By Senior Copywriter, D’Anne Witkowski
So how about that debate last night? I think we can definitively say that there were no winners. It also wasn’t much of a debate. It was basically an old man yelling at clouds vs. a sociopath shouting lies. One of these men really likes ice cream. The other is a convicted felon.
The whole sordid affair did not leave the American people feeling, uh, great, to say the least. Most of us are asking ourselves, “Are these really our only two choices?”
Yup, sure looks that way. But don’t panic. Panic is not productive. In fact, it’s less than productive. It depletes you. It causes you to make bad decisions. It’s a literal threat to survival.
Instead of throwing up your hands in disgust, take some deep breaths. Maybe have a glass of wine. Or a weed gummy. We all need to zoom out and look at the big picture.
If you think the choices for presidential candidates are bad now, you are going to dislike the choices for president even less if Trump wins. Because you might no longer have choices. Sound hyperbolic? Trump has already said that he wants to be a dictator. And he has demonstrated over and over that he has no use for democracy. Plus, we have a stacked Supreme Court that will never hold him accountable. And we know that Republicans never will, either.
If Trump retakes the White House, the things we want like reproductive freedom, healthcare for everyone, voting rights, and fully funded public education will be further away than ever. The extremist conservative agenda that Trump has vowed to enact is truly horrifying.
Look, you don’t have to like Biden. As far as domestic policy goes, he hasn’t been half bad. An absolute dream compared to Trump. Still, if you hate the idea of voting for Biden, think of the long game. The government isn’t just one guy (well, not yet anyway!). Down ballot races are crucial.
A shining example of this is Michigan. Democratic control across the board for the first time in decades. They’ve passed bills to protect abortion, prevent gun violence, strengthen unions, protect LGBTQ+ people, and promote clean energy. If Republicans were in control, state government would be focused on making life miserable for transgender people, banning books about Rosa Parks, and making it easier to buy assault weapons.
Also, it’s not just about elected officials. It is really important for the people who work in the government to know what they’re doing. Not only that, but the federal government is this country’s largest employer with a workforce of nearly 3 million people. If those people aren’t at least semi-competent, we are all screwed.
Bottom line: Biden has and will continue to surround himself with experienced and intelligent people who will help to mitigate his deficits. Trump surrounded and would continue to surround himself with sycophants who cater to his every whim and worst impulses. And those impulses put this country in grave danger.
We’re not in a great place as a country. But if Trump becomes president again, things will get worse by an order of magnitudes we can barely imagine. So, let’s not do that.
Love,
The Guerrilla Politic