3 Executive Orders Trump Signed Today (and what they mean for you)

Today, Trump signed three Executive Orders. Here’s what they are, and what they mean for you:

Withdrawing from The Trans Pacific Partnership

What is it? The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a huge trade deal that was was supposed to align 12 countries that all border the Pacific Ocean. The pact was aimed at slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth and streamlined regulations.

Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing from the TPP.

People for the deal say it would bolster America’s position in the Asia-Pacific region. Those against the deal say it keeps jobs from staying within the U.S.

Many criticizers say there is a complete lack of transparency, and that the agreement was shrouded in secrecy.

What does this mean? It means Trump took America a step back from globalization. Depending on how you feeling about globalization, this could be a good thing or a bad thing. This Executive Order doesn’t really have any immediate impact on us as Americans, although labor groups are most likely celebrating, since it is likely keep more jobs in the U.S.

Reinstating The Mexico City Policy

What is it? The Mexico City Policy was originally announced by President Reagan in 1984 and required nongovernmental organizations to agree as a condition of receiving any federal funding that they “would neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations.” In essence, it bans foreign aid from going to nongovernmental organizations that promote or pay for abortion procedures. While the Helms amendment has prevented US dollars from funding overseas abortions since 1973, the goal that Reagan put into place was to expand this limitation and withhold funds from non-governmental organizations that use the funds to engage in a wide range of activities, including providing advice, counseling, or information regarding abortion, or lobbying a foreign government to legalize or make abortion available.

Mr Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, told reporters: “The president has made clear he is a pro-life president. He wants to stand up for all Americans – including the unborn.”

What does it mean? If you’re pro-choice, this comes as quite a blow. because it will impact women all over the world by limiting the options they have. If you’re pro-life, this is significant in that taxpayers are no longer forced to pay for abortions internationally, or to give money to organizations that find loopholes in order to use the designated funds inappropriately.

Federal Workforce Hiring Freeze

What is it? In Trump’s “Contract with the American Voter,” he promised he would put into place a federal hiring freeze in his first 100 days of office.

Not all federal employees are impacted, the military is excluded.

Trump’s contract said the freeze would be achieved through attrition of the federal workforce. That could be done in the form of slowing hiring.

For example, two new employees could be hired for every three who leave government until the workforce was cut by 10 percent, as a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility suggested in 2010. House Republicans endorsed a 10 percent cut over three years in their 2012 fiscal year budget. {source}

What does it mean? Opponents say the freeze will cause longer lines Social Security offices, fewer workplace safety inspections, less oversight of environmental polluters, and greater risk to our nation’s food supply and clean water systems.

Supporters believe a hiring freeze could contribute to explosive growth, as was seen in the Reagan administration, when unemployment dropped drastically.