Biden a vastly better candidate than Trump
Democratic strategists, liberal pundits and TV talkers of all political stripes are making a living off doubting President Joe Biden’s viability in the 2024 presidential election.
Some polls show former President Donald Trump winning! Biden’s poll numbers are bad! He’s old! The far left is mad at him!
As we sit here a good 11 months before the election, there has been widespread bed-wetting over the incumbent. Buckets of liberal tears have been shed. And it all seems, in my humble, liberal opinion, a bit ridiculous.
Trump could absolutely win ...
I will never, ever, ever again utter the words, “There’s no way Donald Trump becomes president.” Fool me once, and all that.
Trump could absolutely win the 2024 election. He has a sizable swath of the voting public so thoroughly brainwashed they’d follow him into an active volcano. And there are plenty of Republicans who claim they loathe him and talk a good game about protecting democracy but would still push the button for him in the privacy of a voting booth.
Democratic voters shouldn’t rest or feel confident for a second between now and the minute the polls close. There’s too much at stake. The threat of a second Trump term and the dictator-y nightmares it might bring are too great.
... but which candidate would you rather be right now?
That said, it’s absurd to look at the two candidates and think for a moment one doesn’t have the edge, and not just because Biden faces 91 fewer state and federal felony charges than Trump. Consider these facts:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high on Dec. 13. The S&P 500 went up 8.9% in November, one of its best monthly jumps in decades.
In the most recent jobs report, unemployment dropped to 3.7% from 3.9%. In January and April, it hit a 54-year low of 3.4%.
Columnist
Americans are starting to gain confidence in the economy
Gas prices are down and inflation is easing. The University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment is up considerably this month, from 61.3 at the end of November to 69.4, prompting this from The Wall Street Journal: “Sentiment among U.S. consumers leapt in mid-December, reversing months of declining confidence as easing inflation leaves Americans feeling brighter about the economic future.”
A recent U.S. Treasury Department report showed that wages adjusted for inflation rose 0.8% over the last year − 0.2% higher than the average wage growth in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is far from perfect, and many Americans have yet to feel the impact of these improvements, but it’s a safe bet people’s opinions on the economy will improve in the months ahead. If Trump saw these kind of figures when he was president, we never would’ve heard an end to the bragging.
Biden’s accomplishments as president have been significant
But Biden is president, so Democrats, as they are wont to do, grouse and moan and fret and wonder if there’s a younger, more dynamic candidate out there.
While painted by the right as doddering and inept, Biden has enacted wide-ranging legislation, from a $1 trillion infrastructure bill to the Inflation Reduction Act. He appointed the first Black woman to ever sit on U.S. Supreme Court. He signed the Respect for Marriage Act protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. He united NATO over the war in Ukraine. And last I checked, everyone is still allowed to say, “Merry Christmas.”
Now consider Biden’s opponent, the guy who wants ‘Muslim ban’
Biden isn’t flawless by any stretch. His age shows. He has failed to tackle illegal immigration and the dire situation along the U.S.-Mexico border. And now some liberals are furious with him for his strong support of Israel in its war against Hamas.
But let’s examine the Republican fellow Biden will almost surely be running against.
For starters, if you don’t like Biden’s handling of the Middle East, wait until you see what Trump would do. This is the man who created a Muslim
“While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.” These words conjure up images of happy children all excited for a visit from Santa and the magic of the season.
Unfortunately, for some people that Christmas magic never came. And if it did, it’s been gone for years covered over by bad luck, bad choices and the pain and loneliness that come from being homeless.
For some people, Christmastime is just another lonely day. As we decorate our trees and wrap our presents, we should think of those for whom Christmas is a painful reminder of what they don’t have.
A visit to a homeless shelter
Last week, I visited Worcester’s new homeless shelter at 611 Main St. The guests of the shelter that I talked to were kind and thoughtful. I’d like you to meet them.
Ruth, 54: When I asked Ruth if she had any fond memories of Christmas as a child, she said no. Those memories, she said, were far too painful to talk about. Ruth hasn’t talked to her siblings in decades and only talks to her own children, who are in their 30s, “every now and then.” She won’t be seeing them this Christmas.
