Trump Voters: There is a Place for You in Biden’s America
Joe values responsibility, shared prosperity, and a commitment to mutual respect
One of the Democrats’ core beliefs is that people ought to be free to live the good life, one of their choosing. This inclusiveness is why the Democrats have such a big tent, meaning that people with a wide range of views and interests can coexist. Most want an energetic government that looks after the needs of its people. Democrats also want to be accepted for who they are, no matter their gender, race, religion, or life choices.
Such varied interests can lead to infighting, which motivated one of the more memorable quotes about the party:
I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat.
— Will Rogers
Such quibbling is not without its merits. One of the core skills needed for self-government is that people can work towards common goals despite longstanding arguments.
A functioning democracy requires compromise and respect for other parties. Democrats can apply such tolerance to erstwhile Trump voters. While there may not be many areas of agreement between a typical Trump voter and a typical Biden voter, one may be a desire to uphold responsible government.
One of the core tenets of conservatism is personal responsibility. This means people ought to work hard to take care of self and family and uphold commitments to friends and neighbors. When things go wrong, one should own up to mistakes and endeavor to fix them.
We have not witnessed President Trump exhibit personal responsibility. When things go wrong, he lies and deflects. Everyone else is to blame for his failings. Trump was more than happy to take credit from the strong economy he inherited from President Obama. But when the President was caught flat-footed (maybe it was the bone spurs) by the pandemic, he has alternated between pretending there isn’t a problem and blaming everyone else for what has happened.
Does a general blame his troops for losing a battle? Does a manager blame his employees when business declines? Does a coach blame his players for losing the game? Does a priest blame the flock for their sins?
A president is a general, manager, coach, and moral leader all-in-one. When things go well, a good leader will spread praise and share prosperity. When things go poorly, a good leader will take ownership and work harder than ever to right the ship.
Instead of blaming the Chinese for letting COVID-19 get out of hand, President Trump should have done what he could to protect Americans in the months before it hit our shores. We needed a president who would listen to expert advice, build a plan, and coordinate action backed by the federal government’s great resources. What we saw instead was a man without a plan, an Ostrich head in the sand.
If Democrats and Republicans can agree one thing, it’s about the extraordinary responsibilities of the President.
Trump and his most ardent supporters know this and want to keep people divided by fear. He wants people to be scared of ANTIFA mobs and racial tensions. The next time you watch Fox News, ask yourself: am I more anxious and angry than before I switched on the TV?
As for the ANTIFA “menace,” my theory is that these small groups of window smashers will go the way of the MS-13 in conservative rhetoric. MS-13 is a gang that Trump highlighted as an impending threat to America’s safety in the lead-up to the 2018 midterms. But for some reason, this significant threat has hardly been mentioned since the election. The truth is the MS-13 threat was exaggerated to scare people, which is exactly what is happening with ANTIFA.
This November, don’t buy the lies or the fear campaign. Demand responsibility from our government.
