WASHINGTON – Protesters at the recent People’s March on Washington against President Trump explained why they want to see the president removed from office.
The official website for the protest stated, “We will take to the streets to demand the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump and to fight to protect the rights of all marginalized people, equal rights, social justice, our safety as citizens, and our democratic process.”
Bethany from New York said Trump’s handling of climate change influenced her to attend the march and call for Trump’s impeachment.
“I came because one of my biggest things is the climate change issues that haven’t been addressed properly. There’s a lot going on that hasn’t been talked about and it’s important to future generations. It’s our home and it needs to be protected,” she said during the January protest.
“He [Trump] doesn’t respect human rights and if you can’t do that, I don’t trust you to do anything else. Bottom line,” she added.
Holding an “impeach the leech” sign, Joann from Michigan said impeaching Trump would protect democracy.
“The main reason is I truly believe the balance of powers in the democracy are being eroded and I foresee that if that continues we’ll basically no longer be a democracy. And since I have children, six of them, and seven grandchildren, it seems really important to be here in order to ensure democracy is there for them,” she said. “I’m hoping he doesn’t get re-elected. I would prefer him to be impeached. I just see things as falling apart.”
Laura from Michigan cited the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program as the reason she joined the impeachment march.
“My big issue right now is the DREAMers, people who have lived here for so many years and are contributing to our society and our friends and neighbors, and I just felt like today I had to march on behalf of them,” she said.
Laura’s husband said he attended the impeachment protest because Trump only cares about the rich.
“What brought me down here was really the lack of integrity and honesty in the White House and the fact that President Trump does not care about anybody but rich people and himself. It’s pretty clear in the way he acts. More recently it’s been a total disassembly and attack on environment regulations, and the whole environmental resource issue has really become a major concern of mine,” he said.
While holding a “Dispose the POTUS” sign, Sandy from Pennsylvania told PJM she opposes Trump but does not want Vice President Mike Pence to become president.
“Actually, I’m not so much for impeachment because I don’t want the vice president to come in, but I’d like them all to go,” she said. “I could not give you a single issue that really bothers me because like a lot of Americans there’s hardly anything I like about him.”
Republicans have pointed to GDP growth, decreasing unemployment and the growth of the stock market as evidence thate Trump’s policies are working. The protesters were asked if they approve of Trump’s handling of the economy.
“I don’t know that [Trump] can really say the economy is doing so well. The stock market is doing very well. But who is that benefiting? The people who own stocks. And usually middle America isn’t owning any stocks or they’re owning a very small portion of it. They’re not going to really see a huge change in their lifestyle based on the stocks that they own,” said Susan from Virginia, who wore a “#NotMyPresident” shirt to the protest.
“The economy is really not doing everything he’s saying. Macy’s is shutting hundreds of stores. Sears is shutting stores. Who is that affecting? The people who actually work in those stores. Now, maybe that’s from technology, people shopping online, and there’s a shift in the way people shop. However, that is still affecting lives and they need to address this and I don’t think are,” she added.
Some of the protesters credited President Obama for the growing economy.
“I also think the economy has been on the upswing for the past 10 years and that’s not Trump’s doing, that was Obama’s doing and that’s just the economy turning around and more jobs becoming available,” Laura from Michigan said.
Sandy expressed a similar view on the state of the economy.
“I certainly don’t want us to turn around, but this is eight years of Obama starting at ground zero and building and building. He’s a recipient of the hard work that went into it,” she said.
Joann said the stock market, which has set records, is not an accurate representation of the economy.
“I’m pretty old-fashioned. I believe that you can make money by creating services or products and I’ve seen no indication that we’re doing a better job with those things. Therefore, I think there are lots of speculations going on in the economy that are not based on fact,” she said. “And history tells us that when we do that the results on the stock market are not accurate representations of the economy. I still know people who are not working. I still know people who are working more and more for unlivable wages.”
Gerald from Georgia did not march in the protest but does not approve of Trump’s conduct as president.
“I get it. He’s not a career politician, I understand that, but you’ve got to have some compassion. You can’t be in this country and know anything about it and not have compassion. He’s a product of privilege and that causes that brashness and that kind of conceitedness and he don’t understand that’s not what we need here,” he said. “Your opinion doesn’t make you a racist. I think that’s so ignorant but your delivery of your opinion counts – the delivery counts. And I think he forgets that. He doesn’t understand that delivery is everything sometimes.”
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