on wednesday, nov. 9, 2016, republican lawmakers arranged to meet with president-elect donald trump<u+2019>s advisors to talk about another, less expensive, option to his <u+201c>mighty wall.<u+201d> the president-elect also consistently told his supporters he would dismantle obama care, but now he says that he is open to keeping the affordable care act. this recent waffling could be an indicator that he will not deliver on his campaign promises.




the day after he won the election, he was given his first test by his own party. according to top aides for trump, there is a compromise that would include more federal border patrol officers, and extend the border fence. the idea is to extend parts of the border with a double layered fence. an official from the department of homeland security and a republican from the house of representatives said trump<u+2019>s wall is improbable; it would have to be built through rivers and lakes, rough terrain and private property. it would also block the view of border agents. this wall would make it difficult to watch the border. according to the house aid, the meeting will take place as soon as his transition team is set. the spokesperson would not offer any comment on the meeting or compromise plan from the lawmakers. mexico again said the day after the election they would not pay for his wall. the wall has never been mentioned officially, but if congress takes a stand against trump it will be an extension of the fence once proposed by secretary clinton.




according to the house aide, the meeting will take place as soon as the transition team is set. the spokesperson would not comment on the meeting or the compromise from lawmakers. mexico again stated, the day after the election, they will not pay for his wall. this boundary has not been mentioned officially, but if congress takes a stand against trump it will be an extension of the fence, once proposed by secretary of state hillary clinton.




another key focus of the presidential campaign was immigration. it was stated that illegal immigrants are stealing american jobs and pose a security risk to the nation. chairman of the house homeland security committee michael mccaul called the idea of the wall, an emotional unthinking reaction to a highly sensitive issue, or a <u+201c>knee-jerk reaction.<u+201d> another indication that the president-elect will not deliver on his campaign promises.




the day after the election marie keating, a first-grade teacher in california, asked her 10 students what they wanted to ask new president-elect trump. one student said she did not want her family to be sent back to mexico. this statement prompted keating to have her class write letters telling trump what was on their mind. little nicole asked him to be kind and to always tell the truth, and not to incite violence between people of color. another little girl asked him to allow people of different races to be friends. a little boy asked him not to say that people who do not have white skin are all robbers. another little girl said simply that she hoped he did not start a war, and another asked that he not send them back to mexico. keating posted the letters on facebook for everyone to see. she was proud of her students because they asked for things that were necessary for them, in a respectful way.




anthony scaramucci, the creator of hedge-fund skybridge capital and one of trump<u+2019>s top advisors, says americans should take president-elect trump at his word. he believes he will build a wall <u+2013> if he says he will. when new york magazine asked him how it would be possible to have mexico pay for the wall, he responded, that the u.s. could charge an excise tax on goods coming into the country from mexico. however, he also said the american people did the right thing by electing trump. the interviewer corrected him, stating that american<u+2019>s voted for clinton, not trump. scaramucci replied he did not see that way.




if president-elect trump wants to build a wall, he will have to convince congress using a cost-efficient plan. the affordable care act has provided millions of people with health insurance, at an affordable premium. the average cost of health insurance within the marketplace, after the 110 percent rise, will be $78 a month. the newly elected president-elect has changed his mind on repealing the health coverage. he states that he is willing to keep the affordable care act and instead, make the needed changes. therefore, it is entirely possible, trump will not deliver on some of his campaign promises.




by katherine miller




edited by jeanette smith




sources:




reuters : house republicans test trump on his u.s.-mexico wall




nymag .com: read letters written by first-grade students to donald trump




nymag .com: hedge-funder and trump advisor anthony scaramucci on team trump<u+2019>s economic plan and getting mexico to pay for the wall




top courtesy of gage skidmore<u+2019>s flickr page <u+2013> creative commons license




feature image courtesy of denise kreb<u+2019>s flickr page <u+2013> creative commons license    first-graders , immigration , spot , trump , wall
donald trump may not deliver on campaign promises
katherine