Commentary

COMMENTARY: Trump Keeps Government Open But Continues To Run a Scam

NNPA NEWSWIRE — As the Democrats sound the alarm, and condemn the president for his decisions, President Trump is in Florida playing golf. The Trump reality is in real time, and the only response to his insanity is to resist, push-back, and fight. This is a make believe emergency, another Trump scam or con game, and there appears to be a big legal battle brewing.

Published

7 years ago

February 18, 2019

Oakland Post

By Roger Caldwell, NNPA Newswire Contributor

Many Americans think President Donald Trump is not competent enough to be one of the most powerful men on the planet, but he is. Many think he is a double agent with the Russians, but they cannot prove it. Others think he has mental health issues, but he is still their boss, and the leader of the free world.

President Trump is the Teflon King, and everyone expects a lie when he speaks, and he does not care what anyone thinks or says. He lives in an alternative reality with his base, and facts and data are not relevant or important.

On Friday, 2-16-2019, the president signed a bi-partisan bill to keep the government open, but he also declared a national emergency on the border with Mexico.

“We’re going to confront the national security crisis on our southern border, and we’re going to do it one way or the other. It’s an invasion. We have an invasion of drugs and criminals coming into our country,” says the president in a televised statement in the Rose Garden.

“Look, I expect to be sued,” he said, launching into a mocking riff about how he anticipated lower court rulings against him would pan out. “And we’ll win in the Supreme Court.”

As the Democrats sound the alarm, and condemn the president for his decisions, President Trump is in Florida playing golf. The Trump reality is in real time, and the only response to his insanity is to resist, push-back, and fight. This is a make believe emergency, another Trump scam or con game, and there appears to be a big legal battle brewing.

Trump does not really believe there is national emergency at the border, but his base needs red meat to be engaged in the political system. They are organized, motivated, and they have a leader who is protecting their guns and ideology. For America to be great again, White people must be in charge again.

If there was a national emergency, the mainstream media would be writing articles about the impending dangers and the armed forces would be put on red alert. Instead, after Trump declared a national emergency, there were no strategic meetings, barely anything has been discussed about the border, and President Trump is taking a short vacation in Florida.

Our president’s technique is to spin fiction into fact, even though illegal crossings have plummeted last year to around 400,000, from 1.6 million in 2000.

“The number of illegal immigrants in the United States has been falling for more than a decade and two-thirds of those who remain have been here for more than a decade. An estimated 10.7 million unauthorized migrants were in the country in 2016, and there were 1.5 million fewer than in 2007,” according to the Pew Research Center.

Among unauthorized migrants in fiscal 2017, about twice as many entered the United States legally, and overstayed their visa. Based on the numbers and data, there appears to be no national emergency, but things could get tricky, and maybe the president and his legal team could win in the lower courts.

There would be certain statutes that the president could use from Pentagon finances to build the wall. The president could use resources from the Department of the Army’s civil works program, and utilize the secretary of Defense to undertake military construction projects.

This national emergency could also get tied up in court for 2 years, and the next president could decide to cancel this executive order. Many Democrats believe this national emergency is a political scam and con game, but they must resist and sue the president in the courts.

The national emergency is all about the “Benjamin’s” and President Trump’s team will be searching under rocks and using pentagon money to build his wall. It appears that the bipartisan language used in the State of the Union Address is no longer applicable after one week, between the President, the Democrats, and the Republicans.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

7 days ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC