This past election divided the country in ways which we have never seen before. To many, this race wasn’t about Democrats vs. Republicans and the peaceful transfer of power. Instead it was about racism, sexism, homophobia, and hate. But not everyone who voted for Trump is a racist, sexist, or homophobe. Many of Trump’s voters were still hurting from the recession in 2008 and they were fed up with the usual slew of politicians that wave, smile, kiss babies, and change their minds as the seasons change.To the politicans that are more concerned with the pockets of Wall Street rather than the pockets of the average American Joe down the street fared no better in the eyes of these voters. To these voters, Donald Trump was the answer. He’s a wealthy businessman who stands up for himself and won’t be a pushover to “international bullies” such as Putin. These voters see how successful his businesses are and hope that the American economy under a Trump Administration will be just as successful.
However, this model will never work. A country cannot run like a business and it is silly to think that it can for many reasons. First, in a business, there is always a hierarchy. Someone has a boss, who has a boss, and so on. But in America, we are all equal. So this logic doesn’t fit.
Next, the goal of a business is to make money. What would our government become if it was for profit? What about Obamacare, Social Security, Food Stamps, Pell Grants, and so many other government funded programs that are expensive but very necessary for so many people? Unlike a business, America can’t simply “lay off” these programs because the country can no longer afford them. This also applies to the employees of a business who are there to make money. Most employees wake up every day to feed their children and pay their bills. In our government, our elected representatives are “public servants”, meaning that they hopefully walk into work each morning with the intention of making the lives of their constituents and their country better. These public servants are almost always wealthy to begin with, so running for office with the intention of making money never happens. People run for office to gain power and hopefully make the world a better place.
Finally, in a business, if someone is subordinate, this person can simply be fired. This business practice also cannot be applied to America because we have the right to be subordinate and are encouraged to speak up. Under the First Amendment to the Constitution, we have the right to free speech and the right to peacefully assemble, which simply means the right to peacefully protest. So if we as citizens are unhappy about something, we have the right and the privilege to speak up and do something about it. You, Mr. Trump, can’t do anything about it.
In conclusion, Mr. Trump, I hope that you reconsider these terrible ideas of running America like a business. Instead, please consider being a President that runs America like the welcoming country that I grew up knowing it to be. A country that accepts people for who they are, not where they come from, the color of their skin, what gender they are, and who they love. Please, Mr. Trump, prove me wrong and be a President that values each and every American citizen equally. If not, I will exercise my First Amendment right and never stop protesting and working hard to ensure that this remains the country of diversity and love.