Normally I would never donate money to any campaign or candidate. Explaining to my fellow Americans WHY I support a candidate or position in the open marketplace of ideas has always seemed to me the truer, more democratic form of support. Contributing to a campaign is basically paying someone else to speak for you. Democracy works best when we speak for ourselves with our own voices.
Still, tonight, I made my first ever campaign contribution to Joe Biden's campaign.
Why? Because in this moment, the focus is not on the ideas of the campaign at all. The focus is on the fear, misplaced I believe, that Biden can't win. I wanted to make a statement, not in support of Joe Biden's ideas (all hands-down obvious winners) or his record (exceptionally successful in the face of unprecedented opposition) but in support of the "winabilty" of his candidacy, against an insidious lie that undermines his campaign.
Now I don't pretend to have any unique insight into Biden's aging or his poor debate performance, but what I do see is the truth of the choice before us that is being forgotten and replaced with a lie.
That lie is that the presidential election is about selecting one man. We should know better - after all, we cast our votes for the "ticket" - a president AND a vice president. And really it's so much more. It's about the team, the administration that man brings with him. Biden's administration, with the exception of his debate prep team, has proven itself to be capable and competent. Biden's administration is filled not with sycophants and yes-men, but with responsible, reasonable, ethical adults.
With Trump the situation is so perverted it really is about one man. Everyone else who might find themselves in his administration is one show of spine or integrity away from being immediately cast out as one more "very bad" “disgruntled ex-employee.”
Indeed Trump’s blueprint "Project 2025" calls for making sure every level and member of our government is subject to precisely that, loyal to him and serving at the president’s personal whim and pleasure.
So the truth of the choice is nothing to fear. It’s between one impulsive, unfit man, and those who would serve him, or an entire administration full of responsible adults with a proven track record and earned trust, who serve us.