An Open Letter to Donald Trump–9/29/2020
- 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 29th, 2020
Dear President Trump,
The current political discourse surrounding the 2020 election is growing increasingly partisan and inconsequential. Just today (9/29/2020) your campaign released a statement that Joe Biden refused to allow a check for earpieces before the first presidential debate. Joe Biden’s campaign responded by accusing your campaign of asking the moderator, Chris Wallace, to refrain from mentioning the death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr. President, this type of back and forth between men attempting to secure the vote to run the United States is not only unbecoming–and borderline childish–it is useless. There are more than 2 million Americans incarcerated in the United States prison system, many for low-level non-violent offenses. Tens of millions of Americans are living below the poverty line. We can do better.
Americans are tired of the status quo with politics, and Americans are longing for a government that represents their needs and addresses real problems instead of towing the party line–a government that is fair and just and human-focused. That is why the Phoenix Congress has begun organizing voters from across the political spectrum into the American Union.
The American Union of voters is an organization that is committed to principled solutions like humanity-first policies like universal basic income for all Americans. Right now millions of citizens in the United States are trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty. The UBI proposal in the Blueprint for a Better America legislative package is $1,300/month for every adult and $433/month for every child, which will lift every American above the poverty line.
Mr. President, UBI will afford the millions of people in dead-end jobs the economic security to take entrepreneurial risks which will drive innovation. UBI will allow parents who work multiple jobs to spend more time at home because their basic needs are met. UBI will allow caretakers who are forced to stay at home to care for their families an economic reward for their contributions to society. America thrives when economic power is in the hands of everyday consumers.
Members of the American Union also believe that America can be a more fair, forgiving, and just society in the 21st century than it has been up until this point. “Tough on crime” politics and the war on drugs have led to an outrageous prison population. These policies have also made it extremely difficult for prisoners to reintegrate into society and perpetuate the cycle of poverty. In the 21st century, it is time for America to recognize the humanity of imprisoned persons by improving prison conditions, creating more rehabilitative services, and making them available to all prisoners.
Mr. President, mandatory minimum laws are the main contributors to severe punishments that are clearly punitive instead of rehabilitative. This can be solved by ending mandatory legislative minimums and implementing a sentencing review process to identify rehabilitated prisoners for early release.
American Union voters are not interested in politicians who make a living on criticizing their opponents and “winning” verbal spats on social media and the debate stage. Instead, these voters are interested in real solutions in the form of legislation that addresses the real problems faced by American society in 2020.
The Blueprint for a Better America is absent of partisan political rhetoric, which is why the American Union has committed to supporting whichever candidates agree to pass the legislation. The legislation is a bipartisan effort to end poverty, end mass incarceration, and end the endless wars. The American union will vote for any candidate from any party who works to make this legislation a reality.
Mr. President, in 2020 you have the power to pass the Blueprint for a Better America and set the country on a path toward a brighter future for generations to come. That is why the Phoenix Congress wants to offer you a deal. If you pass the Blueprint for a Better America by October 30th, the American Union will pledge their votes to you. In an election this close, this block of voters can be the difference between your second term and an end to your presidency.
You can be remembered as the President who broke the gridlocked partisan battle of American politics. You started your political career as an outsider whose appeal to voters was your ability to “drain the swamp.” The Blueprint for a Better America is the fulfillment of that campaign promise. Your acceptance of the Phoenix Congress’ terms is a signal that you are the President many Americans thought you would be when they voted for you in 2016: the politician who works on behalf of the common man, the politician who isn’t interested in playing political games.
Mr. President, it is time for Americans to come before party platforms. The Phoenix Congress invites you to pledge your support of the Blueprint for a Better America by joining a fast for peace on October 15th. This fast is a symbol of the sacrifices we are willing to make as Americans for the betterment of society. Will you join us?
Respectfully yours,
Other articles on Medium:
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
