Should His Opponents Give Trump a Chance?
There is little that offers more insight into the current divisive state of the nation than the recent presidential election results, and the fact that President Donald Trump was elected to the highest office in the land despite losing the popular vote by nearly three million votes. Now that he is in office, views about whether he should be embraced or rejected by the American public continue to vary broadly. Does his election offer evidence of an extremist culture, and does following his lead only ensure more of the same? Or do Americans have a patriotic duty to rally behind their leader, because doing anything else would only further divide the public, and therefore not benefit anyone?
Pre-Debate Poll Results
Prior to the debate, 28 percent of audience members were in favor of the motion that the American public needs to give President Donald Trump a chance, while 43 percent were against the motion and 29 percent were undecided.
Yes, the American public needs to give Trump a chance.
Arguing in favor of the motion that the American public should give President Trump a chance were Clive Crook, a columnist with Bloomberg View, and Gayle Trotter, an attorney and political analyst.
Arguments Made in Favor of the Motion
Proponents for the motion that President Trump’s opponents ought to give him a chance were quick to point out that “giving him a chance” is not the same as offering one’s full support to all his policies. Rather, it simply means that he and his administration should be given the opportunity to either soar or fail on their own terms, and through their own actions. His election expresses the will of the people, supporters argued, and it is indicative of a nation that evidently does not have complete trust in its government. Failing to give him an opportunity to prove himself is likely to only disillusion an already dissatisfied nation even further.
Those in support of giving Trump a chance also noted that allowing elected officials to exercise the rights and powers bestowed upon them is one of the most fundamental elements of democracy, and that preventing him from doing so would both exacerbate existing tension between political parties and prevent lawmakers from taking the strides they need to effectively operate the federal government.
No, the American public should not give Trump a chance.
Arguing in opposition of the motion that the American public should give President Trump a chance were David Frum, senior editor of The Atlantic, and Michael Waldman, the president of the Brennan Center for Justice.
Arguments Made Against the Motion
Those opposed to the motion that President Trump should be given a chance refuted claims that Trump’s election “expressed the will of the American people” since he did, in fact, lose the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.
Opponents also noted that he has done little since his election to quell concerns about his ability to lead the nation, citing his controversial picks for key leadership positions, his continued dismissal of trusted intelligence agencies and general diplomacy and his repeated failures to come clean about any potential conflicts of interest that have arisen since his election. Additionally, opponents argued, highly valued American ideals, protections and civil rights are also at risk as a result of the widespread rise in racism and bigotry that took place during his campaign.
Post-Debate Results
Following the debate, 21 percent of audience members were in favor of the motion that the American public needs to give President Donald Trump a chance, while 72 percent were against it and 8 percent remained undecided.
