In 2016, I had a student give a speech about Donald Trump. She wasn’t trying to get us to vote for him, but rather to persuade us to take him seriously based on his book, “The Art of the Deal.” Her point: everything he does, everything that seems so spontaneous and out-of-control, is carefully planned. He’s a master manipulator.

I urge Mr. Biden to read Mr. Trump’s book. And take it seriously. The president certainly does.

Through his falsehoods and fabrications, demeaning and denigrating behavior, he has cost us the trust of our allies, made us more vulnerable to our enemies, and worst of all, contributed to the deaths of thousands of Americans by his mis-handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, as he fights for his political life, the president continues to mislead the public about the extent of voter fraud and sows distrust of the US Postal Service to deliver the absentee ballots that the CDC recommends we use.

We, you and I, need to protect our most precious right as a member of this democracy. We have to save our vote. Contact your elected officials, but also contact your election officials and your local postmaster. Support those running for office who want to protect your rights as citizens; call out those who don’t. And engage in conversation. The more we talk about it, the more ideas there are, and the more people there are to do something about it. It’s our vote. Let’s work together to save it.

Arthur C. Benedict
Peaks Island