Fellow Republicans, Vote Biden
The biggest, most beautiful, most perfect RINO in the world is Donald J. Trump!
On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, I will vote for Joseph R. Biden Jr.
For the first time in my life, I will vote for the Democratic candidate. This ends a string of votes: Bush (‘88), Bush (‘92), Dole (‘96), Bush (‘00), Bush (‘04), McCain (‘08), Romney (‘12), McMullin (‘16). Have my views on policy changed over the last 30 years or has the Republican Party abandoned its’ core values?
The Foundation of My Politics
I was born in Gary, Indiana to working-class parents; a machinist and a bank teller. The late 1960’s were turbulent times in Gary and filled with uncertainty. When I was two years old, my parents abandoned both the racial tension and their quaint lakeside home for suburban Chicago. As a toddler, my life was already being shaped by the conflict between what America is and what it wants to be.
In the mid ‘70s, my father started his own business, a custom machine shop. The American dream played out before my eyes. Hard work, intelligence, persistence, mixed with a little good fortune resulted in a thriving business employing around 20 people. Some of those employees were recent immigrants from Mexico; pursuing their own American dream. Taxes, regulation, interest rates, immigration, international trade and automation; I saw how these policy issues impacted small business. I didn’t know at the time, but this is where I developed business empathy; empathy for how government policy impacts fellow citizens, not directly, but through the businesses they are employed by. To summarize: Government, stay out of the way and let free enterprise thrive.
While business empathy is foundational to my political beliefs, my beliefs are not one dimensional. America is not an idealistic meritocracy. While everyone has a chance to achieve the American Dream, opportunity is muted by many factors such as race and economic standing early in life. Equality in education and the elimination of all biases are required to fulfill America’s destiny. America’s diversity is the core of its strength. Diversity has never been and never will be easy. However, the ongoing journey toward universal equality is the source of America’s everlasting greatness. Government must drive diversity and equality to catalyze the greatness of its citizens.
My Core Political Principles
- A strong national defense. Nothing is possible without Rule of Law and the enforcement of rights granted to individuals by the Constitution.
- A government that enables the success of its citizens regardless of their sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin or sexual orientation.
- A lean and efficient government that enables free enterprise and avoids overreach of individual rights.
- A government that promotes free and fair global trade to enable the expansion of American values and improve the overall human condition.
- A government that drives and sponsors long term societal research & development that is not otherwise enabled by free enterprise.
Why am I voting for Joe Biden? Joe Biden best supports 4 of 5 of my core political principles.
Strong National Defense/Rule of Law (Advantage Biden):
A strong national defense is not singularly defined by the how much money is spent. America is not alone in the world and it is critical that we stand by our allies; in particular NATO. American interests are best served by supporting democracy around the world and rejecting dictators. Rule of Law is a prerequisite. Trump consistently ignores both political norms and actual laws that are in place to avoid political corruption and conflict of interest.
A government that enables the success of its citizens regardless of their sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin or sexual orientation (Advantage Biden)
Trump’s lacks leadership and empathy. Trump has failed to mediate social inequities in a way that enables the success of citizens. He shows clear biases based on national origin, race, creed and sexual orientation. In contrast, Biden pledges to unite the county and focus on our similarities instead of our differences.
A lean and efficient government that enables free enterprise and avoids overreach of individual rights (Advantage Trump)
Trump has clearly reduced regulation enabling business to invest, innovate and grow. Biden’s lacks business empathy, perhaps driven by the absence of entrepreneurial life experiences. On individual rights, I feel that both Trump and Biden wrap themselves in hypocrisy. For Trump: you should have few restrictions on purchasing a gun, but restrictions on a woman’s right to choose. For Biden, just flip it around. Call me a libertarian if you wish.
A government that promotes free and fair global trade to enable the expansion of American values and improve the overall human condition (Advantage Biden)
Free and fair global trade lifts the standard of living of America as we leverage our diversity and free enterprise. It’s not just about what America imports, it is also about what we export. We must have fair trade with China. However, trade wars that cause large and rapid fluctuations in tariffs endanger American businesses. Trump has failed to improve the fairness of trade with China and instead placed American exports at risk.
Biden supports the lowering of trade barriers and fair trade. More importantly, Biden supports building a global collation to fight unfair Chinese trade practices. Given China’s economic power, Trump has proven that unilateral actions are ineffective.
A government that drives and sponsors long term societal research & development that is not otherwise enabled by free enterprise (Advantage Biden)
American funding of core R&D is the foundation for America’s current economic power. Although the space program was catalyzed by geo-political competition, it showed the power of national level strategic investments in science and technology. America must match the strategic investments being made by China and EU nations to remain a relevant economic power in the second half of the 21st century.
Trump’s reluctance to accept the need to rapidly reduce the global reliance on fossil fuels has ceded American leadership in renewable energy to Europe and China. Biden has a pragmatic view on Climate Change that enables American leadership.
Trump has revitalized NASA’s human spaceflight program by pledging to return humans to the moon by 2024. Biden has indicated continued support for this initiative.
RINO (Republican in Name Only)
Did my politics change in the last 30 years or did the Republican Party abandon its core values?
The biggest, most beautiful, most perfect RINO in the the world is Donald J. Trump!
