The heart and soul of America is on the ballot this November when we vote for the next president of the United States.
At stake is whether we value truth, justice and the so-called American way of life. Will we support a democratic form of government prized by our Founding Fathers and 200 years of leaders? Or will we descend into a dangerous, authoritarian quagmire that would eradicate many of the freedoms too many Americans fought and died for.
Any South Carolinian who wants to make a difference now in the future of America will have a big chance next month in the state’s presidential primaries.
On Feb. 3 in the first-in-the-nation Democratic primary, those who support seasoned, practical, progressive and proven leadership can vote to nominate President Joe Biden for another term.
Three weeks later, those who want to vote in the first-in-the-South Republican primary should cast a vote for former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, the only major candidate schooled in reason and truth.
Say what you will about Haley — she’s overly ambitious, a little tough and sometimes pandering. But unlike frontrunner and former GOP President Donald Trump, she doesn’t want to debase democracy. She believes our form of government, warts and all, is the greatest in the world’s history. She’s certainly not afraid to take on the establishment, but she doesn’t cotton to Trump’s narcissistic lies, corruption and continuing threats to turn the federal government on its ear.
So we hope that as the nation’s political focus turns next week from New Hampshire to South Carolina that Haley will start standing up more to Trump to distinguish herself. She should loudly call him out when he lies or supports the zealots who violently tried to take down the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, because he didn’t want to transfer power. She should show the same toughness on the national campaign trail that she did as governor when standing up to power at the Statehouse in Columbia.
Sure, Trump remains way ahead in polls, but with his four criminal cases hanging in the balance, his problems are only going to magnify. South Carolina voters can engage with that reality by leading the nation to see the paucity of his substance over the untruthful flair of his style.
Of all of the candidates in the race now, Biden has the steadiest hand, as he implored the country Jan. 8 in Charleston: “This is a time for choosing, so let us choose the truth. Let us choose America.”
And while we think voters will eventually reelect Biden, we can’t risk having Trump as the GOP nominee. The best bet on Feb. 24? Pick Haley, the Republican candidate who values American democracy, not the one who seems to hate it.
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