In the 1980 presidential contest between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, then-governor Reagan suggested that voters ask themselves the following plain yet profound question, to decide their vote: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”
That time-tested question is before us again today and, uncommonly in the annals of American presidential history, we can contrast the past four years of the current Biden-Harris administration with the previous four years of the Trump administration, which foretells what voters can anticipate in the upcoming four years.
Applying those questions to the current milieu – and as Jews, particularly in the aftermath of October 7 – the answer is conclusively “no.” Just over four years ago, on September 15 2020, Israel, Bahrain and the UAE signed the historic Abraham Accords on the Truman Balcony at the White House, heralding a new era and a path of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.
Today, not only does Israel find itself in an existential struggle with Iran and its proxies and more isolated on the world stage, but antisemitism now also openly permeates many college campuses – and poll after poll shows Jews worldwide feel less safe than they did just several years ago.
One could forgive people for thinking that in the wake of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel to defend itself would be unequivocal. Sadly, that support has been tepid at best.
To be sure, opaque statements make sure to include support for Israel’s right to defend itself and some arms have been sent, but the moment Israel actually asserted such right with a campaign to remove the threat posed by the perpetrators of October 7, the moral ambiguity and threats of partial arms embargoes began, reaching a crescendo with Vice President Harris’s debate performance where within a few short sentences she uttered both that “Israel has a right to defend itself” and that “this war must end. It must end immediately,” as if Israel wanted this war.
A Harris-Biden reality that funds terrorism
NONE OF this even considers the inexplicable pro-Iran policies led by Harris-Biden which provided sufficient funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis to relentlessly attack Israel and the West.
As though this isn’t bad enough, just days ago, Vice President Harris apparently agreed with a protester that Israel is committing genocide, saying “what he is talking about is real” – and someone in her administration leaked highly classified information about Israel to the Iranians.
Any one of these issues would have broken the traditional bipartisan support for the Jewish state; collectively, they have made this the least supportive administration in history for the safety and security of the State of Israel.
Four year ago, Jewish life on many a college campus flourished. Though not perfect, Hillels, OU-JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus) and Jewish studies departments had been growing and providing safe spaces for Jews.
Post-October 7, however, American universities have emerged as hotbeds for the expression of antisemitism, where even elite university presidents have said that whether or not “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate their university code of conduct, would be “context-dependent.”
Instead of denouncing the protests that routinely employ slogans in support of intifada and often descend into physical harassment of Jewish students, Vice President Harris has engaged in sophistry by invoking the principles of academic freedom and free speech to shield hatred. In July 2024, she even said that the protesters were “showing exactly what the human emotion should be.”
To boot, while President Biden has occasionally displayed hints of your grandfather’s Democratic Party that was strongly pro-Israel, the Harris-Walz ticket is even more morally compromised.
Discussing the war in Gaza, Governor Tim Walz recently told a media outlet that he believes anti-Israel protesters are “speaking out for all the right reasons.” He then put the onus on Israel, without even mentioning Hamas, calling for Israel to work toward a two-state solution, and calling on “the Netanyahu government to start moving in that direction.”
WHILE THE last four years have made the US less respected by its allies and less feared by its adversaries, former president Trump has a record to analyze as well.
Nobody is perfect, but Trump is the best choice
As president, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, opened the US Embassy in Jerusalem (something that was originally of bi-partisan agreement), left the disastrous Iran deal, had the Iranians broke and weakened, signed an executive order to broaden the ability of the US government to fight antisemitism, and led the historic Abraham Accords.
Trump isn’t perfect – no one is – but in the contest in terms of who can best lead the United States of America for the next four years, he is by far the best choice.
In 1984, then-president Reagan ran a poignant campaign ad “Morning in America” which turned to be pivotal in that race. It was a pitch for optimism and showed how our country can be “prouder, stronger and better.”
If you care about the future of America, if you care about the safety and security of Jews in America, if you care about the US-Israel relationship and peace, security and prosperity in the Middle East – then pull the lever for the person who has delivered that before and will deliver it again.
Vote for Donald Trump.
There are so many people in your circle who care about the issues outlined above, and the difference between winning and losing is showing up to vote.
Don’t just vote for Trump – make sure that those who share your values and priorities show up to vote as well.
Aryeh Lightstone was a senior adviser to US ambassador David Friedman during the Trump presidency, and special envoy for economic normalization. Shmuel Winiarz is an attorney at law.