Back in 2014 or 2015, sometime before I learned the lessons that were to come in 2016 and beyond I told my friend that American politics needs an outsider to run for president. Someone that is a true leader. While I wasn’t someone that agreed with Ralph Nader’s politics. I did agree with the sentiment that the lesser of two evils is still evil, and as it turned out I was completely wrong in every regard.
What we have learned from 2016 and beyond is that while Obama and Bush weren’t perfect presidents or perfect people they were and are at their core good people who wanted the best for the American people. They both made mistakes as President of the United States, but they felt they were doing the right thing. Yet we viewed these men as evil and part of a corrupt system. We were taken in by the idea that, somewhere out there, there was the perfect candidate that could solve all the ills of the world.
Along came Donald Trump, promising to singlehandedly solve all the ills of the world. The problem was, for Donald Trump and his supporters, those ills were black and brown people and anyone who isn’t American by birth. It was very clear from the moment Donald Trump burst on the scene we could no longer pretend we were voting for the lesser of two evils. America has no seen evil and, more importantly, we have seen what happens when evil is given the highest office in the land.
With the Trump presidency in its death throws and Joe Biden about to become the 46th President of the United States we have learned many lessons. Chief among those is the need for our elected officials to understand the system they are being given stewardship of. Donald Trump does not believe in that system. Donald Trump believes only in the power of Donald Trump. He believes he has a right to power and that that power should be wheedled in a way that benefits Donald Trump. He doesn’t care about children separated from parents or hundreds of thousands dead from a disease he could have contained or thousands of Americans losing their livelihood due to an economic crisis he caused. Donald Trump cares only about Donald Trump and staying in power.
Trump and his supporters deride Joe Biden for his 47 years of public service. They ask why he didn’t solve all the problems facing America over that time. As most of the problems we face today and will face over the next four years were caused by Donald Trump I have no idea what they mean nor do I believe they do either. Trump and his supporters like to parrot the rhetoric they are fed.
Joe Biden is not the lesser of two evils. Joe Biden is a good man. You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. You can watch his interactions with the American people and feel he cares. Joe Biden has suffered. First when he lost his first wife in young daughter in a horrific traffic accident and latter when his son Beau Biden died from brain cancer. Joe Biden understand what it means to lose and that is why when he looks through the TV and speaks to the American people about helping to unite us, to ease our suffering, and put right what has now gone wrong I believe him.
Donald Trump has proven to me that what we need in American politics, is not an outsider, but an insider. The age of the politic elite and the win at all cost mentality is still worth railing against, but an outsider is not the solution. Search among the politicians for the public servants. Find the people that hold an office of public trust because they want to give back. Because they want to make the world a better place and set us on a path that not only benefits us now but makes life easier for future generations.
While Donald Trump has shown me what true evil in the White House looks like. Joe Biden has shown me that there are good people holding offices of public trust. Public servants with a mind toward the public good and the betterment of life for all Americans. Today American has won a great victory and one of our better angels has been given the opportunity to restore and rebuild the soul of this nation.
David Huzzard Writes 