I’m voting Joe Biden
This is the third in a series of pieces I will be writing between now and November 3rd, 2020. The first is here and the second is here.
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” — Abraham Lincoln
The United States is a Constitutional Republic where every 4 years the people of the several states can vote to instruct the electors from their state to cast their ballot for President of the United States in the electoral college.
I love the United States of America. I love our people. All of our people. In an attempt to place myself in the shoes of all of my brothers and sisters I want to place myself in the shoes of the people who support each of the two main candidates AND those who won’t vote. The first essay was the Case for Donald Trump. The second essay is the Case for Joe Biden. This essay will be who I am voting for and why. The final essay will be why people won’t vote in 2020.
My Vote
I am voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 general election. That is bad news for Joe. I voted McCain in 08, Romney in 12, Clinton in 16. 3 straight losers. I am voting for Joe and I hope he advances basically zero of his policy objectives (with the big exception of immigration).
If Joe wins, he will have a terrible 4 year run. Its going to be really tough. Volatility at home and abroad will be enormous. The economy will be a dumpster fire for a good long while. The culture wars will get hotter. Foreign powers will be at each other’s throats. Who would want this job?
Why?
I am a small government, god fearing, bible loving, free markets, free trade, and fiscal conservative. Why on earth would I vote for Joe Biden who has a very left of center agenda? Frankly, because Trump is THAT bad. Admiral Wililam McRaven (who I wish would run for President) makes the case well.
Donald Trump has no compassion or leadership skills. Arthur Brooks gave a great speech at the National Day of Prayer on February 6th. Trump was acquitted in the Senate on February 5th after the impeachment trial before the US Senate. Arthur Brooks’ remarks were titled “Love your Enemies.” In that speech he said:
Today I get to talk to you about the biggest crisis facing our nation, and many other nations today, its the crisis of contempt and polarization that is tearing our societies apart…In the crisis lies the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had as people of faith to lift our nations up and to bring our people together…To start us today on this path of new thinking about the crisis of contempt and polarization I want to turn to the words of the ultimate new thinker. Histories greatest social entrepreneur and as a catholic, my personal Lord and Savior, Jesus. Here’s what he said as recorded in the Gospel Saint Matthew chapter 5 verse 44. “You’ve heard it said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of the father in Heaven.”
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So moral courage is not standing up to the people with whom you disagree. Moral courage is standing up to people with whom you agree on behalf of those who you disagree. Can you do it? Are you up for it? Why do it?
What do you think Trump said after he heard that speech? It was his first public appearance after the impeachment and what do you think he said?
Thank you. Well, thank you very much. I’m working very hard for you, I will tell you. (Laughter.) And sometimes you don’t make it easy, and I certainly don’t make it easy on you. (Laughter.) And I will continue that tradition, if I might, this morning. And, Arthur, I don’t know if I agree with you. (Laughter.) But I don’t know if Arthur is going to like what I’m going to say. (Laughter.) But I love listening to you. It’s really great. Thank you very much.
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As everybody knows, my family, our great country, and your President, have been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people. They have done everything possible to destroy us, and by so doing, very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country.
Weeks ago, and again yesterday, courageous Republican politicians and leaders had the wisdom, the fortitude, and strength to do what everyone knows was right. I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong. Nor do I like people who say, “I pray for you,” when they know that that’s not so.
Its a layup people. There was a call to leadership by Arthur Brooks. He quotes Jesus. Trump SIMPLY HAS TO GET UP THERE AND SAY, “Arthur, you are right. Nancy Pelosi (who was at this same meeting and gave the opening prayer) I forgive you and I hold no ill will.” Its easy. A middle school kid knows that is what is supposed to happen. Instead, Trump just took digs at the “corrupt.” (He was specifically calling out Mitt Romney who invoked his faith when he voted to impeach the president AND Nancy Pelosi who just prayed for the President at the start of the meeting). Trump can’t get his own party’s senators together to vote on a stimulus package LET ALONE reach across the aisle and work with Democrats. He isn’t capable of leading anything.
Baseless Conspiracy Theories
Trump thrives on conspiracy theories. QAnon as a phenomenon has flourished during the Trump years.
