Biden has qualifications to be president
Four years ago, the IJ endorsed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. We argued that she was, by far, the best qualified for the job of president of our nation.
Four years of Trump as president has offered a record that proved us right.
In fact, he has not grown into the job — as had been generously predicted by his supporters. He has built a tenure of divisive partisanship, public bullying, schoolyard name calling, unilateral decision making and secretive leadership. Now, he won’t even promise there will be a peaceful transition of power should he be defeated.
He needs to be defeated — and convincingly.
His behavior during the September debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden was a culmination of the kind of bullying and disrespectful leadership that has dominated his term as president.
It is time for voters to demand change and reject Trump’s political leadership; one that has deepened our nation’s divides, foments disinformation and has shown little interest in democratic decision making.
Trump’s leadership style has been on full public view as our nation has seen the deadly consequence of the virulent spread of the coronavirus.
Trump was painfully slow to act, to help build our nation’s awareness and defenses. Today, more than 215,000 Americans have died.
Even Trump and members of his inner- circle have contracted the disease, but the president still treats protective masks and science with disdain, sending the absolutely wrong message to a public that is still susceptible to COVID-19 and its harm — personally and economically.
Even in global affairs, Trump’s leadership has been a step backward. Longtime alliances have been frayed.
There was roomfor improvement in our relations with Russia, but Trump has steadfastly chosen to ignore disturbing measures advanced by President Vladimir Putin. The president has backed Putin while publicly ignoring and dismissing findings and advice from our intelligence forces.
Trump also became only the third president in our history to have been impeached by Congress.
Although he lost the popular vote to Clinton by nearly 3 million voters, Trump’s 2016 victorywas in the Electoral College. And instead of uniting a deeply divided nation, he has decided to ignore and disparage those who disagree with his leadership and objectives.
The Democratic nominee is former vice president Joe Biden, a veteran lawmaker who, for eight years, served as President Barack Obama’s second. Biden’s experience and leadership are needed to heal and re-unite our nation.
His decades of experience in Congress and the White House offer our nation a return to collaborative and respectful leadership. His pick of California Sen. Kamala Harris underscores that focus.
Biden’s mature and methodical respect for science surely is a more healthful prescription to the one filled with empty promises and predictions and misguided wishful thinking offered from Trump.
Biden is respectful and pragmatic. He puts people first, ahead of political and personal gain.
He is going to work on improving rather than dismantling the Affordable Care Act, making it better and fair for patients, physicians and insurance companies.
He’s going to build a collaborative response to gun violence rather than ignoring it.
He’s going to respond to the Black Lives Matter outcry with meaningful systemic reforms rather than pouring political gasoline on protests or ridiculing the demonstrations. Biden deplores White supremacists while Trump instead urges them to “stand back and stand by.”
He is going to work toward making science-based progress in our nation and the world’s response to climate change rather than dismissing it with disbelief.
He is going to be presidential, setting an example in demeanor and a style of leadership that will again make us proud of the office and its holder.
Biden has the qualifications to do the job. He is the experienced and thoughtful leader we can turn to and trust.
The IJ recommends the election of Joe Biden.