Our country needs a transition. We’ve swung hard in one direction, a swing further than we’ve seen in my lifetime. Many sense an unsteadiness, even shock; our public discourse is filled with misinformation and lies. We need to steady the ship.
We are used to the pendulum swinging, from Reagan/Bush to Clinton, Clinton to Bush, and Bush to Obama. These are normal swings. However, discontent had been building under the surface for a while, and the pendulum swung hard with Trump. We risk an equivalent swing back in 2020.
A radical swing would be paralyzing and presage more societal volatility. Gridlock would worsen, and frustration across the political spectrum would increase. These conditions won’t bring real, sustainable change.
Much gained under Obama has been rolled back, i.e. climate/environmental standards, nutrition standards and checks on corporate influence. More wealth has been given to the richest 1% via severely uneven tax cuts. We need to steady the ship and recapture lost ground. We need moral normalcy in the White House to bring back respect for the office and lead to bipartisanship.
This isn’t a time for radical change.
The next president can take this country forward in a significant and unified way. Electing Joe Biden will make this path more possible. He can begin the process of change, focusing on policies with strong public support, i.e. building on the Affordable Care Act, addressing climate change and re-establishing global leadership. Joe Biden can be a bridge to the future. Let’s bring him a victory on Feb. 11.
MARK KAPLAN
Boscawen