I have spent years and years being a political and social activist, and I wanted to hand the baton over to others. However, this is the time when those of us who care about the future must continue the good work needed for a positive outcome. I am weary of so many political opinions being bandied about for and against and even worse, some neutral, and not taking sides. We can ponder, and then we need to act. I'll put up again one of my favorites from Elie Wiesel, from his Nobel Peace Prize speech in December, 1986:
"I swore never to be silent when and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion or political views, that must—at that moment—become the center of the universe.…"
I included the following quote in a recent post, but did not insert it the comment above. However, it is appropriate given the current climate of different conversations, if you can call them that. Former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "You are entitled to your own opinions. You are not entitled to your own facts." As I recall the context, Moynihan was speaking to the dishonorable Senator Joseph McCarthy. It was Joseph Welch who said to MCarthy "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
Thank you Kristen - it's been a really rough week. I've been questioning my personal perspective. I appreciate you raising the critical nature of where we stand. I'm with you and our rule of law in a democracy.
I get it -- it has been a crazy-making week where people don't know what to think. I really urge you to trust your intuition and what you believe, not what anyone else tells you to believe (including me!)
What I appreciate is a knowledgeable voice that gave me the space to listen to my own values and make my personal decision on how to engage going forward. Appreciate the space to take a breath, disconnect from the noise and tune into my own perspective
This was like a breath of fresh air, Kirsten -- thank you for sharing these thoughts. For me, the answer to your question is an unequivocal "YES!" Last fall, my wife and son and I had the chance to visit New Orleans; our son had just turned 10 and loves Halloween, and we went to see some of the great displays New Orleanians put out in front of their houses during the season.
While we were there, we visited the World War II museum -- which is fantastic and definitely worth a visit if you get the chance. Part of the museum is a short, 20-minute-or-so movie, narrated by Tom Hanks (of course!), telling a 50,000-ft. view of the war, why we got involved, and what it all meant. It shows us just how close fascism came to succeeding, and how the war really could have gone the other way.
I keep thinking of that visit, and that movie, because I'm too young (I'm 53) obviously to have been there, but I'm old enough to realize what an amazing, amazing gift that generation gave us. The years since the end of World War II and since the advances we made in the 1960s have been basically the best time to be alive as a human being at any time in world history. Obviously, our society has many flaws and faults, which I don't dispute for a second. But in general, if you could pick any time to live out of any in all of human history, it would be the past 50-60 years, either in the U.S. or Europe.
That we would even think of considering, even for a nanosecond, putting all that we've built together in the west over these past several decades at risk, just absolutely blows my mind. But that's obviously what we'd be entertaining with a second Trump presidency.
Let me be clear; I think Donald Trump is unfit to be president. I also think Joe Biden is unfit to be president, albeit in a different way. President Biden is no longer capable of possessing the mental acuity required of the President of the United States. This has been apparent for some time, but surfaced for all to see in last Thursday’s debate. If anyone other than Joe Biden suffered from the same maladies, his or her loved ones would file the necessary paperwork to have them declared mentally incompetent and no longer capable of being able to manage their own affairs. Donald Trump has broken the Republican Party and now Joe Biden, along with his family his close associates and advisors, has broken the Democratic Party. Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden have damaged the presidency (in different ways), and there will be further damage if either is elected. Yet, I believe the USA is strong enough to survive either BIden or Trump, although it will likely take generations to repair the damage. Kirsten, thank you for this forum, and I wish the best to everyone, even if their opinions are drastically different.
Great to hear your perspective on this, Kirsten. It feels as though we’re in a parallel universe where the generally accepted norms that formed the guardrails of our democracy have all been thrown out. It’s absolutely surreal that while Biden gets the usual level of scrutiny, Trump says the most outrageous things, completely at odds with the truth and any previously expected level of decorum, and it gets a passing mention, if that. What is happening??
We are at a genuinely frightening point in history, and your distillation of the facts and analysis of the situation are perfect Kirsten: the best that I have seen. I wish that every American would read and ponder what you have written here.
Thanks for this. Happy to have this newsletter turn to politics now and then! You're probably right that a replacement can't win! But I don't think Biden can either. Fear of dictatorship just ain't enough. I want something or someone to vote *for.* 'Democracy' itself can't win its own elections, because 'Democracy' is not embodied in a single human body. If we're protecting a system here, I want to see the system correct its failure here and find someone else to carry the banner. If Biden, one lone man, is the "only thing standing between us and tyranny," then we've all but lost it already.
