Public Comment

Four years ago, a new malady hit the American public—ESD. “Election stress disorder” affected more than half the voters in the nation. The symptoms are headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, light-headedness, and spiking of blood pressure. Small wonder; the 2016 election cycle, like none in our history, demeaned public discourse, denigrated the public good, and diminished the democratic process.

And now, in 2020, as a new presidential election is rapidly approaching, ESD is on the rise again. This time, a substantial number of Americans are jittery about the future of democracy itself. They are deeply concerned that the Trump administration has led us away from the traditional democratic values of equality, fairness, justice, and opportunity based on the public good; and replaced these values with cynicism, greed, and selfishness motivated by the compulsion for personal power and private gain. And they are also deeply troubled, that in doing so, Mr. Trump has demonstrated that he has either an alarming ignorance of, or utter contempt for: The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rule of law.

In the early days of our nation, Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense that the highest vocation of an individual in a democracy is that of being a citizen. What he meant was that civic engagement and political involvement are the lifeblood of a democracy.

During the Trump impeachment hearings, Congressional Republicans, as an excuse to justify the abdication of their Constitutional obligations, kept repeating the mantra, “We have an election soon, let the people decide.” Well, that election will happen on Nov. 3. There are also critical elections for Congress. This election is about the future of democracy. That’s why it is important that each and every one of us gets involved. We can contribute energy, time, money, or all three. And we can make a difference. For too long, Americans have been serious about unserious issues and unserious about serious issues. Perhaps the tragic consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic will force us to get serious about serious issues.

TWENTY-FIVE REASONS TO GET INVOLVED:

If you are thinking of sitting out the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections on November 3, think again; because the results will, directly and indirectly, affect you and your whole family in ways that you never imagined. So think about the issues that matter to you. It’s worth the effort as the stakes are high! The most crucial issues to consider, not necessarily in order of importance, are: 

1. Decent Jobs at Livable Wages
2. Affordable Health Care
3. Global Warming
4. Public Education and Student Debt
5. Women’s Right to Choose
6. Medicare, Daycare, and Medicaid
7. Voter Suppression
8. Campaign Finance Reform
9. The Supreme Court and Federal Judges
10. Sexual Abuse and Equal Justice
11. Separation of Church and State
12. Increasing Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness
13. Assault Weapons on the Street
14. Social Security
15. Consumer Protection
16. Immigration Reform and a Path to Citizenship for the “Dreamers”
17. Preemptive War and National Security
18. National Health (Pandemic) and Disaster Preparedness
19. Maldistribution of Wealth and Economic Justice
20. Fair and Progressive Tax Reform
21. Basic Research in Science, Health, and Technology
22. Renewable Energy and a Sustainable Environment
23. NPR, NET (Sesame Street, et al.), the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities
24. Cronyism, Corruption, Lying, Manipulation, and Incompetence in Government
25. Infrastructure Development (Mass Transit, the Energy Grid, Schools, Hospitals, Bridges, Roads and Airports)

Finally, it is important to understand that it is not only critical for Joe Biden to win but it is crucial that he win by a big majority as that would help the Democrats pick up Senate seats in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and North Carolina--and possibly additional ones in Georgia, Iowa, Kansas and Montana--which would give them control of the Senate and the ability to pass much-needed progressive legislation. 

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Professor Arthur I. Blaustein recently retired from teaching Community Development, Politics, and Public Policy at the University of California. He served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Humanities under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and Chair of the National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. His books have included Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport, The American Promise, Man Against Poverty, and the Star-Spangled Hustle. His articles have appeared in Harper’s, Mother Jones, the Los Angeles Times Syndicate, and the New York Times Wire Service.