The Personal Website of Mark W. Dawson

The Real Issues of the 2020 Election

As we are now fully into the Presidential Election of 2020, I would implore all Americans to consider the most important issues facing America. There are only four big issues regarding the Presidential Election of 2020. They are The Coronavirus Pandemic Response, The Economic Recovery, The Rule of Law, and The Role of Government. Another Issue is the Mental Fitness of Joe Biden to perform the duties and responsibilities of the office of the President. Here are my thoughts on these issues.

The Coronavirus Pandemic Response

In what is considered one of his most iconic dispatches, published on 7 February 1968, journalist Peter Arnett wrote about the Battle of Bến Tre in Vietnam: 'It became necessary to destroy the town to save it,' a United States major said today.

Many of the Democratic Governors' response to the Coronavirus Pandemic has had the effect of destroying the town. With their extensive and extended lockdowns, they have managed to devastate the economies of their States. In their rush to prevent infections and deaths, they have not considered the other impacts of these lockdowns, nor to consider “The Law of Unintended Consequences” of their actions. The increased substance abuse, increased child abuse, retrogression in millions of young students denied K–12 learning and supervision, nutritional impacts for those students on school meal programs, missed health diagnostics and preventative care, and delayed or cancelled surgeries are amongst some of the unintended consequences. Some of their actions have also made the effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic worse, not to mention that they have impinged upon the “Freedoms, Liberties, Equalities, and Equal Justice for All” Americans.

Many Governors have mandated the actions of Americans, and if these mandates are not followed, they punished those Americans that did not follow all of their mandates. These punishments for those that disobeyed include fines and/or imprisonment, harassment by law officers and regulators, and public humiliations, if not Cancel Culture actions. Most of these actions have not been done with Legislative approval nor Judicial review to determine their legality, but they were done under the guise of an “Emergency Action”. An emergency that seems to have no limits to governmental actions nor any time limits for these actions.

The American electorate needs to examine these actions and determine their appropriateness. In doing so, they will discover a trend between Democrat and Republican Governors. Most Democrat Governors ruled by decrees, while most Republican Governors lead by exhortations, an example of the difference between "To Be Rulers or to Be Leaders".

The question for the American electorate is then ‘Which type of politician do you wish to elect?’, a ruler or a leader. This issue is part of The Role of Government issue discussed later in this article.

The Economic Recovery

The economic devastation brought forth by the Coronavirus Pandemic lockdowns needs to be addressed. The question is, should it be addressed via government action and policies, or by private actions and capitalism? We have plunged the Federal budget into massive debt by governmental actions and policies, a debt that we are passing onto future generations. A debt that may even cause an economic recession or depression in the future, and perhaps large-scale inflation. This debt could lead to further economic devastation to the American economy, which would impact every American.

The question Americans need to answer is what economic policy promulgated by the candidates is the best course for American? Which economic policy will lead to economic growth and recovery? Will the economic policies of the candidates encourage or stifle economic growth? Will the Coronavirus Pandemic economic recovery be Government directed and driven or private directed and driven?

The recession of 2007, and the economic growth that started in 2017, provide some perspective. The economic recession of 2007 was met with government actions and spending, while the economic growth of 2017 was accomplished by reducing government actions and policies, allowing for more private actions and capitalism. The economic recovery from the 2007 recession was both slow and low, while the recovery of 2017 was both quick and high. The economic recovery of 2007 was instituted by Democrat Party governmental policies, while the recovery of 2017 was instituted by Republican governmental policies.

The other issue is that Government relief spending, both to persons and businesses, albeit necessary, have made Americans more dependent upon government. A dependency that saps the willpower and spirit of American individualism and entrepreneurism.  A dependency that needs to be ended as soon as possible, as such dependency also impacts the “Freedoms, Liberties, Equalities, and Equal Justice for All” Americans.

In the Presidential election of 2020, we have perhaps the most starkly different candidates that reflect these two different Economic Recovery approaches. This issue is also part of The Role of Government issue discussed later in this article.

The Supreme Court Nomination

The timing, legitimacy, and process of nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court are heavily questioned by many Democrats and Progressives, but there is no question that it is proper. The Constitution only states that the President will nominate during their term of office, and the Senate will advise and consent on all nominees that the President puts forward. Whether the Senate wishes to, or not wishes to, consider a nomination is a question of Senate prerogatives. The Senate sitting of the nominee of a President has been often, and throughout our history, utilized as a means of checking Presidential powers and for political purposes. Whether you believe that this is a correct or incorrect means is most often dependent on your political persuasions or your opinions on a political issue or concern.