Thank you so much for this piece, Kirsten. You have spoken my heart. I am just a transplant to the US watching another crazy election cycle in disbelief. American news entertainment has taken over so much so that even the presidential election is just another reality show. And Mr trump knows well how to feed the show with the drama it craves. The presidential debate culture is broken. It is all about looks, not substance. Not even any kind of sane conversation. Who would do such job interviews for any kind of job least the highest job in the country? Trump has indeed won bigly by conning the blue camp with the illusion of looks to abandon their candidate they just democratically nominated. Surely it would have helped if team Biden would have not prepared him for an old school debate trying to memorize facts but to simply speak his heart. I think that is what the American people need to see and also what they want to see. So if some one please could advise the Biden camp to hold fire side talks from now on forward where old Joe speaks about important issues, like his Catholic identity, his character, his day to day work and well, even reads us his favorite poem they probably could calm the panic in their own camp.
Between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, I agree the choice is clear. Not the least of which is because even with diminished capacity, Biden would be surrounded by good people who would help him make solid decisions.
But if Biden were the CEO of a public company I would immediately dump the stock regardless of the rest of the staff. The president of the United States has even more power and his image alone matters. How will he conduct diplomacy w/o the ability to form a coherent sentence? Just because Trump can’t either, does that mean we shouldn’t expect that from our president?
I also don’t think replacing Joe Biden as the nominee is that farfetched. I’m NEVER one to talk politics on social media, but this feels like a safe space to engage productively. Which is why I am. If the path forward is a new nominee, I think we should all be mobilizing quickly to help make that happen.
Hi Ashley--Joe Biden had an off night. Watch him at the rally the next day. What matters is how he does the job, and there is zero evidence that he hasn't been able to do it. Presidents don't need to be good at televised debates, which is not part of their job. Also, I raised Trump's actual incoherence to say that I wouldn't even call that a cognitive problem. I think he isn't a clear communicator, but I don't think he has dementia. That was my point.
Curious: if there was proof of a real cognitive problem, would you feel differently? I think may be where we disagree. I do believe that he is in a state a serious cognitive decline (which does disqualify him for the presidency IMO). And I think you think he had an off night.
For me, him talking more loudly while reading a teleprompter isn’t convincing.
If there was some convincing way to show his mental capacity was not significantly reduced, I’d VERY happily walk back my position.
I think his record as president is convincing. I don't care if he can't communicate as well as he used to. I care if he can't do his job and there is zero evidence of that. And no, it wouldn't change anything for me because Kamala is totally capable of being president if Biden actually had cognitive issues and had to step down.
Excellent analysis Kirsten; I agree with you that the media and Democrat freak out over a poor debate performance by Biden doesn’t negate that he’s been a fine president and that the alternative candidate is completely unacceptable and antithetical to democracy.
I love your Substack for its focus on living differently. I lean more toward being a conservative, so it is difficult for me to find a path in this election year. I did not vote from Trump either time, but I am exhausted by the hyperbolic prognostications that if he wins it is the end of democracy as we know it. Yeah, he's a train wreck of a human being, and yeah, he did play a big role in what happened on January 6, but he was president for 4 years and the sky did not fall, and I don't believe it will fall in the next four years either.
Bob, thanks for your thoughts. I'm a little confused about how it's hyperbolic. He told his supporters he didn't lose the election, and they attacked the capitol to try to stop the election certification. I don't see how it's hyperbolic to say that he is not supportive of democracy. He still won't acknowledge that he lost. He is now openly talking about using the Justice Department to prosecute political enemies like Liz Cheney. How is it hyperbolic to say that is tyrannical?
Thank you for this, Kirsten. Not only are your points valid but I do not think we're dealing with hyperbole. Since Trump's arrival on the government scene in 2016 we have been treated to a never ending barrage of never before scene acts and never before heard sentiments coming from a President. Many of us took a collective sigh of relief in 2020 but here we are, again. For all of those calling for Biden to drop out of the race due to a lack of thoughtful analysis of what he's really all about, may we be reminded that he's doing the job now. In the present. His administration, his advisors, his way of being the President is going on now in real time. We don't have to imagine collapse of a system, the end of democracy or the rise of an autocracy if we just do the right thing in November. I'm always hedging my positions though, so I've taken to looking for Italian villas lately.