The only time Ruth smiled was when she was talking about Nate — they’ve been together for about four years.
Nate, 57: If you met Nate anyplace else, you’d never guess that he was homeless. Tall and handsome, he was a construction worker until he had an accident and then his world started to unravel. Before coming to the shelter, he had been living on the streets.
Nate laughed sarcastically when I asked him how he felt about Christmas. But still he was looking forward to spending time with some of his five daughters and three grandchildren.
Nate has happy memories of his childhood Christmas days. He remembers the smell of nutmeg, cinnamon and apple spice. Now, his Christmas wish is for an apartment for him and his partner, Ruth.
Izzy, 34: Izzy had a complicated start to his life. With both a biological family and an adoptive family, he started drinking after his adoptive mother died when he was only 11. His father and older sister used alcohol as a way to cope with her death, and they let young Izzy join in. Still, he has fond memories of childhood Christmastime.
Handsome, well-spoken and filled with personality, Izzy served in the Navy and came to Massachusetts from Montana for services being provided by Veterans Inc. Before he came to this shelter, he was living in a tent.
His one Christmas wish is that he could see his 12year-old daughter, whom he hasn’t seen in about 10 years.
Nicole, 51: Originally from Macon, Georgia, Nicole has a warm smile and huge brown eyes. The baby among other sisters, she remembers waking up in the middle of the night as a child to open presents.
If it wasn’t for this shelter, Nicole, who has been homeless for about three years, would be sleeping outside. And yet, she still loves Christmas. This year for Christmas, she says that she wants to go to church because God comes first. She hopes that her 22-year-old daughter, who lives in New Bedford, comes to visit, and she’s hoping to see her mother, who lives in Wayland.
David, 35: David’s relatively short life has been controlled by his addiction and he carries its physical scars.
He said that he has lots of good memories of childhood Christmastimes. But today, Christmas is just another day. He has a brother and sister that he doesn’t see, but he does talk to his mom. His Christmas wish was that he could see her and tell her that “I love her.”
Sherry, 37: The entire time we spoke, Sherry almost never lifted her eyes or raised her voice above a whisper. The oldest of five, she grew up in Worcester. The victim of addiction, she says that she has no real memories of Christmas growing up. Divorced, Sherry still wears her wedding and engagement rings, symbols of a happier time.
She said that Christmas has no meaning for her – just another day. But her wish is that she could be home with her two children. She hasn’t seen her youngest, an 11-year-old son, in about two years.
Nicole, 52: When you meet Nicole you are immediately struck by how gentle and kind she is. As I spoke to her, she sat away from the other guests on a cot with her few belongings nearby. Born in Fall River, she’s been homeless and living in a tent since March.
She hasn’t seen her only brother “in a few years” and hasn’t seen her mom, who is still living in Fall River, in about two years.
Nicole has “really good memories” of Christmastime growing up. But now, for her, Christmas is just another day. Her one Christmas wish is that she could see her mom.
This Christmas
Unfortunately, I doubt that my new friends will have their Christmas wishes fulfilled. Most of them won’t be reunited with loved ones. And there just aren’t many apartments to go around.
As Christmas nears, most of us envision our children’s and grandchildren’s excitement, their visions of sugarplums. But for those living on the street, their visions for a happy Christmas are much less lofty. They hope for a roof to sleep under, a mom or a child to hug, and maybe the help and support that will one day lead them to a place where they can look forward to celebrating Christmas with family and friends once again.
NOTE: I don’t think Santa has the time to visit the homeless shelters so maybe we can help. The guests of the shelter are in need of winter hats, boots, gloves and socks. They also need men and women’s toiletries. You can drop them off at the shelter at 611 Main St. or their sister shelters at 25 Queen St. and 237 Chandler St. Your help would be appreciated.
Email Raymond V. Mariano at rmariano.telegram@gmail.com. He served four terms as mayor of Worcester and previously served on the City Council and School Committee. He grew up in Great Brook Valley and holds degrees from Worcester State College and Clark University. He was most recently executive director of the Worcester Housing Authority. His column appears weekly in the Sunday Telegram. His endorsements do not necessarily reflect the position of the Telegram & Gazette.