Robert Fried’s contribution, “The Biden challenge: Moderation in defense of liberty is no vice,” (Sunday Monitor Forum, May 5) tries to present Joe Biden as the best choice of Democrats for the next presidential election. While Fried acknowledges that Biden “has made some poor choices and committed some blunders in his long decades of service,” he does not include any details of those poor choices and blunders.
As a senator, Biden voted for the Iraq War resolution and completely bungled the confirmation hearing for Anita Hill. As a result he bears responsibility for the unending consequences of that war and for the presence of Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.
Neither of these actions can be wiped away by apologizing for “poor choices or blunders.” Our candidates for public office should be judged not only by their current positions but by their prior actions.
There are a number of progressives currently running for president who have clear positions on Medicare for All, an income tax surcharge on individuals earning over $200,000 per year, taxing the 60 large corporations that paid no corporate income tax in the last year, refusing campaign contributions from wealthy people and corporations, and support for a living wage.
Joe Biden is not one of them.
Rep. ART ELLISON
Concord