An Open Letter to Donald Trump–9/17/2020

5 min readSep 18, 2020

Phoenix Congress 2020 represents members of the American Union, who are willing to vote for both Republicans and Democrats in the 471 federal races who will meet our terms, including Donald Trump. This is part of a series of open letters explaining our demands.

September 17th, 2020

Dear President Trump,

The Constitution of the United States of America was a revolutionary document when it was written. The principles of liberty, equality, and justice for all are timeless in their application. Even though Americans have had to work to realize those ideals, they remain a goal to aim toward. Today, September 17th, is Constitution Day–which celebrates the signing of this great document in 1787.

Now, just as it was then, America is trying to learn the next steps to take as a society. Luckily the founders had the foresight to see that the world was constantly changing, and American society would constantly need to restructure to include an ever-growing group of people in the benefits of free government. Built into the Constitution itself is a guide for how to navigate these moments of change–particularly when those moments get difficult. The preamble of the Constitution lays out this guide in the form of five duties for every American, individually and collectively. Americans are to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

Members of the American Union are committed to these five duties, and the Blueprint for a Better America fulfill those duties through legislation.

Establish Justice

Mr. President, as you likely know, America has more prisoners per capita than any other country in the world. The mass incarceration of American citizens is a moral stain on the nation’s collective consciousness. 91% of Americans believe the criminal justice system needs reforms. 71% of Americans want to reduce the prison population. In the same survey, 68% of Americans said they would be more likely to support a candidate whose platform included reducing the prison population–including 65% of your voters, Mr. President.

Americans are ready to see large, sweeping reforms of the criminal justice system, but so far our representatives have lacked the political will to bring about change on this scale. The Blueprint for a Better America includes specific legislation to address these concerns.

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Mr. President, Americans are suffering from the divisive nature of modern political discourse. The polarization of key issues has led to the highest tensions many Americans have ever seen. While debate can be healthy, the divisive rhetoric that is being repeated around dinner tables, on social media posts, and on major news networks is detrimental to American society. You have found yourself in the middle of more than a few of these situations.

The Blueprint for a Better America finds common ground on key policy points. It is time for the divisive rhetoric to end. Campaigning through fear-mongering and negative attack ads do not promote domestic tranquility, they intentionally destroy it.

Provide for the Common Defense

Mr. President, almost 25% of Americans have never known peace in their lifetimes. It is clear that the war on terror has grown far beyond its intended scope and purpose. The war on terror has truly become an endless war that has cost trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives (hundreds of thousands of civilian lives overseas).

The American defense budget is larger than the next ten countries combined. This excess has grown out of control and the Blueprint for a Better America includes specific cuts to spending that will decrease militarization, and bring American troops home.

Promote the General Welfare

The amount of Americans living below the poverty line is staggering. 38 million people lived below the poverty line in 2018. In the richest country in the world, it is only because of our policy choices that our fellow citizens to live this way. The Blueprint for a Better America ends poverty through the establishment of a universal basic income (UBI) for all Americans.

Under the proposed plan, every American would receive an American Union job which includes an unconditional $1,300/month for adults and $100/week for children. While $1,300/month is not enough for someone to live a lavish lifestyle, it is essentially a $7.50/hour raise for all full-time workers and a safety floor, lifting all Americans above the poverty line.

With a UBI, all Americans will have diversified income streams, setting them free to start businesses, to leave dead-end jobs to take employment risks, to escape abusive relationships, and to make meaningful choices along their own path forward.

Secure the Blessings of Liberty for Ourselves and Our Posterity

Mr. President, the moral authority to act on behalf of fellow Americans comes from a shared sacrifice. The founding fathers understood this, and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to provide the gift of freedom enjoyed today. You have spoken on numerous occasions about the amount of money you have given up in the private sector to serve as President.

Sir, you understand the idea of self-sacrifice for the good of others. In light of this, the Phoenix Congress invites you to join a nationwide fast for peace on October 15th. This token sacrifice (no food for 24 hours) is a sign of a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good–the foundation on which America was built, and your acceptance of our terms, the Blueprint for a Better America.

Mr. President, America is facing a crossroads in 2020. Many believe the upcoming election cycle will dictate the path America takes for the next few generations. What will this new social contract entail? Will it be a progression toward a more just, fair, and equitable society? And more importantly, will you be the one to lead Americans forward at this moment?

Respectfully yours,

Phoenix Congress 2020