America stands at the precipice: If we re-elect Donald Trump, he will become completely unchained, emboldened to do whatever he wants to do and punish anyone who gets in his way. He’ll continue to emasculate the justice system and ignore the principle of legislative oversight. He’ll clamp down on the media, threatening reprisals for what he deems to be unfavorable treatment. He’ll become ever more cozy with the foreign dictators whom he admires and ever more dismissive of our allies.
Trump has developed a blindly loyal cult of MAGA supporters; they’ve drunk the Kool Aid, and they’re not about to jump ship. They seem to be beyond convincing. They’re fine with his constant lies and bullying. They believe that their guy can do no wrong. Heil, Trump! Sadly, he’s cowed spineless GOP Senators and Representatives, who remain fearful of his tweets and reluctant to offend their Trump-loving constituents.
Trump must be ousted from office in 2020 or our very democracy is at risk. All things considered, I believe that Joe Biden stands a good chance of beating Donald Trump. Although many of the other candidates conducted better campaigns — most notably Elizabeth Warren — Biden remains the tried-and-true best bet.
He will be aided, happily, by the vast resources and huge campaign staff of Michael Bloomberg, whose campaign screeched to a halt after Super Tuesday.
At the outset, many Democrats protested a Bloomberg candidacy saying, “We can’t have another arrogant white male billionaire in the Oval Office!” Likening Bloomberg to Trump is highly questionable.
First of all, Trump can’t prove that he’s a billionaire, as he won’t reveal his taxes or other financial documents. Beyond that, Bloomberg is very different from Donald Trump.
Trump says climate change is a hoax, and he pulled America out of the Paris Agreement. Bloomberg wants to restore America’s global leadership in dealing with climate change. He’s led the national fight against climate change, helping shut down 300 coal-fired plants.
Trump worked to cut taxes for the wealthy, while falsely claiming that all Americans would benefit. Bloomberg plans to repeal the 2017 tax cuts and institute a 5 percent surcharge on incomes over $5 million.
The Trump Foundation was dissolved, accused of a shocking pattern of illegality. Moreover, and not surprisingly given his lifelong pattern of grift and deceit, Trump seems to be using the Oval Office as a way to enrich himself and his family. The Bloomberg Foundation, in stark contrast, is the 12th largest foundation in the U.S., focusing on the environment, public health, the arts, government innovation and education.
Driven by his “Christian” evangelical base, Trump has sought to overturn Roe vs Wade and make it difficult for women to get abortions. As Mayor of NYC, Bloomberg removed barriers to give women access to birth control, and he promises to appoint judges who will protect a woman’s right to choose.
Trump has cozied up to the NRA, often for questionable reasons, while claiming to his supporters that Democrats want to take away their guns. He and his GOP lawmakers have fought any and all gun regulations, although most Americans favor responsible gun control. Bloomberg, in contrast, wants to pass regulations requiring thorough background checks; moreover, he wants to pass a federal ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
My own thinking has taken twists and turns throughout the campaign, and I suspect I’m not alone. I started out favoring Biden; then I switched to Klobuchar when Joe seemed off his game; I then became intrigued with a Bloomberg candidacy until his Stop and Frisk strategy cooled my ardor. So I returned to Klobuchar; and finally to Biden, as Klobuchar’s campaign never got traction.
Joe Biden is a “good guy” who’s been around for decades, loyally serving his country, although not, in fairness, always making the best decisions. Joe is a safe choice, although some people question his current mental ability. At the very least, he would bring a return to sanity and civility in the
Oval Office. As one of my bumper stickers reads, “Basic Decency, 2020.”
It’s time to end the chaos, time to make a sensible choice to preserve our democracy, time to elect a unifier, time to remove the scourge in the White House.
David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com.
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