(ThyBlackMan.com) Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has attempted a bipartisan message, pledging to bridge the deep divide in the country and reject the anger that he says is motivating some in his party. He asserted: “If the
American people want a president to add to our division, to lead with a clenched fist, closed hand and a hard heart, to demonize the opponents and spew hatred — they don’t need me. They already have a president who does just that.”
He realizes that many special interest Democrats don’t like his “centrist” approach: “Some say Democrats don’t want to hear about unity. That they are angry — and the angrier you are — the better. That’s what they are saying to have to do to win the Democratic nomination. Well, I don’t believe it. I believe Democrats want to unify this nation. That’s what we’ve always been about. Unity.”
Pollster Mallory Newall, when asked about the call to unity given the current partisan political divide, commented: “While I think calls for unity are important, particularly after a primary season and after a convention, I just don’t know if in today’s day and age. When again, going back to how completely polarized our society is, I don’t know if people believe that we can do that.”
Newall, research director at Ipsos Public Affairs, went on to disclose that while unity is important to Democratic voters, their top priority is to find the best candidate who can beat President Trump in 2020. With over 20 candidates vying in a combative nomination battle, unity will be even harder.
Why is the only thing that can unify Democrats defeating Donald Trump? Their party has been built on identity politics. Candidates campaign on what they can do to provide special benefits for blacks, the LGBT community, women, and the list goes on. Those groups often have competing interests with each demanding special laws and bigger government and the funds to support their promises. It’s hard to unify what you have worked to already divide. Only hating Trump is a strong enough motivation to unify them.
Republicans, on the other hand, have always worked to avoid special interest differentiation. To the statement that “black lives matter” Republicans more likely respond with “All lives matter.” Seldom is one group singled out for special programs or benefits. Instead, as indicated on our coins and dollars, “E Pluribus Unum” or “Out of Many One!” No matter the color of our skin, our gender, age, or ethnic background, we are all Americans, and all Americans deserve equal rights. Equal rights do not translate into guaranteed equal outcomes. Outcomes are to be earned not distributed by an overreaching government by taking from one American to give to another.
Obviously, citizens are left with two viable choices in any election-Democrat or Republican. Unifying one’s own party to ensure a strong, winning campaign remains critical to both.
President Trump has his own challenge of unifying the GOP. He has delivered on many of his critical promises and worked hard to combat an obstructive Congress on other promises not yet accomplished, but his combative and aggressive style rubs many the wrong way. Will substantive progress in key promised changes outweigh his abrasive, New York style that rubs many Republicans and independents the wrong way? In past elections, maintaining a strong economy tends to be a primary factor for those undecided. If so, Trump wins, but that’s for elections to decide.
On this Memorial Day, all Americans should be united in honoring all those who died that we might be free. The only other thing unifying all Americans should be working to secure our precious freedoms-the freedom of speech, religion, the press, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government for a redress of grievances. Difference and the competition over products, services, ideas and politics is built into the very fabric of our republic. The winner of today is not guaranteed to win tomorrow. People on both sides of any issue are divided and motivated to make their case.
Division is what elections are about-you want your team to win, set the priorities, and drive needed change. I want the Trump team to remain in office. They are working to support and protect the earners and limit the takers from enacting more entitlement to take more. He’s freed and revitalized the economy. He’s lowered taxes, limited unnecessary regulations, fought socialistic entitlements for all but the most needy, and confirmed Supreme Court Justices who are committed to uphold rather that “reinterpret” the Constitution.
In any election, you’re not really voting for a President; you’re voting for the promises and priorities they deliver and for the people they bring with them to make it happen. The style or tweets of any given candidate is not
anywhere as important as the team they put in place and priorities and principles that guide them. Understanding that should help determine who you choose to unite behind in the upcoming election.
Written by Terry Paulson
Official website; http://twitter.com/terrypaulson
