Commentary
Opinion: Trump Wants to Take the Constitution, Fold it Up and Make Himself a Crown
On Oct. 14, two people got sick at a Donald Trump Town Hall in Pennsylvania. But Trump seemed indifferent — to either the people who fell ill or the voters in the room. In fact, Trump prompted the DJ to turn up the sound and show off his dance moves. With less than three weeks to go, Trump showed a level of cluelessness and apathy unbefitting of the presidency. How would he act in a crisis?

By Emil Guillermo
On Oct. 14, two people got sick at a Donald Trump Town Hall in Pennsylvania. But Trump seemed indifferent — to either the people who fell ill or the voters in the room.
In fact, Trump prompted the DJ to turn up the sound and show off his dance moves.
With less than three weeks to go, Trump showed a level of cluelessness and apathy unbefitting of the presidency. How would he act in a crisis?
“Hope he’s okay,” Vice President Kamala Harris commented on X.
At a Pennsylvania appearance in Erie, Harris expressed concern for Trump’s overall health, but especially his mental health.
Harris played a clip of recent Trump statements. It was clear from the reel that he man who wants to be president again started talking like the man who wants to be America’s first dictator.
“I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within,” Trump said on Fox. “We have some sick people, radical left lunatics, and I think, and it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by the National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military.”
Most Asian Americans know of this talk.
Filipinos escaped the Dictator Marcos and started coming to America in the 1970s. They saw what happened when opposition leader Benigno Aquino, exiled to the U.S., returned to Manila, and was gunned down at the airport in 1983.
Asian America is full of those yearning for freedom. Chinese left mainland China to flee persecution. Koreans fled to the U.S. to escape the threat of North Korea. The Vietnamese fled Communism. Since 2000, more than 188,000 Burmese refugees have resettled in the U.S.
And that’s just a partial list.
Trump is showing off his authoritarian desires to take the Constitution, fold it up and make himself a crown.
And his targets are set: Immigrants and the political Left.
HARRIS’ BLACK MALE PROBLEM
While the overwhelming majority of Black, Latino and Asian voters are supporting Harris, the number of Black male supporters for Harris is much less than it’s been in previous years.
In such a close race, that slim margin of Black males for Trump is all it takes to make him the winner.
Former President Obama was trying to get at the reason for Trump’s appeal.
“Part of it makes me think that you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president,” Obama told a small group in swing state Pennsylvania recently, suggesting that men of color have a misogynistic streak.
Some Black critics say Obama was bullying and lecturing men of color, an approach that could backfire.
Maybe the best way to overcome 2024’s intractable male syndrome (be they Black, Latino, or Asian for that matter) is not persuasion.
Simply go around them and register more voters who understand what’s at stake.
We all know enough to vote now. Vote by mail or vote early in person.
In California, time is running out. The deadline to register on-line is Oct. 21.
You can do so by mail if the registration form is postmarked by Monday, October 21, 2024.
And if you miss the deadline, there is redemption for the procrastinators. You can “conditionally” register up to and including on Election Day itself.
You have to show up and vote for America’s sake.
About the Author
Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a micro-talk show on www.patreon.com/emilamok
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Activism
OP-ED: Like Physicians, U.S. Health Institutions Must ‘First, Do No Harm’
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same. It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.

By Albert L. Brooks MD
Special to The Post
Presidential administrations significantly impact the health and wellbeing of our patients and communities.
Through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the agencies within it, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the National Institutes of Health, this new administration will decide how financial resources are allocated, dictate the focus of federal research, and determine how our public health care insurance systems are managed, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Vaccines for Children program, Medicare, and Medicaid.
The decisions made over the next four years will impact all Americans but will be felt more acutely by those most underserved and vulnerable.
As physicians, we are greatly concerned by the nominations announced by President Trump to critical healthcare related positions. Many of their previous statements and positions are rooted in misinformation.
Coupled with their lack of government and healthcare-related experience, we are concerned these nominees will significantly undermine public health, increase the number of uninsured people, worsen health outcomes, and exacerbate health disparities. Physicians observe Hippocrates’ maxim to “First Do No Harm,”, and we urge Trump administration officials to do the same.
It is critical that the leadership of HHS and its agencies make decisions based on facts, evidence, and science. Misinformation and disinformation must not guide policymaking decisions and undermine evidence-based public health strategies. Spreading these falsehoods also erodes trust in our public institutions.
Vaccines, in particular, have been a target of disinformation by some HHS nominees. In fact, research continues to confirm that vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccines go through multiple rounds of clinical trials prior to being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for administration to the public.
Vaccines protect against life-threateningdiseasessuch as measles, polio, tetanus, and meningococcal disease and, when used effectively, have beenshowntoeliminateorsubstantiallyreducediseaseprevalenceand/orseverity.
Because of vaccine mis- and disinformation, there has been a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough, endangering those who are too young or unable to be vaccinated.
Several nominees have spread disinformation alleging that fluoride in public drinking water is harmful. In fact, fluoride in drinking water at the recommended level of 0.7 parts per million, like we have in our EBMUD water, is safe and keeps teeth strong. Because of public health interventions dating back to the 1960s that have resulted in 72.3% of the U.S. population now having access to fluoridated water, there has been a reduction in cavities by about 25% in both children and adults.
We also encourage the next administration to invest in our public health infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical role of public health agencies in preventing and responding to health crises in our communities.
Health departments at the state and local levels rely on federal funding support and technical assistance to develop public health response plans, implement public health strategies, and work with on the ground organizations to serve hard to reach communities. Public health agencies are critical for protecting everyone in our communities, regardless of income-level, insurance status, or housing status.
Health officials should also work to protect the significant improvements in insurance coverage that have occurred since the passage of theACAin 2010.According to HHS, the numberofuninsuredAmericansfellfrom48millionin2010to25.6millionin2023.
California has led the way by investing in Medi-Cal and expanding eligibility for enrollment. In fact, it reached its lowest uninsured rate ever in 2022 at 6.2%. Voters affirmed this commitment to expanding and protecting access to care in November by passing Proposition 35, which significantly expanded funding for California’s Medi-Cal program. The administration should advance policies that strengthen the ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare and improve access to affordable health care.
Regardless of the president in power, physicians will always put the best interests of our patients and communities at the forefront. We will continue to be a resource to our patients, providing evidence-based and scientifically proven information and striving to better their lives and our community’s health. We urge the new Trump administration to do the same.
Albert L. Brooks MD is the immediate past president of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association, which represents 6,000 East Bay physicians.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of January 8 – 14, 2025
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Supreme Court Decision Confirms Convicted Felon Will Assume Presidency
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of January 15 – 21, 2025
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of January 22 – 28, 2025
-
Activism1 week ago
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Trump’s First Week Back in Office Marked by Racist Actions, Rollback of Worker Protections
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Trailblazing Army Nurse and Air Force Veteran, Dies at 104
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
Trump’s Broken Promises Pile Up as Day-One Pledges Falter