What, Not Who
Dear Leading Ladies,
By the time you read this letter, President Biden may still be the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, or he may not. Whether that decision is still being made is likely a topic of many conversations among your family members and friends, but how you feel about it will have no effect on the ultimate decision. There will be no vote about whether or not Joseph Biden remains the Democrats’ nominee. That will be decided by Joseph Biden, his family, and his advisers, pushed by members of Congress and the media. We have absolutely no say and no recourse. That leaves many of us feeling at sea.
Furthermore, what began as a concern about President Biden’s mental acuity has deepened into an overriding concern that he can’t win. The argument in many circles is to dump him because he’ll lose, not because he can’t do the job. But what is at risk if the Democrats set a precedent by dumping a candidate who is behind in the polls four months before an election? What dissension and chaos could we then expect to see in the future?
So, here we are. Many folks are deciding to concentrate their efforts and their money on the down ballots — the races for senators and representatives that will determine the majorities in the House and Senate. Some are considering not voting for president, but just for other positions. The argument is that with two imperfect presidential candidates, why vote for either? Instead, focus on the legislative branch of our government. That’s the right and prerogative of any voter.
The problem with this line of thinking is that the presidency of the United States is arguably the most powerful position in the world, and certainly the most powerful position in our country. The role of our president is not just that of a figurehead who attends black tie functions and hands out medals. With the advice and counsel of his aides, Cabinet appointees, and others, he (and, until now, it has always been a man) makes far-reaching decisions that can affect our everyday lives.
Whoever is president starting on January 20, 2025, will fill any Supreme Court vacancies and also appoint many federal judges. In the next four years, the Supreme Court will rule on matters that will have life-changing repercussions for women’s reproductive health care, gun control, immigration, climate change, voter suppression, access to quality education, medical care and housing, and so much more. The president will also decide how the United States interacts with other world powers and allies, such as NATO, and where to provide military aid whether or not to engage in war. His actions will reflect more than his own views; they will reflect a whole score of goals, aspirations, and values that together are commonly known as his party’s platform.
We urge you not to abandon your commitment to your chosen party for the presidency. Read in depth about the issues. Not just the sound bites on the news or in the papers. Read some substantive longer form articles that delve into the issues you care about, whether they are taxes or inflation, fair wages or the future of Social Security, the soaring price of college or how our kids are going to afford to buy their own houses, whether or not women will be able to get birth control and terminate their pregnancies, and what is going to be done about stemming the use of fossil fuels. Study the platforms of each party and support the one that best represents what is most important to you.
Whether you believe President Biden should or shouldn’t run doesn’t matter. We have NO control over that. But we do have control over whose platform, values, and policies will be implemented beginning on January 20, 2025.
Vote for WHAT you believe in. It matters more than WHO.
As always, spread the word.
Therese (she/her/hers)
Judy (she/her/hers)
Didi (she/her/hers)
Leading Ladies Executive Team