As President Trump is the sitting President of the United States, and the Senate is in session, nominating, advising, and consenting to an open Justice or Judgeship is Constitutional and, therefore, legitimate. To argue otherwise is to utilize “Torturous and Convoluted Reasoning” or “Obfuscation, Smoke, and Mirrors” to advance your argument. The only debatable question is of the wisdom or propriety for any President to nominate anyone for any Justice or Judge so late in the election process? The answer to that question is most often dependent on your political persuasions and preferences for who is nominated. The answer of which I shall leave for your deliberation, and to your vote.

As to the threat to packing the Supreme Court if the Democrats obtain the Presidency and the majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, this threat is dangerous to our Republic. Congress and the Presidency are the political branches of government that make law and sets policy and enforces the law, subject to the will of the people through their votes. The Judicial Branch (the Supreme Court and other Courts) are only responsible for assuring the Constitutionality of the law and that “Justice and The Rule of Law in America” prevail in America. Consequently, they are to be non-political and not subject to the will of the people, and their only allegiance is to the Constitution and to the fealty of Constitutional laws. It is for this reason that they are given lifetime appointments so that they may judge impartially. To pack the Courts to obtain favorable rulings of the Courts is to make the Judicial Branch a political branch of government. To do so is to endanger "Justice and The Rule of Law in America" and is antithetical to our Constitution.

To question the timing, legitimacy, and process of nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and to threaten to pack the Supreme Court if she is approved, is an assault on our Constitutional ideals of the independence and non-political nature of the Judiciary Branch of our government. Any politician that impugns the timing, legitimacy, and process of nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court lacks an understanding of our Constitution or who wishes to politicize the Judicial Branch. Any elected politician or any appointed official who does so is not bearing fealty to their sworn Oath of Office to “Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution of the United States” and does not deserve to be an elected or appointed official in America.

Any politician running for elected office needs to clearly state their opinion and position on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and to the issue of packing the Supreme Court, as this is an issue of our Constitution and Republic that impacts the future course of America. They need to so state their opinion and position before the election so that the American people can make an informed vote on the direction of America. To not so is to exhibit weak leadership more concerned about elections rather than the integrity of our Republic and our Constitutional ideals. Such a politician does not deserve the vote of Americans who believe in our Republic and Constitutional ideals.

Possible Corruption of Presidential candidate Joe Biden

From the Wikipedia Article on John Peter Zenger:

John Peter Zenger (October 26, 1697 – July 28, 1746) was a German printer and journalist in New York City. Zenger printed The New York Weekly Journal. He was accused of libel in 1734 by William Cosby, the royal governor of New York, but the jury acquitted Zenger, who became a symbol for freedom of the press.

In 1733, Zenger began printing The New York Weekly Journal, which voiced opinions critical of the colonial governor, William Cosby. On November 17, 1734, on Cosby's orders, the sheriff arrested Zenger. After a grand jury refused to indict him, the Attorney General Richard Bradley charged him with libel in August 1735.

Zenger's lawyers, Andrew Hamilton and William Smith, Sr., successfully argued that truth is a defense against charges of libel.

Today, we have the allegations of corruption against Vice-President Joe Biden, Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, his brother, and his son-in-law utilizing their influence with Vice-President Joe Biden to enrich themselves. There is sufficient veracity to these allegations to be concerned that they may be true. We should all remember that as I have stated in one of my “Principles”:

“There are three sides to every story: one side, the other side, and the truth.”

It should also be remembered that “the truth will set you free” — freedom from false allegations and smear campaigns amongst other freedoms.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden needs to explain his side of these allegations so that the American electorate can make a judgment of the truth. To challenge the veracity of these allegations is sufficient, but the challenge in of itself must have veracity. To simply state that it is a smear campaign is not a sufficient response to adjudge these allegations. Or, to paraphrase Zenger's lawyers, responses of smearing are an insufficient defense to credible allegations.

Safety and Security

He madness of mobs is a well-known phenomenon throughout history. The madness of the current mobs in the United States is also well known. Such mob madness involves no rational thought and is indeed driven by passion and anger, and are the actions of people mad at someone or something, as I have Chirped on “06/29/20 Are They Mad and Are They Crazy?”. A peaceful mob is a protest, while an unpeaceful mob is a riot. When this mob madness devolves to property destruction, looting, or arson, then the mob is involved in criminal actions, and it has become a riot.

