An Open Letter to Donald Trump–9/24/2020
- 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 24th, 2020
Dear President Trump,
No matter which poll you look at, the 2020 Presidential election is a contested one. Most swing states have you and Joe Biden within 3–5% of one another. These are the states you carried in 2016 that led to your presidency.
The problem with swing states is that they are full of independent voters who are “unpredictable.” But what if they are not unpredictable at all? What if independent voters are the Americans who simply want to see good policies instead of partisianship? Are you willing to risk losing this election to tow the party line of politics? That has never been your style.
Mr. President, the Phoenix Congress has developed a legislative package, the Blueprint for a Better America, that is solution-based and addresses the triple evils of society: poverty, racism, and militarism. Mr. President, the Blueprint for a Better America is built to bridge the political gap and it appeals to voters across the political spectrum because it is principled instead of partisan. The key components of the legislation are policy priorities that can unite the American public and begin to knit the country back together.
The legislation includes universal basic income (UBI). As a simple but effective solution to many societal problems, UBI is becoming a more important part of the Democratic platform, and may take center stage in the next 2022 election cycle when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 34 seats in the Senate are on the ballot. What would the leadership of the Democratic party do if President Trump supported a key part of their future platform before they did?
The Blueprint for a Better America also build on your work addressing mass incarceration, which disproportionately affects minority communities. Besides implementing sentencing review and reform, it ends the war on drugs. This is an essential part of the Libertarian platform that would bring those supporters to your camp.
The legislation also addresses the endless wars America has been fighting in the Middle East, the most recent iteration being the War on Terror. Many Americans disillusioned with the political process, such as the Green party, overwhelmingly support an end to these conflicts, bringing more political affiliations into your tent.
Mr. President, you can gather support from all corners of the political spectrum through the Blueprint for a Better America without ignoring the Republicans. Besides keeping a Republican in the Oval Office, the legislative package contains victories for the partisan faithful, including codification of the Hyde amendment and a 10 year prohibition on proposing gun bans.
No political group likes all of these provisions, but everyone comes out ahead. It is the art of the deal on a national scale, but it will take great salesman to push it into law prior to the election. Are you up for the task? The Phoenix Congress has a straightforward deal for you: enact the Blueprint for a Better America and receive the votes of the American Union, quid pro quo.
The American Union is made up of voters who are tired of partisan politics at the expense of real solutions. Gathered from all political affiliations, we are committed to seeing a better American built, and willing to make personal sacrifices to achieve that. To that end, we invite you, and all Americans, to join our fast for peace on October 15th. The second Presidential debate is in the evening; America will be watching. What better venue to announce your support for the Blueprint for a Better America?
Leading up to the debate, Americans will be using the hashtag #fastforpeace to voice their commitment to elect candidates who will build our Blueprint. That leader will need a Congress to get it to their desk. All incumbents and challengers in the other 470 races for federal office are receiving this same offer, Mr. President. Those candidates that join our fast for peace, and signify it on Twitter prior to the debate, will be eligible for the support of the American Union of voters.
2020 has been tumultuous year, but we can unite under the right conditions, around a shared self-sacrifice. The American Union will be watching for your show of support or rejection of this deal. Of course, if you reject the deal, Joe Biden is able to accept it, and receive the votes from the American Union. But as the current occupant of the White House, you have the right of first refusal.
Mr. President, enacting our legislation by October 30th can lead you to a landslide victory and pave a path into a more prosperous era for the American people. Will you meet our terms?
Respectfully yours,
Other articles on Medium:
Series of open letter to Trump: Listed on our website
A call to action around Martin Luther King, Jr.’s triple evils: The Marginalized Must Unionize in 2020
A look at our duties as Americans and the legislation they inspire; The Blueprint for a Better America
