An Open Letter to Clinton, Johnson, Sanders, Stein, and Trump from Two Fellow Americans

image
Author: Jackie Salit
Created: 14 Jun, 2016
Updated: 21 Nov, 2022
2 min read

This open letter was written by Jacqueline Salit, president of IndependentVoting.org, and Cathy Stewart, vice president of IndependentVoting.org.

 

In the 48 hours since the mass murder in Orlando, the political environment in our country is worsening. Leaders such as yourselves — who seek the office of the presidency — must take responsibility for that. Put campaign interests aside and have a serious and principled conversation together and with the American people about the unsettling nature of this devastating act of violence, rather than jockey for position and votes.

We call on you to suspend your campaigning to hold a joint press conference to demonstrate that communicating across the ideological and partisan divide serves the American people best. Whatever differences exist with respect to a posture on terrorism and crimes in the name of Islam, on gun violence and on the free expression of human sexuality, it would be meaningful to the American people for such a joint action to take place. Law enforcement is doing its job, and it is a difficult one. But it's not sufficient for any of us to say on Facebook or Twitter or at the Tony Awards or at campaign rallies that these events must make us stronger, unless we actually do something to make ourselves stronger. You cannot say this is a time where Americans must stand together if the presumptive leaders won’t.

The problem is that the culture of our partisan election system makes it difficult, if not impossible, to respond as a unified nation. Everything that the Orlando massacre raises does not reduce to guns or immigration. And no candidate, regardless of what they claim, has cornered the market on truth. Obviously, a joint appearance among the five of you would be shocking to many, but the violence has already shocked us. A shocking response that changes our political culture might put us—and the world—on a safer and better path.

 

Jacqueline Salit, President, IndependentVoting.org

Cathy Stewart, Vice President, IndependentVoting.org

Latest articles

Building with columns.
In 3 States, Partisans Pick the Secretary of State Without Voter or Executive Input
In 47 US states, the secretary of state is a recognized statewide office, and in most of those states, voters get to decide who holds it. But in three 3 states — Maine, Tennessee, and New Hampshire — the legislature holds that power exclusively....
29 Apr, 2025
-
7 min read
A man wearing an I Voted sticker on a collared shirt.
Charlottesville's First Use of Ranked Choice Voting is Unique -- Here's Why
Primary elections are scheduled in Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 17. However, there is something different about this election: It is the first time the city will use ranked choice voting (RCV). ...
29 Apr, 2025
-
4 min read
ballots in ballot box.
Congressmen Co-Lead Effort to Prohibit Ranked Choice Voting in Federal Elections
US Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), who was elected under Alaska’s ranked choice voting (RCV) system, and US Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-Arizona) are co-leading an effort to prohibit the use of RCV in federal elections. ...
29 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read