Courts' Injunctions on Muslim Ban.
Marches on Earth Day 2017.

2017-MAR/APR/MAY

Part 12

Image downloaded from Pixabay.com

This topic is continued from the previous essay.

2017-MAR-24: Judge Watson was targeted with threats:

Judge Watson had issued an injunction against part of the President Trump's second executive order to ban Muslim immigrants and refugees. Michele Ernst, spokesperson for the FBI reported that Judge Watson had received threatening messages since his injunction was written. The U.S. Marshals Service issued a statement, saying:

"The US Marshals Service is responsible for the protection of federal judicial officials, including judges and prosecutors, and we take that responsibility very seriously. While we do not discuss our specific security measures, we continuously review the security measures in place for all federal judges and take appropriate steps to provide additional protection when it is warranted." ₁

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2017-MAR-29: Judge Watson extended his temporary restraining order:

In response to a request by the State of Hawaii District Court Judge Derrick Watson revisited the temporary injunction that he had made two weeks earlier against President Trump's executive order. The order had been expected to ban travel by nationals from six predominately Muslim countries, but was overruled by the court a few hours before it was to go into effect. Judge Watson had blocked the President's order on the basis that it likely violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This is the portion of the First Amendment to the federal Constitution that prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another.

Zia H Shah, writing for the Muslim Times, said:

"The President’s 90-day ban on foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries and the 120-ban on all refugees entering the country are now blocked indefinitely, unless any higher court changes Watson’s order or the state’s lawsuit is otherwise resolved. ₂

2017-APR-17: Gallup poll shows a drop in various assessments of President Trump during his first 100 days in office:

By late March, his overall job approval rating dropped to a new low of 36%.

Comparing polling results from 2017 February and April, Gallup reports that President Trump's ratings have significantly dropped on four parameters:

• The percentage of U.S. adults who believe that keeps his promises dropped by 17 percentage points, from from 62% to 45%.
  
  
• Those who regard him as a strong and decisive leader dropped by 7 percentage points from 59% to 52%.
  
  
• Those who believe that he can bring about changes this country needs dropped by 7 percentage points from 53% to 46%.
  
  
• Those who regard him as honest and trustworthy dropped 6 percentage points from 42% to 36%.

Slippage also occurred in two other parameters; however these reduction are not statistically significant:

• Those who believe that he cares about the needs of "people like you" dropped 4 percentage points from 46% to 42%.
  
  
• Those who believe that he can manage the government effectively dropped 3 percentage points from 44% to 41%. ₃

margin of error for the 2017-FEB and 2017-APR polls was ±4 percentage points. ₄

Jim Norman, writing for Gallup, said:

"Political friends and foes alike have complained that Trump is not carrying out the promises he made on the campaign trail. Supporters have expressed unhappiness that more has not been done on taxes and immigration, in addition to healthcare. Opponents say he has not protected middle- and working-class Americans." ₃

By AUG-28, his approval rating was about the same as it was in March: 36.9%. His disapproval rating was 57.2% and headed upwards.

A great deal of attention during this interval has been paid to the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. ACA and Obamacare). As adults in the U.S. have learned more about the act, it is receiving more support. Just after the election in 2016-NOV, 42% approved of the ACA and 53% disapproved. By 2017-APR-02, a significant majority (55%) approve of it:

• 40% want to keep the act but make significant changes.
• 30% want to repeal and replace it
• 26% want to keep the ACA unchanged.

There are major differences in support by political affiliation. By 2017-MAR:

• 86% of Democrats support the ACA.
• 57% of Independents agree.
• 17% of Republicans agree.
• margin of error for both the 2016-NOV and 2017-APR polls was ±4 percentage points. ₄

2017-APR-20: Attorney General comments on Trump's second travel ban:

Back on MAR-15, District Court Judge Derrick K. Watson issued a temporary restraining order that froze President Trump's second travel ban: The order was issued only a few hours before the ban was to go into effect.