You know I'm a 2 subscription supporter here, I'm going to agree with you on all counts. I'm mad as he'll about the entire situation. Now with the SCOTUS weighing in on everything, as hard as it is for you to address these topics here, I'm forever thankful ~listening ~
I have spent years and years being a political and social activist, and I wanted to hand the baton over to others. However, this is the time when those of us who care about the future must continue the good work needed for a positive outcome. I am weary of so many political opinions being bandied about for and against and even worse, some neutral, and not taking sides. We can ponder, and then we need to act. I'll put up again one of my favorites from Elie Wiesel, from his Nobel Peace Prize speech in December, 1986:
"I swore never to be silent when and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion or political views, that must—at that moment—become the center of the universe.…"
I included the following quote in a recent post, but did not insert it the comment above. However, it is appropriate given the current climate of different conversations, if you can call them that. Former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "You are entitled to your own opinions. You are not entitled to your own facts." As I recall the context, Moynihan was speaking to the dishonorable Senator Joseph McCarthy. It was Joseph Welch who said to MCarthy "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
What a sobering thought: another January 6th but with less guardrails. I am supporting Biden for all the reasons you outlined.
Thank you Kristen - it's been a really rough week. I've been questioning my personal perspective. I appreciate you raising the critical nature of where we stand. I'm with you and our rule of law in a democracy.
I get it -- it has been a crazy-making week where people don't know what to think. I really urge you to trust your intuition and what you believe, not what anyone else tells you to believe (including me!)
What I appreciate is a knowledgeable voice that gave me the space to listen to my own values and make my personal decision on how to engage going forward. Appreciate the space to take a breath, disconnect from the noise and tune into my own perspective
This was like a breath of fresh air, Kirsten -- thank you for sharing these thoughts. For me, the answer to your question is an unequivocal "YES!" Last fall, my wife and son and I had the chance to visit New Orleans; our son had just turned 10 and loves Halloween, and we went to see some of the great displays New Orleanians put out in front of their houses during the season.
While we were there, we visited the World War II museum -- which is fantastic and definitely worth a visit if you get the chance. Part of the museum is a short, 20-minute-or-so movie, narrated by Tom Hanks (of course!), telling a 50,000-ft. view of the war, why we got involved, and what it all meant. It shows us just how close fascism came to succeeding, and how the war really could have gone the other way.
I keep thinking of that visit, and that movie, because I'm too young (I'm 53) obviously to have been there, but I'm old enough to realize what an amazing, amazing gift that generation gave us. The years since the end of World War II and since the advances we made in the 1960s have been basically the best time to be alive as a human being at any time in world history. Obviously, our society has many flaws and faults, which I don't dispute for a second. But in general, if you could pick any time to live out of any in all of human history, it would be the past 50-60 years, either in the U.S. or Europe.
That we would even think of considering, even for a nanosecond, putting all that we've built together in the west over these past several decades at risk, just absolutely blows my mind. But that's obviously what we'd be entertaining with a second Trump presidency.
Let me be clear; I think Donald Trump is unfit to be president. I also think Joe Biden is unfit to be president, albeit in a different way. President Biden is no longer capable of possessing the mental acuity required of the President of the United States. This has been apparent for some time, but surfaced for all to see in last Thursday’s debate. If anyone other than Joe Biden suffered from the same maladies, his or her loved ones would file the necessary paperwork to have them declared mentally incompetent and no longer capable of being able to manage their own affairs. Donald Trump has broken the Republican Party and now Joe Biden, along with his family his close associates and advisors, has broken the Democratic Party. Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden have damaged the presidency (in different ways), and there will be further damage if either is elected. Yet, I believe the USA is strong enough to survive either BIden or Trump, although it will likely take generations to repair the damage. Kirsten, thank you for this forum, and I wish the best to everyone, even if their opinions are drastically different.
Great to hear your perspective on this, Kirsten. It feels as though we’re in a parallel universe where the generally accepted norms that formed the guardrails of our democracy have all been thrown out. It’s absolutely surreal that while Biden gets the usual level of scrutiny, Trump says the most outrageous things, completely at odds with the truth and any previously expected level of decorum, and it gets a passing mention, if that. What is happening??
We are at a genuinely frightening point in history, and your distillation of the facts and analysis of the situation are perfect Kirsten: the best that I have seen. I wish that every American would read and ponder what you have written here.
Thanks for this. Happy to have this newsletter turn to politics now and then! You're probably right that a replacement can't win! But I don't think Biden can either. Fear of dictatorship just ain't enough. I want something or someone to vote *for.* 'Democracy' itself can't win its own elections, because 'Democracy' is not embodied in a single human body. If we're protecting a system here, I want to see the system correct its failure here and find someone else to carry the banner. If Biden, one lone man, is the "only thing standing between us and tyranny," then we've all but lost it already.
Thanks, Dan. I just don't agree that Biden can't win tho it's going to be much harder with his own party tearing him down.
