Donald Trump as president: Who should worry about it?


SUBMITTED BY: johnion

DATE: Nov. 10, 2016, 5:18 a.m.

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  1. America has chosen Republican nominee Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. The result brought delight to many, and for millions of others, dismay.
  2. So who stands to win and lose under a Trump presidency?
  3. Here's what we know from the billionaire mogul's pre-poll speeches.
  4. Also considered are the views of Mike Pence, the Indiana governor and born-again Christian who will be vice-president.
  5. WOMEN
  6. Gender has played a larger role in this US election than ever before, as voters decided whether to elect their first "Madame President".
  7. In the final week of the contest, Democrat Hillary Clinton tried to capitalise on Mr Trump's "woman problem" by branding him a "bully" with a 30-year history of "demeaning, degrading, insulting and assaulting" women.
  8. But the figures show that many female voters disagreed. Exit polls reveal that 42% of women backed Mr Trump.
  9. Breaking this down further, 53% of white women voted for him, while just 4% of black women polled backed Trump-Pence. Among female Hispanic voters - arguably the demographic Mr Trump has done most to offend - 26% still gave him their votes.
  10. What can they expect now?
  11. Winners
  12. The BBC's Katty Kay highlighted just a few of the next president's more striking statements about women, writing that he "said women who have abortions should be punished, made crude insinuations about a TV anchor's menstrual cycle, and doesn't change nappies or do bedtimes".
  13. But for some female voters - including some stay-at-home mothers - this implied opposition to gender equality is encouraging rather than problematic. Some see it as a recognition of women's historic nurturing role.
  14. Analysing why women would vote for Mr Trump, the left-leaning website Vox noted that women who have little opportunity to succeed in the labour market are more likely to support "policies and values that reward a traditional division of labor in the household".
  15. Many were drawn to Mr Trump's promise to restore jobs and prosperity to white working-class communities, and to penalise US companies that manufacture their goods overseas.
  16. Pregnant women and veterans may also stand to benefit under a Trump administration. Future First Daughter Ivanka has helped him devise a plan offering six months of paid maternity leave to mothers whose employers don't provide it.
  17. For female veterans, Mr Trump has promised to invest in the treatment of "invisible wounds" like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and to increase the number of doctors who specialise in women's health.
  18. Losers
  19. Women's activists are especially concerned about how Mr Trump will treat American abortion law. At present, the right to an abortion is guaranteed in all 50 states because of a 1973 Supreme Court judgement, Roe V Wade. But if Mr Trump appoints a conservative to the vacant spot in the US supreme court, this could lead to a conservative majority and a reversal of the key legislation.
  20. Reality Check: Who voted for Donald Trump?
  21. Trump victory unsettles markets
  22. Five questions on economy for Trump
  23. Mr Trump has adjusted his position on abortion over the years. In 1999, he said: "I'm very pro-choice. I hate the concept of abortion. I hate it. I hate everything it stands for. I cringe when I listen to people debating the subject. But you still - I just believe in choice."
  24. In March 2016, he clarified: "My position has not changed - like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions."
  25. Eyebrows were raised when he threatened some form of punishment for women who get abortions, if they became illegal - but he later said the penalty should target those who carry them out.
  26. Mr Pence has made his fierce opposition to abortion clear. He said in July: "I'm pro-life and I don't apologise for it," adding: "We'll see Roe V Wade consigned to the ash heap of history where it belongs."
  27. Mr Trump's sexual assault accusers must also be classed among those worst off today. His campaign was dogged by allegations from multiple women who claimed he had kissed or groped them without consent, and many Republicans feared for the president-elect's prospects when a 2005 video emerged of him bragging to TV host Billy Bush, "I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet ... When you're a star they let you do it".
  28. But his candidacy survived the scandal - and his accusers must now wait to see if he stands by his pre-poll claim: "All of these liars will be sued after the election is over".

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