Hello,

Our country is fighting three crises at the same time: the COVID-19 health crisis, the economic crisis, and a crisis of racial justice. All of this is made worse by a president incapable of rising to the moment and working to restore the health of the nation. As we both mourn and protest the death of George Floyd, the AFT is also focused on protecting the health, safety and well-being of our communities and buffering against the pandemic’s terrible economic consequences—as well as standing up to injustice.

That’s why voting in the 2020 election is more important than ever before.

We have a president in the White House who has failed to prepare for and protect the country from the pandemic. And now he is pretending the pandemic is over, pushing to reopen so he can claim a short-term economic boost in time for the Nov. 3 election. Yet more than 106,000 people have died from COVID-19 in three months, and almost 41 million people are unemployed. States, communities and schools are struggling to stay afloat, and both Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are refusing to provide them vital funding.

This lack of leadership extends past the pandemic and the economy. As racial injustice and inequality has increased, this president has stoked the flames of hatred, encouraging violence and white supremacy. Instead of listening to members of communities hurt by inequality and brutality, he has turned a blind eye to their needs and injuries. Yesterday, when protesters peacefully marched to the White House to demand justice, he did what dictators do. He used military police and tear gassed Americans without warning, so he could have a photo op.

It doesn’t have to be like this, but, frankly, that is what elections are about. We can’t allow any of these crises to continue on our watch. We can’t forfeit our future. We can’t allow injustice to grow and prosper. And we can’t allow our voices to be drowned out and silenced. This is the time we must stand up for our communities and elect lawmakers who will serve them.

It is vital that you vote. Click here to find your voting location and hours of operation.

As you plan when to vote today, keep in mind that some cities have instituted curfews that may be earlier than polling place closures times. Please be safe and use your best judgment.

This pandemic, this economic crisis, this miscarriage of justice, and the utter lack of leadership from the White House, remind us why we need a leader who is effective and empathetic, trusts science, and puts the welfare of Americans ahead of political concerns. From the beginning, Trump could have taken steps to inform us about the pandemic so we could prepare. He could have empowered public health experts, made testing widely available, calmed the economic turmoil and protected Americans. But he didn’t. We’ve seen leadership from governors, local leaders and the National Institutes of Health, but not from the White House. Americans deserve better.

We know what strong leadership in the White House looks like. Unlike Trump, Joe Biden is a strong, compassionate, effective leader. That’s why the AFT is proud to endorse Biden for president. While he served as a senator, Biden earned a lifetime AFT voting record of nearly 100 percent. As vice president, he was our “go to” person in the Obama administration, always willing to listen. Biden would be a president who believes in science and in government. He would put people, not profits, first, and provide the competent, caring leadership we sorely need now. He is with us on investing in public education and higher education; understands that healthcare is a right, not a privilege; and would rebuild an economy that puts the needs of everyday people first.  

Democracy can’t be a spectator sport—it works only with our participation. So please, make your voice heard today by voting. Click here to find your voting location.

I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. And while I know we have an uphill battle, I am optimistic that together we’ll get through the crises we face, and together we’ll win in 2020.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President