"That's a damning non-answer!" observed Governor Walz when Senator Vance said, "Tim, I'm focused on the future." in reply to Walz's question "Did Donald Trump win or lose the 2020 election?"

This was the most important exchange of the vice presidential debate Tuesday night. If Vance cannot state the truth that Trump lost the 2020 election we cannot trust him in any government office, especially the office second to the Presidency.

We cannot trust Vance, or Trump to uphold the American tradition of peaceful transfer of power from one President to another. We cannot trust them to recognize and function in our self-governing democracy. Trump, because he caused the insurrection resulting in January 6th, 2021 and other reasons, Vance because he will not counter Trump's Big Lie. Vance asked us to trust him during the debate, then refused to state the truth of the 2020 election.

Democracy is in danger in America so we must not only defend our present democratic laws, practices, and institutions, but must work to strengthen them. We can begin by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to strengthen the right of every American over the age of 18 to vote and have their vote count. To do that we need not only to elect Kamala Harris as President, but elect a Congress that supports strengthening our democracy.

Our goal as citizens is to work toward an America that is an inclusive democracy involving all citizens in: solving problems; creating equality, security, and prosperity; sustaining a healthy planet; and strengthening our democratic institutions and processes. This is how we solve the other problems that were debated.

Bill Dagnon,
Baraboo