Robert Fischer
Considering the current situation in America, I am very concerned with the direction of leadership shown by the Trump administration. While 2025 isn’t the first time there has been controversy and conflict, it is the first time that an administration has deliberately flaunted the Constitution and court precedents that have been the foundation of this country for 250 years. For example, in the 1950s America recovered from WWII. Republicans were focusing on building a strong economy, whereas Democrats were looking to expand human rights. But the two goals were not in exclusion from each other. People argued but generally got along. Issues of civil rights, a woman’s place in society, and social mobility were concerns.
The issues of the 1950s eventually resulted in turmoil in the 1960s and 70s. I lived through the Vietnam conflict on the police front lines, protecting property and the rights of protesters, who on occasion resorted to violence. I was also working as a police officer during the end of the Civil Rights Movement. I worked with racist officers who still did their job despite their prejudices.
There were social problems that sometimes resulted in violence. Still, I believed in the rule of the law and the stability of our government with its Constitution and the belief that “We the People” ultimately controlled the nation’s future. I didn’t agree with all the choices that were made by those representing the majority. There were policies on women’s rights, affirmative action, drug control, and laws that I felt encroached on individual rights. I and others voiced our concerns. Demonstrations on these issues were commonplace. However, I was among the minority.
By 2000, as I reached middle age, many of the social issues that the nation faced in the 1960s and 70s were being addressed. Again, while I didn’t agree with all the positions that were taken by those that won the elections, I knew that I would have an opportunity to sway others’ opinions and perhaps eventually see my own opinion dominate policy. LBGTQ rights, women’s rights, continued advancement in civil rights, and DEI, all of which I supported, were being written into law and policies. However, what I failed to see was the growing discontent of some friends and relatives, who saw changes supported by people like me, as destructive to their view of the American life. What I saw as positive, inclusive policies that made it possible for disadvantaged people to aspire to the “American Dream,” others saw as destructive policy chipping away at the America that they knew.
I was happy when Hillary Clinton was the first woman to run for President. I was not a major supporter of her campaign, but the fact that a major party would present a woman for the position of President was, in my opinion, a move in the right direction. I was even more enthusiastic when Barack Obama was nominated for the Presidency and won. I was surprised when so many people that I knew well were upset over Obama’s election. I hadn’t realized that racism, which I knew still existed, was so deeply engrained in so many Americans. Despite the disconnect, I was still willing to believe that our institutions, laws, and Constitution would allow for the continuation of all free expression. My belief was bolstered when the “Black Lives Matter” movement, along with “Me Too” and other minority and social issues, were making headlines. The people were free to express opinions and attempt to change government policies and law.
When the 2016 election cycle began, I was pleased to see a diverse Republican field of candidates. The Democratic field was seemingly focused on Hillary Clinton. However, I was disappointed when Donald Trump, a political unknown, began to gain a large following. I couldn’t believe the progression of his candidacy to nomination. What I again failed to note was the depth of frustration that many Americans were feeling toward our government and toward both major political parties. Traditional Republicans were not getting the job done and Democrats were not representing the interests of a growing group of individuals who believed that our country was heading in the wrong direction. Although I didn’t vote for Donald Trump, I believed that America’s majority was heard. I knew that many of his ideas were not ones that I could support. Still, he was President and until I and others could elect someone with a platform that we could support, I would voice my opinion and hope for a change in leadership. That change occurred in the 2020 election; the voting majority moved the agenda back to socially progressive policies.
While I should have seen it coming, President Trump didn’t walk away from 2020 with a congratulations and we’ll see you in 2024! Instead, he chose to create a perception that the election had been stolen. This shouldn’t have surprised me as his entire platform in 2016 had been filled with “make believe” problems, that supported the beliefs of Americans who are afraid the America that they knew was fading away. Candidate Trump convinced many Americans that there were too many criminal immigrants, terrible crime waves in our big cities, transgender individuals who would steal wins from our women athletes, DEI programs that disadvantaged traditional Americans, a fake climate crisis, and others. His actions should have been a warning. However, his actions were not taken seriously by many.
In 2025, we now see that those who believed Trump’s make-believe version of America were able to return him to office where he can fix all these ills. But so far, I don’t see much real progress since the things he is trying to fix don’t need fixing. They are not the big problems that President Trump has sold to MAGA! Some are issues that do need addressing. However, what is a concern is his approach. His administration is ignoring our courts, laws, traditions, and the Constitution. While I have observed that many Americans have voiced disapproval, many court decisions have pushed back on his executive orders. Even some of his own party objects to his policies. I am concerned that his administration is working to make it difficult for the people to continue to have a voice. For the first time, I am concerned that the America that has allowed me to dissent is in danger of being lost. We the People need to continue to voice our concerns. This can be done through protest, discussions with people we know, letters to the editor, letters (email, text) to representatives, and most importantly, casting an informed vote.
Thoughts from the Middle by Robert J. Fischer 