Hi John,
These are dangerous times for America and the world. I’d like to call your attention to three recent developments.
First, amid rising security threats and pure evil abroad, extremes in both parties are pushing America’s continued withdrawal from leading the world.
One might think Hamas’ gruesome attack last month would lead all Americans to rally around Israel. While the commonsense majority is indeed supportive of Israel, both party extremes are urging America to withhold support, though for different reasons.
There is danger in this shift. For one, a lack of moral clarity against evil compromises who we are as a nation. Further, there are real and urgent security risks if conflicts continue to spread throughout volatile regions, especially when powers like China, Iran and Russia seek to fill the void we leave behind.
Second, the past two weeks have not been encouraging for people like me who are fighting to end Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican Party.
Trump continues to hold four times the support of the next closest candidate, Ron DeSantis, despite a majority of voters viewing Trump unfavorably.
Third, heading into 2024, we’re sitting on a powder keg of extremism, with significant concerns about political violence.
By now, you’ve likely heard of the University of Virginia poll showing that approximately 40 percent of Biden and Trump supporters believe that the other side is so extreme that it is acceptable to use violence to stop them. It also found that 31 percent of Trump supporters and 24 percent of Biden supporters believe democracy is “no longer viable” and an alternative system should be tried.
This clarifies the stakes of next year. As we approach election year, the threat of a rematch between Trump and Biden isn’t just ominous because it would disappoint exhausted and disaffected Americans; it’s ominous because it risks bringing an escalation of the violence and unrest that characterized 2020.
