Why "any old Joe" isn't my goal

I did not personally vet all the statements,
but believe this to be largely accurate

I am comfortable in believing that if Donald Trump and Joe Biden are the names on a ballot in front of me, whether right now or on November 3, I will vote for the latter.

And while I've made it clear that I prefer Bernie Sanders, I also don't like the ugly discord among those of us who lean Democratic, which could help lead to 4 more years of Trump America, which I don't think would be a good thing.

But I want to explain, including to some close friends and many others I respect, even some Trump supporters, why I both feel Trump needs to go and that, ideally, not just "any old Joe" will contentedly do.

Honestly, if I were solely concerned with my financial well being, as many must be, I would vote for Trump.

In terms of employment, income, taxes and investment growth, my life - and net worth - has been better since 2017, and would conceivably continue to be, unless he were to really decimate Obamacare and allow big pharma to let Rx prices soar.

So it's hard to me to castigate people, especially those who have families -- and some kind of stock portfolio, even if just mutual funds or a 401(k) -- for fiscally favoring President Trump.

And I want to believe that many who do, especially among friends and family of mine, do not engage in hatred towards those of different races, religions, nationalities, sexuality, etc.

But I have always favored -- in their best stead - -Democratic principles and platforms, and have found Donald Trump - -who I wanted to believe really would drain the swamp -- to not only be a vile, belligerent, capricious and corrupt human being and president, but also to exacerbate a Republican belief system that I feel favors corporations and the super wealthy far beyond the common good. (To be clear, I voted for Hillary in 2016's general election.)

My most fundamental core belief is this: Always believe you're special, just not any more so than anyone else.

i.e. Everyone is equal to me, and deserving to live a life with dignity, comfort and security, free of harm and hatred.

I shouldn't need to spell this out, in part for fear of immaterial exclusions, but I don't care if one is an immigrant, refugee, citizen, man, woman, LGBTQ+ individual, Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist, agnostic, believer in other faiths, physically impaired, black, white, brown, Asian, Arab, etc., etc., rich, poor, smart, dumb, single, married, divorced, clean, dirty, Packers fan, Republican or even a Trump supporter - excepting anyone seeking to harm others.

I am no better or more worthy than each of these individuals, nor more entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

So this is where I begin in considering who I want to lead the city, state and country in which I live, in part because I am fortunate enough to be able to look beyond my own self-interests.

From his statements and actions that have impugned women, the physically-impaired, Mexicans, Muslims, immigrants, refugees, those from "shithole countries," African-Americans, the LGBTQ+ community and Jews - via not denouncing the Charlottesville Nazi empathizers - among others, Trump is as loathsome and contrary to my beliefs as a U.S. President can conceivably be.

And I don't think it hyperbole when friends suggest that, with another 4 years, he can destroy the essential fabric of our country…while continuing to - with a buffoonish smirk - enable the ruination of our planet.

So as much as it's possible to, I want him not to be the President come January 20, 2021.

And that would seem to suggest, if Joe Biden is to secure the Democratic nomination, that I wholeheartedly get behind him, because he's "not Trump."

With my vote? OK, sure.

With real excitement and no apathy or antipathy? Sorry, but no.

I won't much venture into the conversational quicksand of "conspiracy theories," but I think Bernie got railroaded.

Twice.

And understanding the legislative difficulties in actually getting things done and policies enacted, I truly believe Senator Sanders is far more inclined to substantively fight climate change, provide healthcare and college education for all, end barbarism at the border, tax corporations and the rich fairly, recalibrate the injustices of income inequality, get assault weapons off the streets and actually change systems - and lives - in measurable ways.…far more than I believe Joe Biden wants to.

Other than some funny memes as VP that he had nothing to do with creating, and his aplomb as a grieving father, there is nothing much that impresses me about Joe Biden.

Over the years, his record has been contrary to my proclivities - and/or too weak or too slow to change - on the Iraq War, expanding social security, gun control, tax reform, gay rights, abortion rights, Medicare for all, eliminating student debt, reducing the corporate stranglehold, downsizing the military and punishing Wall Street malfeasance.

He also seems like a misogynistic pig - or at least a gross, clueless grandpa - and his (or his family's) dealings with China and Ukraine appear skeezy.

And as I intimated above, I don't think he'll much abet my self-interests.

"But," some are still undoubtedly shouting at this, "he's (presumably) the Democrat and - while imperfect in many ways, including ideologically - he's BETTER THAN TRUMP."

I really do want to hope so, which is why I will vote for him. He'll likely say the right things, except when he doesn't.

This is important, just in terms of public decorum. I cringe thinking kids are growing up thinking it's normal - maybe even cool - that the leader of the free world insults his detractors on Twitter.

But keep in mind that some of the most harmful things in U.S. history have been done - often to minorities - under the administrations of Democratic presidents, including those widely admired.

The "redlining" and discriminatory lending policies enacted and enforced by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) under FDR and Truman have egregiously disadvantaged African-Americans ever since.

The crime bill under Clinton, which Biden helped write, led to the unjust mass incarceration of millions of blacks, and in decimating Mexico's sugar trade, NAFTA -- also a Bill bill-- led to a surge of immigrants that has never ceased.

And more people were deported in every year of Obama's presidency than in any year of Trump's.

Sure, leading the United States cannot be easy for anyone, and every president has made missteps.

And in wanting the President to be - or at least appear - more decent than depraved, I will vote for Biden.

But, for the reasons expressed, not enthusiastically. "

Any Democrat" may not be as dangerous as Trump in an acute sense, but historically, that's not all to consider.

So I won't apologize for wanting real change, not befuddled ineptitude and continued allegiance to "the owners."

Failed neo-liberalism is what got us here. Why not wish for something more? Or rue having to settle for something less.

My hero, Bruce Springsteen, often used to exhort -- before rampaging through "Born to Run," about getting to that place where we really want to go-- "Nobody wins unless everybody wins."

With due respect to those who feel otherwise, and while wanting to rid ourselves of the scourge of Trump, I really don't know how senile old Joe, essentially the definition of "the establishment," moves anybody who isn't already there closer to that goal.