The MAGA Pain List
January 23, 2025: Trump signed an executive order terminating federal DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs. He also revoked several DEI-related executive orders issued by past presidents, including one by Lyndon Johnson that required government contractors to use non-discriminatory hiring practices. Trump claimed that future hiring, firing, and promotion decisions would be based on “merit.” He thinks wealthy white men ought to make all the important decisions. Unfortunately, they tend to confuse “merit” with “acting like a wealthy white man.” He either doesn’t understand that or deliberately ignores it. An estimated 3,000 federal employees live in Delaware County and may be impacted immediately. If other companies follow Target’s lead and drop their DEI programs, many more people may be hurt. Details here.
January 20, 2025: Trump issued a blanket pardon for about 1,270 people who were convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, as well as others who were awaiting trial. Those numbers include about 170 people who were convicted of using deadly or dangerous weapons against police officers. The pardons sent a clear message that you can get away with political violence if Donald Trump thinks it helps him. You may think this is all disconnected from Delaware County, but 80 of the pardons went to Ohioans, including two residents of Powell. These pardons made every county in the country less safe, including ours. Details are here and here.
We are keeping receipts!
Starting even before the 2024 election, Trump and his associates have been preparing to hurt people. He says a lot of outrageous stuff, and it’s a waste of time to try to keep track of it all. But it will be worth the effort to keep track of the things his administration does that do tangible harm to the people of Delaware County. And that’s what this page will be: a record of actions that cost you money, or take away freedoms, or harm the environment you live in.
I don’t think it will be a short list. And it may not just be Trump. His followers in Ohio and Delaware County government may do hurtful things, too.
You can help: when something happens that you think belongs on the MAGA Pain List, email us and give us the scoop.