October 22, 2020
It is 11 days until election day and tonight is the last debate between the two people who are essentially running to be Commander in Chief of the United States Military. Based off of what we know what topics the moderator will cover, here is what you should watch out for in tonight’s debate:
“Fighting COVID-19”
Both Trump and Biden use “war” language to frame how the government and essential workers are responding to the pandemic: that we are “fighting COVID-19” instead of managing the pandemic, healthcare workers are “battling on the frontlines” instead of being well equipped to safely do their jobs. Remember that we have the resources to invest in public health - we’ve chosen not to.
Race in the United States
The Trump administration has declared war on Black Lives Matter movement, framing the uprising as a series of violent protests. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns repeat the misleading rhetoric of “peaceful” vs “violent” protests. As one of the oldest pacifist organizations in the United States, we’ve heard this rhetoric before. Read our statement debunking common myths on “violent protests.”
Climate Change
The U.S. military is a bigger polluter than 100 countries combined. Republicans will deny climate change all together, while some Democrats have said we need a greener military. The bottom line is: while the Green New Deal can help save the planet by reducing global emissions, it is a non-binding resolution. We need to push for a reallocation of funds away from the Pentagon budget and into green jobs, infrastructure, housing, public health, and education, among other things, in order to see meaningful gains towards environmental justice. See: Where your income tax money really goes.
Best,
Shiyam