This is being played out in the rioting, looting, and arson that occurred with the death of George Floyd by police actions in Minneapolis. Every intelligent person in America believes that the death of George Floyd and others, at the hands of police officers, is sometimes unjust. Peaceful protests should be encouraged to right this wrong in the present and future; however, rioting, looting, and arson are not acceptable. But they seem to be acceptable to the Democrats, Progressives, and Leftist, as evidenced by their non-condemnation of these activities, and sometimes outright support and assistance for the looting, rioting, and arson.

These riots have morphed into much more than a protest against unjust police actions, and into a full-scale subversion of the Rule of Law in America if not outright insurrection by anarchists, as I have Chirped on,"08/31/20 Insurrection". It is also an attack upon our American Ideals as I have Chirped on “08/18/20 The American Ideals”. The mob no longer wishes to correct injustices but to overthrow our Republic and besmirch American history. Their actions are an assault on the individual Freedoms and Liberties of Americans. Their actions lead to anarchy and not to answers to the problems of America. Their actions are no longer spontaneous but exhibit a coordinated attack upon America. Inactions, turning a blind eye, looking aside, or making excuses for their actions is not a proper response to their actions.

Much more troubling is the apparent disinterest in Democrat Party leaders in enforcing the law. They have inhibited law enforcement actions, failed to prosecute criminal actions, and in some cases, are actively assisting the mobs. They are also freeing prisoners and releasing suspects without bail due to Coronavirus Pandemic fears, and they are advocating for these actions in the future, thus placing Americans in jeopardy of further criminal activities by those so released. Elected officials who fail to enforce the Rule of Law are not worthy of the office that they hold. They are not only violating their Oath of Office to faithfully execute the laws, but they are in violation of the Constitution as outlined in my Chirp on “06/14/20 Federal Intervention in CHAZ”. They must be turned out of office and replaced with elected officials dedicated to the Rule of Law.

The American people no longer feel safe and secure in their persons, family, homes, neighborhoods, and businesses. The first duty of a government is to provide safety and security, in both foreign and domestic affairs, by providing protection for the safety and security for all, along with equal justice for all. We must have "Justice and The Rule of Law in America", for, without the Rule of Law, there can be no Justice.

The Role of Government

In my article, “A Republican Constitution or a Democratic Constitution”, I outlined two different interpretations of the Constitution. A difference that leads to different roles of governance in America. Different roles that are exemplified by Federal vs. State powers, a large government vs. a small government, an intrusive government vs. a noninterference government, expansive social policies vs. limited social policies, maximal taxation vs. minimal taxation, and majority rule vs. minorities rights.

A Republican Constitution entails that Legislators may not create “Irrational and Arbitrary Laws”, Executives must assure that all Laws are “Equally Enforced”, and that the Judicial Reviews of a Law starts with “A Presumption of Liberty” for the individual. A Democratic Constitution entails that Legislators may create laws that they determine are proper for the good of the majority, Executives may decide which laws are to be or not to be enforced based on the perceived good or bad of the law's effects, and that Judicial Reviews of Laws starts with a presumption that the Legislators or Executives are acting properly within the bounds of their authorities.

In the Presidential election of 2020, we have perhaps the most starkly different candidates that reflect these two different Political Theories. The electorate of the United States will not only be deciding on a candidate but also be deciding on our future form of governance. A consequential decision that we have not faced since the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860. We will be deciding on whether we want a Republican Constitution or a Democratic Constitution.

Mental Fitness

The other outstanding issue is the mental fitness of Joe Biden to perform the duties and responsibilities of the office of the President, as I have written about in my Chirp, “08/08/20 A Most Terrible Disease”. As many of you are aware, I am not in favor of the Democratic Party policies or politics, as I believe that they are antithetic to American ideals. As such, I am not in favor of Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy. I believe that he is the wrong person, at the wrong time, to lead America. But I had also believed since the start of the Presidential election cycle that he has exhibited the same characteristics as my mother when she started entering into dementia. And I believe that he has gotten worse as the election cycle has progressed. I, therefore, believe that he needs to leave his basement and reveal himself to the American electorate, and to face tough questioning by journalists to determine his fitness to lead America. The Presidential Debates need to start before anyone casts their votes so that the voters can judge for themselves the fitness of Joe Biden to be President. I also believe that he should take an independent mental acuity test to determine if he is indeed entering into or in a dementia state.

My Imploration to Americans

All of these issues need to be thought about by the American Electorate before they cast their votes. To not consider these issues before voting could chart a course for America which could endanger our American Ideals and our way of life. Therefore, vote and vote wisely based on these issues.