Mike Pence: As Bad or Worse than Trump

Throughout U.S. history, nine vice presidents have reached the White House because the president died or resigned. If, by an unfortunate turn of events, Donald Trump wins the November election, we better say a prayer that nothing happens to him over the next four years. If Trump was unable to serve, automatically by law, Mike Pence would take over the presidency and things could be even worse. He is a regressive, ultra-conservative politician, a radical figure without any charisma, idolized by right-wingers, who hates immigrants, refugees and homosexuals.

Pence fully supports building the infamous border wall and deporting all those who are undocumented. On the surface, it would seem that he adds nothing to the Republican nominee, gives the impression of being an empty suit, and only exists to defend the man at the top of the ticket. However, it is because of Pence that Trump now has many evangelical conservatives on his side who at first opposed him for having been married three times, his pro-choice stance, and referring to the communion wafer as “my little cracker.”

Chosen by Trump to potentially be second-in-command of the most powerful nation in the world, Pence is 57 years old, currently serves as governor of Indiana and previously spent 12 inglorious, yet embarrassing years in Washington as his state’s congressman, proposing 90 amendments and new regulations to Congress without a single one of them being passed into law. Every single one was ignored or rejected. Among them was his 2007 proposal to make English the official and sole language of the United States.

In matters of immigration, Trump undoubtedly found his soulmate. For years, Pence insisted, also unsuccessfully, on implementing a law that would prohibit federal funds from going to hospitals and emergency medical centers that provide service to undocumented immigrants and tried to allow both public and private health facilities to deny care, turn them in and if possible, send them back to their country to be seen by a doctor there.

He is against a path to citizenship in all cases for young people brought to the U.S. as children who know no other country as well as for those parents who gave birth to and raised children in the United States. Just this Monday, a federal court stopped him from denying public funds to help Syrian refugees in his state.

Pence maintains that marriage is and should only be between a man and woman.

As governor, he unsuccessfully attempted to block same-sex marriage in Indiana or from recognizing such marriage performed in other states. In 2015, he garnered national attention by imposing a law allowing shops to refuse service to gay couples. The reaction was so swift and negative that sports leagues, tech companies, artists and businesses cancelled their contracts in Indiana forcing him to retract the law.

But perhaps his most controversial position is on abortion, which he totally opposes, signing earlier this year the second strictest law in the country that prohibits and punishes abortion even if the fetus suffers a physical or mental malformation. Additionally, it requires a funeral be performed after each abortion.

Pence is married with three children. For a time, he worked as a talk radio host where he became known as an ultra-conservative. He is opposed to gays and lesbians enlisting in the Armed Forces because he says that homosexuality weakens the ranks and military life. He does not like parties, claims to be an enemy of frivolity and is a complete teetotaler. He hates alcohol and to avoid temptation, will only attend events where alcoholic beverages are served if his wife goes with him.

It is increasingly hard to see how Trump could be elected, but the possibility of him winning cannot be ruled out either. Trump says more and more that Pence would be the power behind the throne; after all, he is a professional politician with experience in Washington. On the other hand, Trump is fickle, frivolous and undisciplined. Nobody thinks he will be available for the long hours the job demands. It would be a sad state of affairs with either one in power.