He proved that once again tonight, when NBC’s Savannah Guthrie confronted him about Q during the network’s town hall, as Trump first claimed not to know what QAnon was and then voiced sympathy with its supposed central tenet. “What I do hear about it is they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that,” the president said. “I do agree with that.”
“But they’re not a satanic cult?” Guthrie asked.
“I don’t know that,” Trump replied.
The question — “Can you once and for all denounce QAnon in its entirety?” — had been a layup for Trump, an opportunity for him to signal to middle-of-the-road voters that he is not, in fact, crazy, and to the conspiracy theorists of America that they should give up this delusion. It was remarkably similar to the shot Trump had in the first debate to unequivocally condemn white supremacy, which resulted in another infamous air ball. (Pressed on that by Guthrie tonight, Trump quickly denounced white supremacy and then quickly pivoted to railing against antifa.)
This was not the first time Trump has praised QAnon, which the FBI has called a domestic terrorism threat. “I heard these are people that love our country,” he said in August. By one count, he has amplified Twitter accounts that promote QAnon more than 200 times. But the question tonight came in front of an enormous audience, and once again, the president could not bring himself to criticize a group, however large or small, that provides him with loyal support. Trump’s opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, had no such trouble denouncing QAnon last month; he called the movement “embarrassing” and “dangerous,” suggesting that its followers take advantage of the mental-health benefits in the Affordable Care Act.
He promotes wild speculators like Alex Jones, Mike Cernovich, and anonymous trolls on the internet who have all created a dangerous environment for real ideas and solutions to America’s problems. These conspiracy theorist directly lead to arrests regarding a kidnapping scheme against Michigan Governor Whitmer.
Baseless insanity is encouraged by the President. That has to stop. Immediately. Only a Joe Biden vote will accomplish that.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden is a decent man. Clearly, the Biden family has made money off being powerful.
I. Don’t. Care.
I also don’t care that Trump is making money for his family in the White House.
I. Don’t. Care.
Joe Biden is a decent man who is trying to do things the right way. Here is just one of COUNTLESS examples of kindness he has show:
Here is another:
Joe Biden is dedicated to trying to heal the country and get Americans to like each other again. In a speech he gave at Gettysburg on October 6th of this year:
I’m running as a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president. I’ll work with Democrats and Republicans. I’ll work as hard for those who don’t support me, as those who do. That’s the job of a president; the duty to care for everyone. It was a lot of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another is not due to some mysterious force beyond our control. It’s a decision. It’s a choice we make.
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If I’m elected president, I will Marshall the ingenuity and Goodwill of this nation to turn division into unity and bring us together because I think people are looking for that. We can disagree about how as we move forward, we must take the first steps. It starts with how we treat one another. How we talk to one another. How we respect one another.
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You and I are part of a covenant, a common story of divisions overcome and hope renewed. If we do our part, if we stand together, if we keep faith with the past and with each other, then the divisions of our time will give way to the dreams of a brighter, better future. This is our work. This is our pledge. This is our mission. We can end this era of division. We can end the hate and the fear. We can be what we are at our best, the United States of America. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you. We can do this.
That's it people. A decent man versus a rude, crude, maniac. I don’t need to look at the policy issues. Its clear to me. One of the deceased leaders of my church said:
“No matter how good a government is, unless it is administered by righteous men, an evil government will be made of it.” (Journal of Discourses, 10:177.)
I don’t care how many good things Trump “stands” for. I don’t. Trump makes good ideas stink. He will make ANY good conservative idea or policy positions unpalatable for most Americans. Trump makes good ideas look bad.
The Most Important Election of Our Lifetimes Will Be 2024
My hope is that Joe Biden wins and then chooses not to run again in 2024 (age and weight of the presidency). Trump’s stench will have cycled (mostly) out of presidential politics by 2024 and the primaries for both parties. I think the Trump stench helped Biden in his primary. His good character in contrast to Trump’s was what drove the Democratic Primary in 2019–2020 (it wasn’t about the ideas and policy positions. It wasn’t.)
Dems and Repubs will have a “clean slate” going into 2024. The two parties will FINALLY figure out what they stand for. Two new candidates will (hopefully) make 2024 about ideas and not about CHARACTER. Whoever wins in 2024 sets the table for the next 20 years of politics.
Biden allow all of us to start with a clean slate going into 2024.
-Nate
