Discussion with Ms. He Qinglian: Clarifying about Trump and Biden

The article by Ms. He Qinglian titled "Who Wants Biden to Be Re-elected as President of the United States" was published in Lianhe Zaobao on March 12th. In the article, Ms. He believes that Biden has received strong support from "socialists" and other left-wing individuals in the United States, and that the policies of the Democratic Party and the Biden administration have further divided American society. At the same time, Ms. He expresses sympathy and understanding for the policy proposals of Trump and the Republicans, defending their controversial words and actions.

The author's views differ significantly from those of Ms. He. On the one hand, because the author holds a center-left position, there are differences in values between the author and Ms. He's right-wing perspective. More importantly, the author believes that there are many factual errors and logical contradictions in Ms. He's article, which the author hopes to clarify and discuss in this article.

Firstly, Ms. He mentioned that Putin claimed that Biden's election as president would be more beneficial to Russia. However, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin's regime has suffered a great deal of damage to its reputation. Ms. He mentions this, seemingly to suggest that Biden and the villain Putin are on the same side.

This is not the case. Quite the opposite, it is Trump and some Republicans who are close to the Putin regime and receive its support, not Democrats like Biden. Official agencies such as the FBI and many well-known media outlets have confirmed that Russia intervened in the 2016 US election. The Putin regime helped Trump defeat the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton by creating fake news and other means. Putin and Trump have also praised each other on numerous occasions.

After the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Trump repeatedly stated in public that he opposed aid to Ukraine and hinted at Ukraine ceding land in exchange for peace. Many Republicans also vehemently opposed aiding Ukraine and obstructed the passage of aid-to-Ukraine bills in Congress. In contrast, since the outbreak of the war, Biden has unequivocally supported Ukraine's resistance to Russia and vigorously promoted aid-to-Ukraine bills. The firm support of Ukraine by the Biden administration and allied countries is the most important reason Ukraine has not been defeated by Russia so far.

Based on this information, it is actually Trump and the Republicans that Putin favors, not Biden and the Democrats. As for Putin expressing a desire for Biden's election in a recent interview, it is naturally a lie intended to confuse public opinion.

Secondly, Ms. He's depiction of Western allies of the United States disliking Trump and hoping for Biden's victory is a correct observation. However, when analyzing this, Ms. He trivializes NATO allies' concerns about Trump's attempts to betray them, portraying it as "petty," and defends Trump's refusal to fulfill alliance obligations by citing domestic economic and livelihood issues in the United States.

Such rhetoric undermines the importance of mutual assistance and cooperation within NATO (and similar alliances based on universal human rights) and downplays the destructive impact of Trump's policy proposals on maintaining these alliances.

Despite NATO's various problems, it still plays a crucial and positive role in today's increasingly tense international situation. It is indispensable for combating terrorism, containing Russian aggression, and protecting the security of member states.

As the world's strongest country, leader of NATO, and leader of the international order, the United States naturally should bear the greatest responsibility. This is not only an obligation that the United States must fulfill but also something that is beneficial to its long-term interests. The prosperity and strength of the United States are not achieved through isolationism and self-isolation but rather through deep engagement and leadership in the international order, promoting the alignment of national interests with international common interests.

Whether in leading the Allied victory against fascism during World War II or promoting globalization since the post-war period, the United States itself has been the greatest beneficiary. If the United States abandons active participation in international affairs, it will only lead to its decline. A declining United States will only fare worse in terms of national debt, retirement security, national security, and other aspects than it does now, rather than better. Without the support of allies or even withdrawing from NATO, the United States will face even greater challenges from authoritarian and extremist forces. If the United States abandons maintaining the international order and lets the world descend into chaos, it will not be able to achieve its desired state of being "uninvolved in worldly affairs" or "an idyllic haven."

Clearly, Trump and some Republicans' abandonment of the overall and long-term interests for short-term economic gains and some foreign aid is narrow-minded and shortsighted. Perhaps it benefits their personal and partisan interests, but it is not worth it for the national interests and people of the United States.

Thirdly, Ms. He asserts that Biden supporters are mainly "socialists." This is a sweeping generalization. Furthermore, Ms. He's criticism of Biden and the Democratic Party "tearing apart America" is an exaggerated and selectively presented analysis, which confuses the complex political reality of the United States with erroneous rhetoric.

It is true that many young Americans have a favorable view of "socialism," but firstly, this is limited to a minority of young people in the United States; secondly, having a favorable view of socialism does not necessarily equate to being a socialist.

Compared to countries like Europe and Canada, the overall political spectrum in the United States leans more towards the right, even though most Democrats are liberals. Left-wing politicians like Senator Sanders are social democrats rather than socialists. Only a few politicians like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) can be considered socialists. The vast majority of Democratic Party members are non-socialists; they lean towards larger government, prioritize state intervention and social security. However, fundamentally, they support liberalism rather than the highly collectivist Soviet-style socialism.

Biden is not a socialist; he is a more centrist and pragmatic politician. Some far-left Americans, including socialists, also oppose Biden because they feel he is not left-leaning enough and does not sufficiently support labor rights, women's rights, and the Gaza issue. They boycotted Biden and called for not voting for him in the 2024 election. These "key minorities" also boycotted voting for Hillary in the 2016 election, indirectly contributing to her defeat.

Ms. He also believes that the Democratic Party in the United States is launching a "color revolution" to change the political stance of American youth, turning them into socialists and transforming the United States into a socialist country. This is not true. The United States is a free and open country, without the brainwashing and coercion of authoritarian regimes. Everyone can freely choose their beliefs and filter information. The Democratic Party does not have the power to determine the political orientation of the people.

