Trump probes
Immigration
Resume construction of the border wall
End so-called catch and release
Temporarily suspended refugee resettlement from certain countries for at least four months
Temporarily suspended refugee resettlement from certain countries for at least four months
Restarted the “Remain in Mexico” policy of his first term
Restrict asylum using 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
Designate drug cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations and invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to remove them
a national emergency at the southern border in order to restart border wall construction and allow the U.S. armed forces to provide troops, detention space and transportation — including aircraft — to boost border security.
Government Departments and Agencies
Trump signed executive orders focused on the federal workforce, including one order instructing all U.S. government departments and agencies to require employees to return to office, ending any remote accommodations.
Trump also announced a hiring freeze across the executive branch except in “essential areas.”
Return Mount Denali in Alaska to the name Mount McKinley, reversing an Obama-era change
he stripped former advisers facing credible death threats of their security details.
Not satisfied to simply eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, he ordered government workers to snitch on anyone suspected of not going along or face “adverse consequences,” a practice familiar to anyone of a certain age who lived in Russia.
He fired at least a dozen inspectors general who monitor departments for corruption and abuse
The executive order signed a day after Trump’s inauguration that called for an end to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies for recipients of federal grants.
New York City’s tolling program began this month after defying obstacles for decades. A move to stop it could touch off a legal battle between the state and federal government.
While other presidents put their assets in a blind trust or otherwise distanced themselves from their personal business interests upon taking office to avoid even the whiff of a conflict of interest, Mr. Trump exploited his political celebrity to make enormous amounts of money in a scheme that could potentially be fueled by investors with a stake in federal government policies.
Beyond his own party, Mr. Trump has forced technology billionaires, Wall Street tycoons, corporate executives and media owners who previously opposed him to show newfound deference and, in many cases, flood his political accounts with millions of dollars.
Only days into his second term, Trump’s extraordinary steps have challenged a fundamental principle of the Constitution: control over the power of the purse, which the president has looked to partly wrest away from lawmakers so that he can shape the federal budget as he wishes.
Firing FBI agents who worked on January 6 and Trump probes
The Education Department placed dozens of employees on administrative leave on Friday, citing guidance from the Office of Personnel Management, which had directed agencies to submit plans for shedding staff associated with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts
Terminate Grants and contracts related to gender identity
Trump plans to dismiss Kennedy Center Bard Members and install himself as Chair
Trump says he is revoking Biden’s security clearance
Government Web Pages that Trump has altered or closed to conform to his agenda
National Park Service
State Department
Census Bureau
Intelligence Community Inspector General
Bureau of Prisons
CDC
Identity Months
Birthright Citizenship
He intends to end birthright citizenship by issuing an executive action that would reinterpret the 14th Amendment that grants citizenship to all people born on domestic soil
Decided to rewrite the 14th Amendment to the Constitution as it has been understood for more than a century to declare that it does not guarantee automatic citizenship to all children born in the United States.
Health and Wellness
Trump said in his speech the White House will instruct the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, as well as other agencies to remove “nonbinary” or “other” options from federal documents, including passports and visas
“It will officially be the policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female,” Trump said.
He also signed an executive order removing the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
Reinstate military members who were penalized for not getting vaccinated against Covid-19
Trump’s Plans to Screw Over America’s Seniors: Gutting Social Security and Medicare
The ominous saber rattling from Mr. Trump and his allies includes threats to endowments, federal research funding, student financial aid, diversity initiatives and the potential deportation of roughly 400,000 undocumented students enrolled in U.S. schools.
With Donald Trump returning to the presidency and with a Republican controlled Congress the future of Medicaid is uncertain.
Anti-trans policies
Tariffs
Trump hasn’t enacted new tariffs, yet. Instead, he issued an order on Monday directing federal agencies to investigate and address trade deficits and unfair trade and currency practices.
Impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada on Feb. 1 (despite pledging to enact these broad tariffs on Day One)
Establish the “External Revenue Service,” aiming to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign nations
Foreign Issues
Extend the deadline for TikTok to be divested or banned, a move that has questionable legality
Suspend U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days pending a review of whether they align with his agenda
Rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America —
End aid that the United States sends to foreign countries to deal with climate change.
The Trump administration has instructed organizations in other countries to stop disbursing H.I.V. medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been obtained and are sitting in local clinics.
held out the possible use of force to take over Greenland and seize the Panama Canal
Government Censorship
a blackout on public communications from government health agencies — in the middle of flu season and a global zoonotic outbreak. For the first time since 1952, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention withheld its weekly report on morbidity and mortality data updates.
Energy Department, were also ordered to cease public communications unless they had explicit approval of the acting secretary, according to memos shared with me
In one case, a University of North Carolina legal scholar was told his scheduled talk at a U.S. attorney’s office was canceled. The topic of the event: complicity of German lawyers in the creation of the Nazi state
canceling research grants and public engagements, appear related to efforts to expunge so-called “wokeness" from government.
An executive order issued on Wednesday says the government will withhold funding from public schools that teach concepts such as “unconscious bias.”
The president and his allies have also leaned on private firms to disavow politically incorrect values. For example, a group of 19 Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to Costco demanding the retailer drop its diversity commitments
Others
Trump signed an Executive order aimed at eradicating “anti-Christian bias” singling out a single religion leaving out antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate crimes.
Which of these will directly affect your life, your children’s life, your grandchildren’s life?
DO YOU DISAGREE WITH ANY OR ALL OF THESE SWEEPING PROPOSALS?
DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT?
DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE NO VOICE?
DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION?
ARE YOU FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE LACK OF CHANGE?
In our next podcast ( recording on Thursday, February 13, 2025 and dropping the following week) we will be introducing Mr. Sam Daley-Harris, author of
”Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide of Transformational Advocacy.”
We will be talking about how we, as senior citizens, can play a more active role in protecting our democracy and advocating for issues that play a role in our daily lives because we feel that Specifically for Seniors must play a more active role in the process, a role where listeners become actively involved in preserving our democracy and challenging inequities in our government.
Specifically for Seniors hereby issues call to action, urging older adults to
accept our responsibility as advocates to work toward transformational change in our communities, government , our world and in ourselves
Become an advocate for change. Invite your friends and family to listen to our forthcoming podcast at SpecificallyforSeniors.com and learn how you can become an essential part of the process.
There are several advocacy groups that are worth exploring and learning about their techniques for dealing with members of Congress and the media and what each does to make that their voices are heard if your goals match with theirs.
Moms Demand Action - a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.
Citizen’s Climate Lobby - We empower everyday people to work together on climate policy. Our supporters work on building support in Congress for a national bipartisan solution to climate change.
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) - The Trump administration froze most foreign assistance programs for 90 days. Congress
must condemn this pause. Speak out in solidarity with those around the world whose human dignity and livelihoods are supported by U.S. foreign assistance.
RESULTS.org - a movement of passionate, committed everyday people who use their voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty.
But the one group that really stands out to me to watch most of our goals is Indivisible.org
indivisible.org - Anyone who lives in America and is upset, scared, and determined. You want to do your part to protect your family, your neighbors, and democracy from Trump 2.0.
indivisible.org seems to be working in a direction that most of us can support. I urge you to read their guide which is available online and as a pdf. After you read it, send me an email and tell me what you think about getting more information from indivisible.org and, perhaps, setting up or joining a group to become more active.
For now, join our mailing list at Specifically for Seniors and we’ll let you know when this podcast drops.