First day jitters

It’s just the first week of his reign, and here we are already gasping.

Whether in shock, or due to outrage, or the least deleterious, combined with hysterical laughter, unbelieving, gulping gasps have been triggered by the newly-installed president of the most powerful country in the world. That man has managed to upset so many settled norms and precedents, and yes, stomachs.

There was his order to pardon 1,500 convicts --all guilty of violence during the January 6 insurrection four years ago. Never mind that more than a hundred policemen were also hurt that day whilst defending the US Capitol. Never mind that legislators, their very own leaders, had to scurry and hide in their very office. All that mattered, apparently, was that he wanted to reward their loyalty to him.

The implicit signals, however, are more than just this act of patronage, where the patron protects his servants and serfs. It also telegraphs the message to his supporters that whatever they do in his name, even if they are illegal and very reprehensible, he will protect them (that Pinoy manservant who helped him dispose of classified documents in Florida must be sighing in relief).

These supporters might want to think this message over, however. They should realize Trump is only good for the next four years. If another guy takes that seat, who’s to say he isn’t going to come back at you? Especially if whoever gets elected happens to be one as vindictive as Trump (and there are plenty in the horizon). They should be very careful about committing crimes (and covering their tracks, if they do) just as insurance. Trump isn’t going to be around forever, thank the merciful gods.

There was also Trump’s order to stop recognition of jus soli, that principle which recognizes that anyone born in a country’s shores is automatically a citizen of that country (on the other hand, us Filipinos follow jus sanguinis, which is citizenship by blood). That will foil every pregnant Pinay dreamer who has been plotting traveling as a tourist to America, and then giving birth there, just to get a coveted blue passport.

For the next four years, or while the issue is being litigated (as of course, Democratic states have quickly filed a petition before the US Supreme Court challenging this order), American population growth will suddenly slow. Add to that his order revoking a paperless path to legal immigration that merely involved the use of a smartphone. Suddenly, existing appointments for immigration petitions were canceled. Yep, that will definitely mean a slower population growth for America.

The immigration agents at ICE must be ecstatic. Suddenly, all the stuff on their plates were cleared, and they can stop worrying about the very real people whose lives their decisions will impact. Now they can relax and go home to watch Netflix. But not so fast, buster. A national emergency has been declared at the Mexican border. You’re all going to be shipped out to deal with those animal-eating refugees.

Not content, Trump also wanted to create mayhem in the queer community. Out flew from his desk his order to recognize only two sexes. That, for sure, will not only create a headache for many bureaucrats who have to deal with the paperwork, but will be absolutely catatonic triggers for many in the LGBTQI etcetera community.

In urgent news, federal employees can’t stay and work from home no more. That has been scrapped, upon his order. These salaried bums gotta go and physically report for work. No more of this babying stuff that the COVID era somehow allowed to permeate in the consciousness of lazy employees. Perhaps, Trump aped this return-to-office attitude from his technocrat buddies, who don’t believe in the work-from-home ethos?

Buckle up, folks. There are four more years coming up. What will he do to further stoke his ego and cement his legacy? Will he press the nuclear button? Will he leave us to the mercies of China? Will he conquer Canada and Panama, or worse, wipe out another country?

Is it time to hoard dollars and prepare an exit plan? We never thought we would suffer something along the likes of a plague, and then COVID happened. In the same vein, we don’t think that something along the likes of refugees scrambling from a war zone (think Jews fleeing Europe in the world war, or even Palestinians being forced out of Gaza) would come near us during our lifetimes. But hey, this man’s nasty.

Is it time to be paranoid?