The LuLac Edition #4,419, October 14th, 2020

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “:Write On Wednesday” logo.

This week the Ties Shamrock newspapers, including the Citizens’’ Voice endorsed Joe Biden for President. Here’s what they wrote:

OUR ENDORSEMENT: BIDEN WILL BRING COMPETENCE, CIVILITY TO THE WHITE HOUSE

More than a decade ago, Joe Biden entered the White House at the side of Barack Obama with the economy in recession, the banking and auto industries on the cusp of collapse and our alliances strained by ill-advised military adventures overseas.

Biden and Obama left Washington after two terms with a record of steady, if slow, economic growth, which would have been more robust had the opposition party not scuttled more ambitious stimulus proposals. They made some progress, although not enough, in disentangling the United States from conflicts in the Middle East.

Nearly four years later, the economy, which had continued to grow at roughly the same rate as under Obama, is again on the brink, hamstrung by the current administration’s inconsistent response to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 210,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, more deaths per 100,000 population than every country in Europe save Spain. Divisions stoked by the incumbent have put us at odds with one another. Our allies have been alienated and confused by an erratic approach to foreign policy and trade.

And improbably, after nearly half a century in national politics and two failed runs for the presidency, Joe Biden leads the Democratic Party toward a crucial election on Nov. 3 with the stakes higher than in any election in generations.

If elected, Biden faces not only immediate multiple crises, but also the challenges of restoring civility to our politics, repairing relations with nations that share our values and realigning our economy to reverse the yawning prosperity gap, address the worsening consequences of climate change and rebuild our neglected infrastructure.

In his measured, inclusive and sensible approach to this most unorthodox of presidential elections, Biden has proven himself up to the task, armed with policy proposals that promise to improve the lives of Luzerne County residents and the citizens of the nation at large.

Biden’s science-based plan for true national leadership on our pandemic response would increase the availability of free testing, expand and better coordinate the distribution of personal protective equipment to frontline health workers, extend emergency funding to allow schools to reopen safely and send a clear message to all Americans on the importance of wearing masks, social distancing and personal responsibility.

His framework for a public option for health insurance, wider Medicaid coverage, tax credits for insurance premiums and negotiated drug prices will remove the specter of bankruptcy from Americans confronted with health emergencies and curb profiteering by the insurance and pharmaceutical industries.

On criminal justice reform, Biden proposes to partner police departments with mental health and substance abuse experts to de-escalate interactions between officers and people in emotional distress and avoid violence in those situations. He would also work to eliminate racial disparities in policing and sentencings.

Those are just a few of the detailed policies Biden has put forward that would improve the daily lives of average Americans.

But just as important are the personal qualities Biden would bring the White House. His decency, compassion, competence and collegiality are sorely needed in Washington right now.

Forty-seven years after he was first sworn in as a U.S. Senator, Joe Biden’s moment has arrived and we endorse him for President of The United States.