A little over a month later, CNN posted an audio recording of Attorney General Jeff Sessions comment on the restraining order. He said:

"We are confident that the President will prevail on appeal and particularly in the Supreme Court, if not the Ninth Circuit. So this is a huge matter. I really am amazed that a judge sitting on an island in the Pacific can issue an order that stops the President of the United States from what appears to be clearly his statutory and Constitutional power." ₅

The Attorney General appears to be unaware that either:

• A federal District Court judge in one state can issue a restraining order that temporarily halts the implementation of a President's executive order, or
  
  
• That Hawaii is an American state.

Whichever the source of his comment, many people will be surprised that a federal Attorney General lacks such fundamental knowledge about the U.S. government.

2017-APR-22: Earth Day, the Marches for Science, and President Trump's scientific illiteracy:

According to www.earthday.org:

"Our planet is currently losing over 15 billion trees each year—that’s 56 acres of forest every minute. We’re working hard to reverse that trend by supporting global reforestation projects. Earth Day Network’s Reforestation Campaign benefits local communities, increases habitat for species, and combats climate change."

15 billion carbon dioxide absorbing/oxygen producing trees is very close to two trees being lost annually for each human on Earth .

Earth Day was founded by Wisconsin Democratic Senator Gaylord Nelson (1916-2005). It has been celebrated on APR-22 since 1970. It is now the largest secular observance in the world, and is being observed by over a billion people.

August Brunsman, writing for the Religion News Service said:

"Trump’s scientific illiteracy seems to stem from a damaging combination of serving the interests of the fuel extraction industry and whatever screaming headline he’s read on that day’s conspiracy website. He suggested climate change is a hoax. He has made inaccurate statements about the danger of vaccines, and has also made inaccurate and potentially panic-inducing statements about Ebola patients in the United States. Trump has spread unfounded lies about the dangers of wind farms and has underplayed the well-documented dangers of fracking." ₆

This topic continues in the next essay

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Faith Karimi & Joe Sutton, "Federal judge who blocked Trump's travel ban gets threats," CNN, 2017-MAR-24, at: http://www.cnn.com/
2. Zia H Shah, "Federal judge in Hawaii extends ruling halting travel ban indefinitely," The Muslim Times, 2017-MAR-30, at: https://themuslimtimes.info/
3. Jim Norman, "Majority in US No Longer Thinks Trump Keeps His Promises," Gallup, 2017-APR-17, at: http://www.gallup.com/
4. Jim Norman, "Affordable Care Act Gains Majority Approval for First Time," Gallup, 2017-APR-04, at: http://www.gallup.com/
5. "Fact Check: Did Jeff Sessions Say He's Amazed a Judge 'On an Island in the Pacific' Can Stop Executive Orders?," Snopes, 2017-APR-20, at: http://www.snopes.com/
6. August Brunsman, "Scientific inquiry should be an American value, too," Religion News Service, 2017-APR-20, at: http://religionnews.com/

Former essays about President Trump that might interest you:

• Part 1: Inauguration. Muslim ban. Mosque burning.
• Part 2: Court injunction on Muslim ban. Mass murder in Canadian mosque
• Part 3: Muslim ban. U.S. Flag defaced with a Nazi Symbol.
• Part 4: "What would Jesus Do" about Muslim refugees?
• Part 5: Reactions to President Trump's Muslim ban.
• Part 6: Mulsim ban. President's approval rating sinks.
• Part 7: Bomb Threats. Reaction to Trump's ban of Muslims.
• Part 8: Reactions to 1st Muslim country ban. Fake news. Second Muslim ban.
• Part 9: U.S. Bomb Threats To Jewish Community Centers Continue:
• Part 10: Bomb threats extend to Canada. Federal courts stop 2nd Muslim ban.
• Part 11: Federal Courts stop 2nd Muslim ban. Trump's approval rating.

Later essays:

• Part 13: Trump changing Washington? Travel ban rulings. approval ratings.
• Part 14: Supreme Court Accepts Muslim Ban Appeal. Trump Visits Poland.

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Copyright © 2017 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted on: 2017-APR-21.
Most recent update: 2017-AUG-28.
Author: B.A. Robinson

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