Once I recovered from the shock of a second Donald Trump term, I consoled myself remembering that we survived the first term so we would somehow get through this one. But as Trump began implementing the radical Project 2025 plan, I was aghast. The consequences of most of the ruthless and shortsighted decisions Trump has initiated will take decades to recover from, not a mere four years.
To begin with, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s, Make America Healthy Again campaign is going in the opposite direction. Putting a halt to grants and firing employees has pulled the plug on critical health research. RFK Jr.’s push to cut fluoride in the nation’s drinking water will surely result in increased tooth decay which, if gone untreated, can lead to further disease. Many who would fall into such ill health are low-income and rely on Medicaid. But wait! Medicaid could be cut by $880 billion?
With SNAP cuts depriving many families of healthy food, how can America be healthy again? Seemingly unrelated are the thousands who have lost jobs at the EPA while Trump has rolled back pollution standards and shut down green energy projects. How healthy will America be breathing polluted air, much due to wildfires caused by climate change? Similarly, NOAA jobs have been cut eliminating research which will impact coastal flooding dangers. How healthy will America be when rising coastal waters destroy many homes and communities? Those of us lucky enough to have health care and a middle class or better income can ride out the next four years. Those who can afford to move to an environment with clean air to breath, away from hurricanes and tornadoes or potential coastal flooding will do so.
As always it’s the vulnerable among us who will be hurt. But don’t we all pay the price?
Sherry Haigh
Everett
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