In this op-ed, writer Phillip Henry examines why criticizing candidates in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries is so important.
Presidential election cycles have always been a pretty contentious and stressful time for many of us. After all, choosing the next “leader of the free world” is pretty high stakes and should be treated as such. But since Donald Trump was elected in 2016, many in the U.S. (and most 2016 voters, considering he lost the popular vote) have felt the pressure to ensure, above all else, that he doesn’t get reelected for a second term. It is, to many, the most significant moral imperative of the next 15 months, and can be all-consuming on the way to voting again in November 2020.
Since Democratic candidates put their hats in the ring for a chance to be the next president of the United States, we have examined their values, policies, and visions for a better America. When we as voters decide on a candidate we think can win, it often becomes our mission (as supporters) to rally others to back our candidate. Often the way we engage in that is not just by highlighting our favorite’s accomplishments, but by critiquing the proposals, voting histories, and resumés of other candidates (though we should do the same with our own candidate as well).
The truth is that no single candidate is going to represent the values and ideals of all people perfectly. They are all flawed, and their past isn’t necessarily an indictment of their future, but it is important that we criticize and analyze all of the candidates’ shortcomings and our concerns about them. That way we can have confidence in their abilities as leaders and see their vulnerabilities ahead of what’s sure to be a bitter general election. It is, in a way, the most democratic and productive thing we can do.