Principles over policy

To the Editor:

Republican friends have told me they voted for Donald Trump not because they were fond of him, but because they simply want conservative policies. I've done the same — I'm a moderate liberal and have voted a straight Democratic ticket when I wasn't inspired by the candidates. But I can honestly say I have never voted for any candidate I knew to be of low character or unsound judgment.

Most of us know how we want our government to function, and we vote accordingly. Then we go home and have dinner and watch a movie. Life rolls on, and four years later we do it all over again.

But Donald Trump has transformed our politics into a war. He has used every tool at his disposal to inject social conflict and division into our lives. Since the day he came down the golden escalator to announce his candidacy, he has tirelessly vilified Democrats to the extent that Republicans barely consider us Americans anymore. He has caused permanent rifts between relatives, friends and neighbors with no thought for the scars it will leave on Americans for years. He has been perfectly comfortable damaging our lives this way, so I do not see any reason to trust him to make decisions about our tax dollars or to deal wisely with other superpowers on our behalf. I don't trust his motivations or his judgment.

Meanwhile, polls show Joe Biden at just 42% approval among Democrats. I am asking Dems to focus on keeping our White House and our future out of Donald Trump's grasp. If Trump retakes the White House in 2024 because we were immersed in individual social issues, stalled social progress will be the least of our losses. Eyes on the big picture, Dems. Rene Mayo

Jamestown