Hopes, fears and realities of Trump’s election
Both sides of the abortion debate are bracing for what happens when Trump appoints justices to the
And business owners and workers look forward to Trump dismantling trade agreements they hope will return manufacturing jobs to
Trump's rise to power has created expectations of dramatic changes to some of the nation's most contentious issues -- abortion, marriage equality, health care, immigration.
But the reality is his election win has created mostly unknowns and questions about what a
The only certainty?
Hope and fear.
Obamacare
That's why she views Trump's election, and its effect on "Obamacare," as a major step backward.
"I'm just devastated that all the progress we made will be shattered," she said. "I have been a delighted ACA beneficiary since it first went into effect."
She cites Obamacare programs designed to prevent disease and health complications that might no longer be available under a new federal approach.
"What if someone's kidney disease goes undetected until they need dialysis?" she asked. "What if blood pressure doesn't get checked until they have a stroke? Or dental, people will go without preventive care because they can't afford it."
The reality: Trump promises to "replace" Obamacare, but he also reiterated last week he may retain provisions for insuring adult children up to 26 and prohibiting coverage for pre-existing conditions.
But there is also a "political reality" facing Trump and legislators up for re-election in 2018.
"If there is a huge repudiation of Obamacare without a significant substitution, those people will be in danger of losing their seats," said
"Even if he had a magic wand, it's going to take a while," he added.
Trade agreements
Through the course of four congressional campaigns, local industrialist
He argued that tThe North American Free Trade Agreement and other pacts robbed the nation of good paying jobs and depleted its middle class.
But Davis said he knew on
"He's the savior of the
Davis expects Trump will follow through on his campaign promises and renegotiate
The reality: Trump could opt out of
"This is uncharted territory," said Kolsky, an expert on international trade, "because there has been no withdrawal from a trade pact since the mid-1860s."
Trump's move could also trigger various
"It would probably be the case that some small slice of
Trump also campaigned strongly against ratification of the proposed
Gay marriage
Five same-sex couples walked into
Typically, just two or three a week show up.
That's no coincidence, according to people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Trump's election left many scared that he will undo political gains over the past eight years, including marriage equality.
The reality: Trump hasn't opposed same-sex marriage.
"These cases have gone to the
Besides, it would be difficult to challenge the 2015
"You can't just say, 'I don't like it. My religion doesn't believe in it.' It has to be real harm," Finley said.
But there's a wariness because Trump also has "taken every stance possible" on some issues and his actions have been contradictory, said
Trump has pledged to overturn all of the executive orders under the Obama administration, which have included protecting the rights of transgender students, Ball said. And he chose a running mate in
Abortion
For pro-life advocates, Trump's election offers hope.
"It's likely that many in executive branch offices who promote anti-life and anti-religious freedom policies will be replaced," said
That's why pro-choice advocates are fearful.
"Anyone who believes in reproductive freedom should be very worried," said
Trump told "60 Minutes" that he plans to nominate a
Gallagher noted that Trump could rescind executive orders such as the
"Nothing is going to change overnight, but we are encouraged to have someone taking a look at life issues," said
Many states have been open to restricting access to abortions, Ossorio said, hoping that path leads to a
The reality: The high court makeup will be altered with the next two appointments. The vacancy created by the death of Justice
Finley, the UB law professor who also has a long history of defending abortion rights and who has argued abortion-related cases before the
"What would be the current 5 to 4 vote one way would switch to 5 to 4 the other way," she said.
Current
Immigration
Trump said as many as 3 million illegal immigrants with criminal records could be deported soon after he takes office, creating widespread fear even among those who came to
The reality: Trump's orders would speed up the work that started two years ago under Obama, which focused on deporting illegals with the most violent criminal records.
"Trump is going to ramp it up and make it a more significant operation," said
That has led to questions about the accuracy of Trump's estimates, the cost of deportation, legal challenges and the government's ability to deal with the heavy case load. The biggest question may be how he will handle the remaining 8 or 9 million undocumented immigrants who have posed no threat and established roots in the
"They're definitely at risk," Berger said. "How much he is going to do remains to be seen."
As for refugees -- those who were taken in by
Resettlement agencies are trying to reassure refugees that they are legally in
"We are working hard to make sure our clients know they are welcome and supported," said
Muslims
Muslims in
"Right now, people are having difficulty at work. They're being harassed on the streets and in schools," said
The reality: The FBI this week reported an overall rise in hate crimes during 2015, the biggest increase coming against Muslim Americans. There were 257 reported attacks against Muslims last year, up 67 percent from the prior year.
Trump said last weekend that he was "saddened to hear" about reports of harassment and threats against Muslims and other minorities.
"And I say,'Stop it.' If it...helps, I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: 'Stop it.'"
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