I always enjoy comments from The Spy readers on our weekly From and Fuller commentaries. I wish more of you would let us know when they agree or disagree with us. Perhaps, we’re not provocative enough.
But this week Reed Fawell III posted a comment that I believe deserves a response. The essence of Mr. Fawell’s comment was this: (1) reasonable people can take the position I did that in 2024 former President Donald Trump poses a threat to democracy and must be defeated; (2) too many thoughtful people believe President Biden threatens their version of America’s ‘democracy’ and must be stopped; and, (3) we should not throw out any third party options to Biden and Trump.
At the heart of Mr. Fawell’s comments is the implication that Trump and Biden are equal threats to American democracy. To be sure both Trump and Biden are unpopular and many voters would like both of them to step aside. But I believe that is a false equivalency to say they are equal threats to democracy — and that is what I’d like to address.
I have said many times in The Spy and other forums that I believe that democracy is on the ballot in 2024 — and that Donald Trump represents the greatest threat to our democracy since the Civil War.
The essence of our democracy is that we choose our leaders in free and fair elections and all candidates for high office, including the presidency, abide peacefully with the results of the vote.
Donald Trump tried to undermine that system by refusing to accept the results of the 2020 election he lost to President Biden.
He tried to intimidate state elected officials into falsifying the election results in his favor.
He tried to put up false slates of electoral college electors in several states to steal the election.
He ordered his vice president to violate his constitutional responsibility by not validating state certified election results in the House of Representatives.
And he led a violent coups of his supporters at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to the election winner.
As Maureen Dowd put it in the New York Times: “For the first time, a president who lost an election nakedly attempted to hold onto power and override the votes of millions of Americans.
All of these actions undermine our democracy and threaten our freedoms. They are serious crimes — I believe taken together they constitute the greatest scandal in history of the presidency — and he’ll likely me tried in court for all of them and more over the next 18 months.
Even worse is that three years after the fact, Trump continues to spread the same lies. Last December, he called for the termination of the Constitution that as president he was sworn to uphold. And, he and his cronies are laying out plans for his second term that would punish his enemies and turn our democracy into an autocracy.
I understand that many voters don’t want Joe Biden to be president. They oppose his policies that they believe are bad for the country. They think he’s too old, that he’s no longer up to the job. Some may question his integrity.
Biden may not be an ideal president, but he doesn’t threaten our democracy. There is no moral equivalency between Trump and Biden. As a Republican friend of mine from the Eastern Shore told me, if we elect a Democrat and we think we made a mistake, we can correct it in four years. If we elect Trump, we may never be able to correct it.
In an ordinary year, with two unpopular major party candidates, a third party candidate might make a lot of sense. But 2024 is not a normal year — not with Trump and his promise to destroy our democracy on the ballot. To me, if Trump is the Republican candidate, the presidential election will be and up or down vote on democracy — and for democracy to prevail the pro-democracy vote must be consolidated behind a single candidate.
Trump cannot win the popular vote, but in the 2024 election, like in the last two, the winner will be decided in a handful of swing states in the electoral college.
All credible political research shows a third party candidate would split the anti-Trump (pro-democracy) vote in those critical swing states — and almost certainly throw the election to him in the electoral college. That’s why I’ve believe the group, No Labels, should abandon it’s effort to put up a third party candidate.
With democracy on the ballot in 2024, I believe that our first priority in that election — indeed our only priority — should be to defeat Donald Trump and end his threat to democracy. Until we do, as conservative Judge Michael Luttig has said: our democracy “hangs on a knife’s edge.”
Al From is the founder of the Democratic Leadership Council and author of “The New Democrats and the Return to Power.” He joins his Republican commentator and friend, Craig Fuller, on the Spy’s From and Fuller video podcast every week.
Chris Gordon says
Al, I greatly enjoy your weekly talks with Craig Fuller. I rarely take argument with anything you or Craig have to say, certainly never anything worth posting. I am curious about where you found Mr. Fawell’s post. I couldn’t find it anywhere on the Chestertown Spy site. I know there are other Spy sires. Do some post comments that don’t appear on every Spy site? Could it be that Mr Fawell’s comment only appeared on the Annapolis Spy? Just curious.
Editor says
Editor note: In most cases, unless otherwise requested, the comments submitted are only displayed in the Spy newspaper the article appeared in.
Melinda Bookwalter says
It was a comment/reply to a column by From and Fuller in the July 20 Talbot Spy.
Click on thee this week in red in the beginning of this article and it will take you to that article.
Mr. Fawell III’s comment is immediately following that article
Sian Salsbury says
Thank you for stating the threat to democracy so clearly. At this point too many Republican politicians seem to be so enamored if power that they either cannot or refuse to see the disaster that another Trump precedency would bring. While it might give them the power they want now it will strip them of rights for future leadership potential because the future will be the whims of an authoritarian leader. With each passing year I feel like I am living in a world I never thought possible because of reputation of denying rights to all.
Anne T Stevens says
You are the voice of reason. Thank you for continuing to be a thoughtful spokesperson for democracy.
James Nick says
“I understand that many voters don’t want Joe Biden to be president. They oppose his policies that they believe are bad for the country.”
I’m starting to get confused here. I can’t see the forest because of the trees anymore. Everything is getting lost in the emotions of the raging culture wars that bombard us every day. I think it would be instructive to go back to first principles at this point. I wonder if one of the “Theys” Mr From references could offer a coherent exposition of precisely what Biden policies “they” believe are bad for the country.
William McMillan says
Thank you for your rational comment. I cannot understand the people who are Trump supporters. We will be in big trouble if Trump is elected.
Clark Bjorke says
I believe that the purpose of No Labels is to draw votes away from Biden and throw the election to Trump. Don’t kid yourself that they expect to elect a middle left or middle right President.
Gina C. O'Brien says
I’m Ridin’ with BIDEN!!!
So done with Trump dominating, again, and again, the day/night news. He deserves decades in federal prison for his crimes and should certainly not be eligible to run ever again for the presidency. I want to hear on day/night news what our current president is accomplishing for the American people. Not Trump daily news. Does the media still not get that the more oxygen & free press trump gets the more visibility?? They will help to elect him again. For GOD’s sake news networks- report on our current, respectable, competent and wise president and his numerous accomplishments. His poll # are low I believe because no one hears anything about what he’s gotten done & is continuing. Thank you, Gina O’Brien.
Deirdre LaMotte says
You said it all. Thank you! I adore President Biden. He has done more in his 21/2 years than any President
I can remember; His achievements are impressive. And our Allie’s admire him. What a relieve for them and our world order!! Yes, as someone said, I wish he were 20 years younger. I wish
I was too! He is sharp as a tack, which amazes those who meet him after the far right’s odious attacks.
Evidently, the majority of “no labels” donors are Republicans hoping to siphon off votes for Trump.
Not surprised at all.
Den Leventhal says
Well said!
Beryl Smith says
I vow to comment more on what you and Craig discuss every Thursday because I want both of you to continue making such relative comments and opinions. I look forward each week to see what it is you will say so don’t worry that you don’t provoke– if there is any disagreement it is in the cause of educating and that is so useful.