Why Pennsylvanians should support Biden (Opinion)
Many also know that Biden for much of his long Senate career was virtually like a third US Senator for the state, working extra hard for Pennsylvania with our congressional delegation on so many issues that were of importance to so many of us like HUD Funding and low income housing funding, transportation projects and federal investments in Infrastructure.
But what really excites so many citizens of our state about Biden is that people know of his fundamental decency, empathy and leadership. They saw his work as a US senator, and, more recently, how he served so admirably in partnership with President Barack Obama as vice president. Most Pennsylvanians also know that our Commonwealth faces so many health, economic, racial and fiscal challenges that we need a steady, reliable and focused president to lead us to better times. Biden is the leader our state needs.
So many Pennsylvanians know that President Donald Trump has failed miserably in handling the Covid-19 pandemic — in our cities, suburbs and rural areas. They know that our health care systems are stretched to capacity, and in many areas of the state, vital care is far away from the people who need it most. Trump is even using the courts right now to try to take away or destroy the Affordable Care Act and its provisions that protect people with pre-existing conditions. People in Pennsylvania are smart enough to know that Trump and his campaign are spreading propaganda about this issue.
Add to all of this that so many of our friends, neighbors and family members died needlessly because Trump first denied that coronavirus was serious, and then embarked on a campaign to discredit the medical professionals and scientists. People here see him for who he is: a failure at protecting Pennsylvanians and Americans.
On the other hand, Biden has publicly addressed the pain, suffering and deaths by announcing a comprehensive national plan to deal with coronavirus — and other pandemics — should he be elected president. Trump has yet to provide a national plan, and basically acts as if the pandemic is over. It’s not, as hundreds of people still die every day, with no end in sight.
Notwithstanding the congressional and White House efforts to support people and businesses early on in the pandemic, cities and states have seen nowhere near the serious effort to financially support local governments. Facing devastated budgets, they will now have to raise various taxes and make service cuts to close severe budget gaps because of Covid-19. No new stimulus deal has yet passed.
What has Trump done in that regard? Nothing. He embodies the opposite of the values Pennsylvania was founded on and has long stood for.
Biden has put forward his vision for rebuilding our economy by “Building Back Better,” another comprehensive and logical plan to get the country’s economy moving quickly and safely.
William Penn, our state’s founder, focused on the environment, even way back when, and referred to Philadelphia as his “green country town.” Respectful of the environment, Penn knew that air and water must be protected, and was an early supporter of climate preservation.
Biden believes and is committed to preserving the environment by dealing with climate change and committing to actions by people and industry that can change it for the better and protect us all. Donald Trump is a climate change denier, and essentially says that people and industry should be able to do whatever they want if it helps business to make money, regardless of the consequences for us and our children.
Pennsylvania was also founded on the principles of tolerance for others and an acceptance of people for who they are — regardless of station in life, background, religion or race. A significant component of the movement to abolish slavery was started in PA, and the Quaker mindset of tolerance and acceptance still remains in the hearts and minds of many Pennsylvanians.
In contrast, Trump has done virtually everything possible to show disdain, antagonize and to create fear within Black and Latino communities and among all people of color in America. Rather than trying to address systemic racism in America, Trump denies that it exists. Rather than trying to tamp down racial unrest in the aftermath of too many killings or shootings of Black people by law enforcement, he stokes the flames of division in our cities and suburbs, and in particular, openly tries to scare white suburban women — a group that is walking away from inflammatory rhetoric, per a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll.
Again, Pennsylvanians can see through this smokescreen of old fearmongering, as many White Pennsylvanians joined as allies with Black and brown people marching in the streets for racial justice and an end to racism.
The Pennsylvania of 2020 is not the same as it was in 2016. A wonderfully purple political state, we’ve now had nearly four years to evaluate Donald Trump. His trade wars have hurt our farmers and manufacturers . He’s broken virtually every promise to our working-class citizens about coal and steel jobs coming back. He’s done nothing for our cities, other than publicly fight against their interests and needs.
Pennsylvania is looking for strong, serious, stable and secure leadership in a president. Someone they can trust, who actually has values. Biden — smart, down-to-earth, empathetic, kind and serious about helping others — is the leader that Pennsylvanians want to guide them into a better future.
