THE CASE AGAINST TRUMP

 September 17, 2020

I am a permanent resident in the USA and I can’t vote, but here is why I would vote for Biden on November 3:

·       We can’t allow an unscrupulous cheater and liar to lead our government and the world; how bad Trump is will only come out when all pending lawsuits against him and his ‘enterprises’ and campaigns are brought to verdict and the history of his (mis)administration is written. Ultimately, it comes down to character and values.

·       I disagree with people saying that a Biden presidency would result in a socialist regime. Likelihood is that Biden/Harris will govern largely in the same manner as Clinton and Obama and stay far away from the left wing of the Democrats, even if the Democrats were also to control both chambers in Congress. They are not stupid and, if they win in 2020, they won’t want to give it all back in 2022 and 2024; the American people won’t stand for Jerry Corbyn (Labour) type socialism and they know it.

·       Trump is only aggravating an already unacceptable level of inequality and he is messing with our system of government and the environment. Another four years of this will set us back further than we can afford.

·       Give Trump a second term and he will be given the power to install a Supreme Court that, for decades, will be ultra conservative and conflict with the prevailing public opinion.

·       Trump will have to accept at least partial responsibility for the mismanagement of the COVID pandemic and the toll it has taken upon the lives of people and economy of the nation. He is complicit in the death of a large share of the 200,000 COVID deaths America has suffered so far in 2020 and is solely responsible for the painful truth that America’s share of global COVID deaths far exceeds its share of the world population.

·       Trump’s trade policies will prove to be detrimental, particularly his withdrawal from TPP; it opened the space for China, which has promptly taken the territory.

·       Trump alienates all of America’s traditional allies and makes no attempt to mend fences when they accept legitimate criticism and come to the table.

·       I fundamentally disagree with any policy that abandons existing structures without putting something better in place (ACA, Paris accord, Iran accord, WHO); what is next NATO, WTO?

·       Trump’s idolization of authoritarians like Kim Jong Un, Putin, Erdogan, Orban, and Bolsonaro is indicative of where his political inclinations are; he is already speaking about a third or fourth term, no matter the XXII Amendment.

·       I fundamentally disagree with Trump’s inhumane and counterproductive immigration policies, even limiting legal immigration and access for foreign students.

·       I will judge a person in large part by the company he keeps; look at the unsavory crew that Trump has kept himself surrounded by.

·       Trump is not just a narcissistic bully; he is a danger to our most basic democratic and constitutional values and principles.

·       Yes, it is clear from the above that my vote would be more a vote against Trump than a vote for Biden (much less the Democrats in general), but that is the result of the Republican Party's abandonment of its values, beliefs and principles in nominating a populist for the highest office in the land.