Leid Stories—Trump: Out of [Executive] Order (Part 2)—01.31.17

With 17 executive orders issued within his first 10 days in office, President Donald Trump already has won the record for most prolific use of the backdoor presidential power that requires no congressional input. Trump’s executive actions are being spun as a man wasting no time in getting things done, but it’s clear he prefers the go-it-alone method of decision making. His business model, after all, is autocratic, so why should he change it just because he’s president?
He probably was not expecting to be opposed this early in his term, and he probably reasoned that even if challenged, he could weather the storm. But the massive Women’s March on Washington the day after his inauguration served notice that his new way of doing things will be matched by new types of opposition. The Women’s March and the protests against his travel ban against people from Muslim-majority countries, for example sparked protests all over the world and revived a moribund opposition at home.
Leid Stories discusses clues that Trump and his administration are miscalculating their strength and power, and the irony that they are actually fueling global anti-U.S. sentiment.

Naomi Klein – Trump’s Crony Cabinet May Look Strong, but They Are Scared

Let’s zoom out and recognize what is happening in Washington right now. The people who already possess an absolutely obscene share of the planet’s wealth, and whose share grows greater year after year—at last count, eight men own as much as half the world—are determined to grab still more. The key figures populating Donald Trump’s cabinet are not only ultra-rich—they …

Deirdre Fulton – War on Facts Sparks Momentum for Scientists’ March on Washington

The Trump-Pence administration’s war on facts may have galvanized the next major demonstration in the nation’s capital—the Scientists’ March on Washington, which is as yet unscheduled but is garnering significant enthusiasm online. Spurred by the new administration’s stance on climate change, muzzling of scientists, and slashing of environmental regulations, the idea grew out of a Reddit thread started in the …

Nika Knight – In Photos: Women’s Marches on All Seven Continents Demand ‘A Better Future’

The second day of the Trump administration has seen an unprecedented wave of protests swell across the globe, as the Women’s March on Washington and its sister marches on all continents—yes, including Antarctica—fight back against the U.S. president’s frightening rhetoric. Organizers’ informal tally now puts the total number of march participants at a stunning 2.5 million around the world. And with …

Andrea Germanos – Reinstating ‘Global Gag Rule,’ Trump Attacks Women Worldwide

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order reinstating a policy critics call the Global Gag Rule, further cementing reproductive rights advocates’ warning that 2017 would entail an uphill battle for women’s healthcare. Officially known as the Mexico City Policy, the rule, as Nonprofit Quarterly explained, “specifically prohibits international charities from promoting abortion as a method of family planning …

Leid Stories—The Women’s March on Washington: A Bridge Over Many Troubled Waters—01.23.17

The Women’s March on Washington was a massive—and historic—retort to Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration as the nation’s 45th president. More than a million people rallied the following day in Washington, D.C., and in 616 sister marches across the country and in major cities around the world, for women’s rights and to serve notice of an intention to aggressively pursue them.
Leid Stories discusses the Women’s March on Washington and the ways it could serve as a bridge over many troubled waters.