Recently, the New York Times reported that 89 million votes have been cast so far in the 2020 election. On Tuesday, Americans will complete the voting process and for several days thereafter, votes will be counted and winners declared.
In my mind, the word vote is also an acronym, the “voice of the electorate.” This is every eligible voter’s chance to have their voice heard in selecting those who will represent them and make decisions affecting their life. Please vote and make your voice heard.
On Sept. 11, 2001, terror was brought to our shore on a scale never experienced before. In the aftermath, Americans banded together against a common enemy, terrorism.
In 2020, America is facing another crisis, COVID-19, which has killed many more Americans, by far, than 9/11.
Instead of banding together, the “resistance” saw their opportunity to again hurt the president politically, and instead of being part of any solution, they endlessly blamed, blocked and criticized. The COVID-19 pandemic should have galvanized us as Americans against an invisible enemy that attacked and killed the most vulnerable among us. Instead of setting politics aside, Democrats didn’t waste a crisis, and instead of focusing on the common enemy, they sought political advantage. We have watched the impact of this unfold before our eyes and now they are sowing distrust of a COVID vaccine that can end this pandemic.
The Democratic Party and the majority of its candidates are not running on incrementally building a better America. Instead, they want to destroy what’s there and make us believe they have a better idea. This reminds me of the player on the team who believes he or she should be the coach. They constantly whine about decisions that are made but never offer their ideas. This person would have you believe that if they were in charge, everything would be so different, so much better.
Despite lots of chances to prove that, they didn’t. That’s the Democratic Party. When national unemployment reached, 3.7% they said it wasn’t real and criticized. When the president sought to get America out of endless wars, they said it was too fast and destabilizing, they criticized. They have ignored historic peace deals between Israel and their sworn enemies. When a criminal justice reform bill was passed, they again criticized. As businesses were looted, and cities burned, and police attacked, they criticized and sought only political advantage.
In the military, I learned this fundamental lesson: When you are in charge, lead to the best of your ability. When you are not in charge, help the leader as much as possible and be ready to lead when the time comes.
The Democratic Party had a chance over the last four years to show what they believe in through effective legislation and advocacy but instead chose an all-or-nothing resistance strategy to flip the White House. Yes, Democrats produced voluminous bills that appealed to their voting base but were “non-negotiable” so they got nowhere. Trade deals languished while they resisted and only when the pressure was unbearable against them, did they finally relent. They enjoyed control of the House and a narrow deficit in the Senate and would not use this power or influence to get anything done for America. Democrats should be measured on what they accomplished when they were not in power.
America’s best years are always before her, and it takes relentless, focused energy and commitment to keep moving toward achieving that more perfect union described in our constitution. President Trump has tirelessly led the nation through unprecedented events while being resisted every step of the way by those who say they have better ideas but did nothing to help. Democrats have failed the American people over the last four years for no reason other than their own desire to be in power in 2020.
In the end, the only thing that really matters is creating a better America for all. President Trump deserves four more years because there’s so much more work left to do.
Ed O’Neal is a Richmond County native, retired military officer, observer and writer about life and politics. He does not accept direction or support from any political party and his views are his alone.