Thank you so much for this piece, Kirsten. You have spoken my heart. I am just a transplant to the US watching another crazy election cycle in disbelief. American news entertainment has taken over so much so that even the presidential election is just another reality show. And Mr trump knows well how to feed the show with the drama it craves. The presidential debate culture is broken. It is all about looks, not substance. Not even any kind of sane conversation. Who would do such job interviews for any kind of job least the highest job in the country? Trump has indeed won bigly by conning the blue camp with the illusion of looks to abandon their candidate they just democratically nominated. Surely it would have helped if team Biden would have not prepared him for an old school debate trying to memorize facts but to simply speak his heart. I think that is what the American people need to see and also what they want to see. So if some one please could advise the Biden camp to hold fire side talks from now on forward where old Joe speaks about important issues, like his Catholic identity, his character, his day to day work and well, even reads us his favorite poem they probably could calm the panic in their own camp.
“American news entertainment” …. Well put!
Thanks. And news entertainment was the big winner last week. They have now fodder for the next 6 weeks.
Between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, I agree the choice is clear. Not the least of which is because even with diminished capacity, Biden would be surrounded by good people who would help him make solid decisions.
But if Biden were the CEO of a public company I would immediately dump the stock regardless of the rest of the staff. The president of the United States has even more power and his image alone matters. How will he conduct diplomacy w/o the ability to form a coherent sentence? Just because Trump can’t either, does that mean we shouldn’t expect that from our president?
I also don’t think replacing Joe Biden as the nominee is that farfetched. I’m NEVER one to talk politics on social media, but this feels like a safe space to engage productively. Which is why I am. If the path forward is a new nominee, I think we should all be mobilizing quickly to help make that happen.
Hi Ashley--Joe Biden had an off night. Watch him at the rally the next day. What matters is how he does the job, and there is zero evidence that he hasn't been able to do it. Presidents don't need to be good at televised debates, which is not part of their job. Also, I raised Trump's actual incoherence to say that I wouldn't even call that a cognitive problem. I think he isn't a clear communicator, but I don't think he has dementia. That was my point.
Curious: if there was proof of a real cognitive problem, would you feel differently? I think may be where we disagree. I do believe that he is in a state a serious cognitive decline (which does disqualify him for the presidency IMO). And I think you think he had an off night.
For me, him talking more loudly while reading a teleprompter isn’t convincing.
If there was some convincing way to show his mental capacity was not significantly reduced, I’d VERY happily walk back my position.
I think his record as president is convincing. I don't care if he can't communicate as well as he used to. I care if he can't do his job and there is zero evidence of that. And no, it wouldn't change anything for me because Kamala is totally capable of being president if Biden actually had cognitive issues and had to step down.
I can’t argue with his solid track record as president.
Very well said and to the point. Thank you!
Excellent analysis Kirsten; I agree with you that the media and Democrat freak out over a poor debate performance by Biden doesn’t negate that he’s been a fine president and that the alternative candidate is completely unacceptable and antithetical to democracy.
I love your Substack for its focus on living differently. I lean more toward being a conservative, so it is difficult for me to find a path in this election year. I did not vote from Trump either time, but I am exhausted by the hyperbolic prognostications that if he wins it is the end of democracy as we know it. Yeah, he's a train wreck of a human being, and yeah, he did play a big role in what happened on January 6, but he was president for 4 years and the sky did not fall, and I don't believe it will fall in the next four years either.
Bob, thanks for your thoughts. I'm a little confused about how it's hyperbolic. He told his supporters he didn't lose the election, and they attacked the capitol to try to stop the election certification. I don't see how it's hyperbolic to say that he is not supportive of democracy. He still won't acknowledge that he lost. He is now openly talking about using the Justice Department to prosecute political enemies like Liz Cheney. How is it hyperbolic to say that is tyrannical?
Thank you for speaking out. You are leading the way and setting an example.
Thank you for this, Kirsten. Not only are your points valid but I do not think we're dealing with hyperbole. Since Trump's arrival on the government scene in 2016 we have been treated to a never ending barrage of never before scene acts and never before heard sentiments coming from a President. Many of us took a collective sigh of relief in 2020 but here we are, again. For all of those calling for Biden to drop out of the race due to a lack of thoughtful analysis of what he's really all about, may we be reminded that he's doing the job now. In the present. His administration, his advisors, his way of being the President is going on now in real time. We don't have to imagine collapse of a system, the end of democracy or the rise of an autocracy if we just do the right thing in November. I'm always hedging my positions though, so I've taken to looking for Italian villas lately.
You know I'm a 2 subscription supporter here, I'm going to agree with you on all counts. I'm mad as he'll about the entire situation. Now with the SCOTUS weighing in on everything, as hard as it is for you to address these topics here, I'm forever thankful ~listening ~