The big lesson of Trump's first 2 weeks: resistance works
The big lesson of Trump's first 2 weeks: resistance works
Protests, phone calls, and mobilization are making a difference.
Updated by Matthew Yglesias Feb 6, 2017, 7:30am EST
Its easy to miss amid Donald Trumps frenetic pace of activity and nonstop media coverage, but the most important story in American politics right now isnt about what Trump is doing: Its that the opposition is working.
The millions of people who marched in Washington and other cities around the world on inauguration weekend and then demonstrated again at airports the following weekend are making a concrete difference in the world. So are the tens of thousands whove called members of Congress or showed up in person at their events.
Trump is getting things done, but all presidents do that. Look at what hes not getting done. A Republican-controlled Congress bowed to public outrage over an attempt to water down an ethics office. Trump dramatically downscaled his own executive order barring entry to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. Hes having unprecedented difficulty getting his Cabinet nominees confirmed, even though the Senates rules have changed to make confirmations easier than ever. Conservatives in Congress have put their big plans to privatize Medicare and public lands on hold. And the drive to repeal the Affordable Care Act is running into very big trouble.
None of this is based on the discipline and self-restraint on the part of the White House. Its thanks to bold acts of resistance. The result is lives have been saved, many more lives have been demonstrably improved, and the proven template for future success has been created.
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/2/6/14473482/resistance-works-anti-trump-protests