The reason why American universities and the media tend to lean left is because they have a better understanding of history and reality, possess richer humanistic knowledge and broader perspectives, stronger social science analysis and judgment, and are more inclined to assist the disadvantaged. Their value judgments and propositions are based on facts and conscience, not out of self-interest or deliberate fabrication of facts to shape a specific position. Just as "1 + 1 = 2" is widely accepted because it is indeed correct, not a brainwashed judgment. Moreover, among mainstream media in the United States, there are also centrist media like The Wall Street Journal and conservative media like Fox News, rather than being monopolized by left-leaning individuals.

Regarding Ms. He's characterization of the "proletariat,knowledgeable, minority, and female" demographic, most of them are relatively marginalized groups in society who support the Democratic Party's inclination towards reform, equal rights, and social justice, which is understandable. While radical change and excessive "political correctness" are inappropriate and should be tempered and gradual, the basic demands and directions of assisting the disadvantaged, promoting equality, and building a diverse and inclusive society are correct and should be understood and supported. It is not fair to dismiss them altogether because of the extreme actions of a few radical individuals.

More importantly, what truly divides America is Trump and many Republicans. Trump and Republicans' advocacy or actual implementation of white supremacy/white privilege, fundamentalist Christianity, racism, and extreme nationalism, as well as their strong rejection of groups such as women, LGBT, minorities, and immigrants, and their attacks on the rights movements of these disadvantaged groups, have exacerbated social conflicts and hatred, undermined America's inclusiveness and diversity, and exacerbated political polarization and confrontation in the United States.

Trump and Republicans have also disregarded conventions by forcibly nominating and appointing conservative justices like Kavanaugh and Barrett, disrupting political balance. Trump has long made insulting, slanderous remarks, and conspiracy theories against Obama, Hillary, Biden, and others. Even after the results of the 2020 election were announced, Trump and some Republicans refused to acknowledge the election results and incited the "1.6" riot. Many Republicans still support him despite these actions, which is why they are willing to "elect at all costs."

These obvious facts prove that Trump and some Republicans are the main culprits behind the division of American society. Even though radical factions of the Democratic Party also bear some responsibility, it is secondary and does not represent the mainstream of the Democratic Party.

Furthermore, Ms. He's article contains several inconsistencies, distortions of quoted content, and unfounded criticisms. For example, she criticizes The New York Times for damaging rules and being untrustworthy due to its attitude towards Trump, yet she repeatedly cites several polls from The New York Times in this article to reflect Biden's low approval and lack of popularity.

Ms. He uses quotes from left-wing host Chris Wallace to "prove" that the media's coverage of Trump is not objective. However, the fact is that due to Trump's excessive lying and unconventional behavior, it is impossible to treat him like a normal, trustworthy politician. Therefore, the media must address his unique character and statements differently, including no longer treating his absurd remarks as serious statements to refute. This is not the mainstream media abandoning rules and objectivity. It's like evaluating Putin's regime's various defenses of invading Ukraine, such as "Ukraine does not exist as a country," "Russia never invades other countries," and "Zelensky is the war criminal." Is it necessary to assume these statements are credible each time and analyze them instead of directly deny them?

Ms. He simultaneously portrays the growth and threat of American socialists, suggesting that "socialists" pushed Biden into office, while also claiming that many voters are turning away from Biden. So, are American "socialists" strong or weak? There are indeed a few socialists or other far-left individuals in the United States, but as mentioned earlier, these people resist Biden because he is not left-leaning enough, and these "key minorities" refuse to support Biden, which is an important reason for Biden's lag behind Trump in polls. However, Ms. He implies that Biden is losing support due to left-leaning tendencies, and Trump is more popular. This is not in line with the facts. American socialists are not the majority (but a key minority), Biden is not left-leaning (but relatively centrist), and Trump is not more popular (just relatively more united and firm among his supporters compared to the internal divisions within the Democratic Party).

Ms. He accuses Biden of "certain domestic and foreign policies" causing division in America, but fails to specify the content and specific impact of these policies. As far as the author knows, Biden's policies are relatively moderate and aim to bridge societal divides as much as possible. Whether it's issues concerning women's rights, LGBT rights, border refugee entry, or the Israel-Palestine conflict, he tries to handle them with a balanced and ambiguous strategy, not favoring one side. Although this may also lead to "alienating both sides (recent declines in Biden's polls are related to this)," it also reflects Biden's moderate attitude of seeking compromise and considering the concerns of all parties.

These policies of Biden, unlike Trump's "one-sided" extreme conservative policies against refugees, women's rights, and support for Israel, are also more moderate than the progressive policies of Obama, Hillary, and others, such as vigorously promoting women's rights, LGBT rights, immigrant integration, and supporting a faster establishment of Palestine. Therefore, to say that Biden exacerbates division is a cognitive error regarding the facts.

In summary, the author believes that Ms. He's views on the American political situation and presidential elections are biased, not entirely truthful, and contain various errors. Ms. He selectively presents facts, magnifying Biden and the Democratic Party's shortcomings while defending Trump and the Republican Party's misconduct.

The author finds it difficult to agree with Ms. He's arguments, hence this article is written to refute them. Admittedly, the author is center-left and disagrees with Ms. He's right-wing perspective, but besides ideological differences, the author also believes that there are many factual errors in Ms. He's arguments. Regardless of one's position, basic facts should not be denied or modified. Furthermore, since there are articles like Ms. He's based on a right-wing stance and support for Trump, it is reasonable for the author, as a center-left Democratic Party supporter, to write in response, aligning with the situation and fairness.

Cover photo taken from Al Jazeera