Despite wishing neither Biden or Trump were the candidates, as long as Biden is running I will strongly support him for as we all know now, the alternative would be a disaster for America and much of the world. YET, back in December 2023 I wrote the Op-Ed piece below for the Portland Press Herald here in Maine. As I have stated in earlier pieces here, voting for the person with the best/ highest/ character matters the most. So for now, support Biden!
Go Home, Trump and Biden!
Rob Neal
Portland Press Herald December 20, 2023
Becoming an elder has many challenges. At 72 I still resist much of the stereotypical roles and expectations for elders in our society. My family and close friends have been encouraging me to accept my elder status for several years. In 2023 I slowly began to accept my “elder-ness”, and do understand why it seems so hard for Trump and Biden to move on and go home.
There’s no euphoria in thinking about having less years left to live than having lived so far. Plus even with the calmness that comes from knowing I have nothing left to prove professionally, that assurance doesn’t add any more years to my life.
Right now I’m healthy, energetic, and in better physical shape than I was ten years ago thanks to yoga and lots of walking. I still work part time because I enjoy it, do it well, and need to make some money. I have a spouse, children, grand children, and friends to be with, plus many interests to pursue.
I keep wondering then, why the immediate members of Donald Trump’s family have not tried to stop him from running for President again. Maybe they have, but he’s not exactly leaving the stage gracefully. With all his vindictive anger, bizarre behavior, promoting of false information, and anti-democracy ideas fully on display. I mean really, this is how the family wants him to be remembered?
Whatever they or any of us think about his actions as President before, he needs to stop campaigning, lying, and denying, and just go home. His family includes smart, educated, privileged people who have already experienced working in the White House. I imagine some, or maybe all of them, are saying to him,
“Enough is enough, come home, enjoy the rest of your life.” In other words, go play golf and travel the world. Whether you liked him as President or not, I doubt the country will benefit from any politician being elected to be vindictive and to shred our democracy. Go home Mr.Trump.
Elders like Biden, who don’t know when to leave the job on a high note and let others take the helm, risk coming across as lacking good judgement about who needs to lead this country now. Biden also needs to stop and go home. The difference with Biden, however, is he’s not a vindictive, angry, delusional bully like Trump. Yet, whatever anyone thinks of his actions as President, it’s clear he’s no longer operating at the speed or level of performance that we truly need now in America. Go home Joe.
What matters in our elder years is to find the grace and love our families want to give us, and respect from the people we worked with and for over many years. If we conducted our careers in an open, honest, learning, and generous manner, then as we encourage the next generation to take charge, accepting our elder status will feel natural and right.
During my long career I had my chance, did the best I could, and had mostly positive results to show for it. Any opportunities that come my way now or contributions I can make to help individuals, organizations, families, my community, and country are like finishing a satisfying meal. Hopefully it’s still a long meal left, but the main course is over.
I have coached and helped develop many leaders from front line supervisors to CEO’s all over the country. On my own, as a corporate employee, and with a large consulting firm. Some of these leaders never learned to let go and let the next generation take charge. It was not a pretty site to see, and their organizations usually suffered as they waited.
America doesn’t need any more of Trump ever. We also will not need Biden after 2024. They both need to go home and for very different reasons, spare the country of their excessive egos and inability to let go. There are many other younger, highly capable leaders. Just go home.
Rob Neal
A “semi-retired” elder, had a long career as an executive coach, organizational health consultant, and family therapist. He now works part time doing customer service in a health care setting, coaches a few individuals, volunteers at a local church, and spends his free time with family and friends, playing the guitar and piano, and being active outside as much as possible. A native of Atlanta, he has lived in Maine since 1988.
Wrong. Sorry not sorry. The issue is not the age of the candidates. The issue is that we are on the cusp of losing our Democracy to a fascist takeover of the GOP and a malignant narcissist - who needs no more golf. He needs to be in JAIL.