To the editor:
In the last three weeks, much has been said about both Biden’s candidacy and the SCOTUS decision in favor of Presidential immunity. I want to relate the Presidential race, in light of the court’s decision, to the need to restore trust among the many thousands of political volunteers whose work gets the party’s job done.
Our party needs its volunteers working with enthusiasm from now through November — people like me. We will not be as effective as needed if we are dispirited, because that psychological state makes workers disinclined to spend time and energy on a disappointing task. To work vigorously and consistently, we need to believe in our candidates and party.
There are important races and issues on the ballot in Ohio. Senator Brown is up for re-election, several state Supreme Court positions are on the ballot, and voters will decide on a fair districting amendment. With huge success, petition circulators gathered signatures for the anti-gerrymandering amendment where I live, SE Ohio. Thousands of Ohioans are currently working for Democratic Party interests. It is counterproductive to undercut our trust and enthusiasm. I fear that Biden’s name at the top of the ballot may now do that.
We have had depressing news. Inexplicably and inexcusably, Biden’s performance in the debate on June 22 was a disaster. His campaign chose the date, time, and debate format, and prepared the President, with the stated goal of improving poll numbers. Biden’s shockingly bad performance showed him unable to rebut Trump’s lies, answer questions coherently, or even appear awake. Biden must have been doing his best, and that was shockingly bad. Further, the President’s condition could not have been a new one. The campaign had to have known how bad it was and lied about it. The party I want to trust was gaslighting us about the standard bearer’s capabilities and limitations.
In a confluence of misfortune, SCOTUS declared a president immune for life from prosecution for any “official” act. A president is above the law. Not long ago I would have found that unthinkable. The consequences of a Trump election victory are now themselves almost unthinkable. But we must face them. If Trump can break the law with impunity — and he has been breaking laws as a way of life for years — he will take advantage of that license. He has threatened to investigate and indict his enemies, massively deport immigrants and undesirables, and send the military against protesters, among other things. Now the law cannot stop him from enacting his threats and avoiding accountability.
I do believe we are in worse trouble than we have been in for 160 years. We all know that we urgently need to stop the attacks against the norms and legal foundations of our democracy. We need to prevent a would-be autocrat, who is also a convicted felon and sexual assailant, from returning to the White House.
So why isn’t the Democratic Party leadership of smart, energetic, experienced persons efficiently facing the crisis? We need a presidential candidate who can win and then govern with vigor. Democratic Party operatives, elected officials, and famous faces continue to fuss about whether to replace Biden with a credible candidate. It’s time.
If President Biden remains in the race, I will not only vote for him, I will also work for his election. I’d try to elect an aardvark rather than have Trump win. But how will I work? Disappointedly, resentfully, sullenly, angrily. Will I be unusual in this? I don’t think so. Democratic Party, you have apparently forgotten that the state of mind of the thousands of election worker bees matters for the quality and quantity of effort you get from us. Dems are behind in the race, and the gap seems to be increasing. Winning against Trump is going to be very hard. You need me and so many others to believe in the viability and basic honesty of the candidate and the campaign. Don’t blow this. America as we aspire to have it become is at stake.
Birch Moonwoman
Nelsonville, Ohio
