民主黨總統候選人拜登(Joseph Biden)22日以「為我們家庭更繁榮的未來」為題投書世界日報，肯定亞裔美國人的地位和努力，也批評川普總統放任仇恨言行，導致亞裔在新冠疫情肆虐美國時遭到歧視；拜登宣示當選後將修護破碎的移民體系，捍衛所有人的美國夢，並彌合美國當前因仇恨與分裂造成的傷口。
此外，拜登重申美國是太平洋強國，特別稱許台灣是居領先地位的民主政體、主要經濟體與科技重鎮，也是「有效控制新冠病毒的閃亮典範」，將強化與台灣的關係；也會在符合美國利益的領域，與中國合作，包括公共衛生和氣候變遷。
但我們也看到最糟的情況：亞裔美國人誤因新冠病毒遭仇視的行為比比皆是，某種程度上，是因為川普總統發布的仇恨言論所致。亞裔美國人被責備、被唾罵、被攻擊；家園、商家和汽車被侮辱性標記破壞；年幼的孩童被刺傷，還有一名89歲的奶奶，在不斷升級的仇恨文化中遭人火焚。
近兩個世紀以來，亞裔美國人使我們的國家變得強大 — 從掘金礦工，到加速我們崛起的鐵路和工廠工人，再到推動我們向前邁進的科學家、建築師、藝術家和企業家們。多年來，他們的勇氣、犧牲和成功，為美國夢注入動力，也讓美國穩為自由的燈塔與世界的希望。
川普總統不懂這些。他帶頭攻擊我們作為移民之國的價值觀，甚至在我們的邊境，拆散成千上萬的孩童與父母。即便在這場大流行到來之前，我們的仇恨犯罪就已達到16年以來的新高。而如今，為了轉移自己抗疫失敗、未能保護我們國家的過失，無論是否因此導致上千反亞裔的種族歧視事件，他仍堅持把新冠病毒稱作「中國病毒」。
措辭很重要，總統措辭更為重要。作為總統，我將捍衛每個人的美國夢，讓每一勤奮努力的家庭，享有通向繁榮和美好未來的公平機會。我將反對任何形式的種族歧視，指示司法部優先處理仇恨犯罪，以彌合仇恨與分裂的傷口，而非煽風點火。
唐納德·川普早在今年1月就已知道新冠病毒的致命性，卻未採取任何行動。現在，超過22萬美國人因此失去生命，約3000萬人失去工作、工時和薪水，五分之一的小商家關門。川普失敗的領導力讓我們的經濟崩盤 — 他總統當得愈久，得以完全回歸正軌的時間也愈久。
首先要擔起責任，努力控制疫情，讓我們重回生機。我將執行早在3月就擬定的計畫，擊敗新冠病毒。我將聽取科學家、專家的意見；保護我們的家庭；讓新冠檢測、治療，以及最終的疫苗免費，並對所有人開放。
我將馬上開始重建更好的經濟，為數百萬遭受重創的小商家提供實質救助。他們是我們社區的生命線 — 但川普腐敗的復甦作法棄他們於不顧，只把紓困資金匯集到大公司手中。75%的亞裔小企業主，未能獲得任何首輪紓困金。這是錯誤的，我已要求確保員工在50人以下的小企業獲得紓困金，我也將增加他們獲得優惠和資金的長遠渠道，減輕阻礙移民業主的語言障礙。
質言之，我的經濟復甦計畫將回報以工作，而不只是財富，將創造未來數百萬優薪工作。(信評機構)穆迪的獨立經濟學者發現，比起川普總統的作法，我的計畫會創造多出700萬的工作，以及超過1兆美元的經濟增長。我也不會對任何年收入40萬美元以下者加稅 —別懷疑。相反地，我還將確保超級富豪和大公司最終支付本應承擔的份額。
我一路走來，都在為工薪和中產家庭而戰；他們之中有許多勤勉奮鬥的移民，來到美國是為更好的生活。我將幫助父母有能力支付子女的優質教育、提高教師薪酬，並讓絕大多數家庭免費就讀公立學院。我將讓照顧年邁父母變得更容易，讓醫療保險更平價。川普現在要通過法院，廢除「可負擔健保法」，在一場致命大流行之中，剝奪數千萬人的醫療保險，這毫無道理。
同時，新冠病毒證明美國不能自外於世界。從重建我們最親近夥伴的關係開始，我們必須與其他國家攜手合作，應對影響我們所有人的國際挑戰。我們是一個太平洋強國，將與盟友並肩，增進我們在亞太地區共享的繁榮、安全與價值。這其中就包括深化與台灣這個居領先地位的民主政體、主要經濟體，以及科技重鎮的關係。台灣也是開放社會可以有效控制新冠病毒的閃亮典範。
我競選是為讓美國更好的重建，重建美國作為一個充滿機會，團結和有全新開始的國家；一個由數代移民讓其強大的地方；一個所有人都能發聲、每張選票都有價值的地方。我將引領這些議題，更重要的是，我會傾聽。所以，請確保你今天將選票投出。
These □are tough times. Our country is at a crossroads, facing a pandemic, a recession, □and an election that will decide our futures for a very long time.
This □year, we've seen the best of America carry us forward: heroic doctors, nurses, □grocers, restaurant owners, essential workers – including so many Asian □Americans.□
But □we've also seen the worst: acts □of hate against Asian Americans wrongly blamed for COVID-19, spurred on, in □part, by hateful rhetoric from President Trump. They've been screamed at, spit □on, and assaulted. Homes, □businesses, and cars vandalized□ with slurs. Small children stabbed. □An 89-year-old grandmother set □on fire□ amid this rising culture of hate.
This □is not who we are.
For □nearly two centuries, Asian Americans have made our country strong – from the □gold miners and railroad and factory workers who helped □to power our rise; to the scientists, architects, artists, and entrepreneurs who □are helping to drive us forward now. For years, their courage, sacrifices, and □success have powered the American Dream and helped America stand as □a beacon of freedom and hope to the world.
President □Trump doesn't get that. He □has led an assault on our values as a nation of immigrants, even tearing □thousands of children from their parents' arms at our border. Hate crimes □against people are at a 16-year-high, □even before this pandemic. And now, to deflect blame for his failure to protect □our nation from this crisis, he insists on calling COVID-19 the "China virus," □no matter how many thousands□ of reported racist incidents against Asian Americans it encourages.
Words □matter – and a president's words matter even more. As □President, I'll □defend the American Dream for everyone, so every hardworking family has the same □fair shot at prosperity and a better future. I'll stand against racism in every □form, directing the □Justice Department to prioritize hate crimes, □and working to heal the wounds of hatred and division, not fan the □flames.
Donald □Trump knew how deadly COVID-19 was back in January and did nothing to stop it. Now, □more than 220,000 Americans are dead. Some 30 million have lost jobs, hours, □wages. One in five small businesses have shut down. □Trump's failed leadership has tanked our economy – and the longer he's □president, the longer it'll take to get it fully up and running □again.
We're eight □months in, but Trump still has no plan. I do.
It □starts with taking responsibility and doing the hard □work to control this pandemic and get our lives back. I'll □implement the plan I've laid out since March to beat COVID-19. I'll □listen □to scientists and experts; protect our families; and make □testing, treatment, and any eventual vaccine free and available to □everyone.
I'll □get right to work building our economy back better – getting real relief out to □millions of hard-hit small businesses. They're the lifeblood of our communities □– but Trump's corrupt recovery passed them by, funneling funds to big □corporations instead. Some 75% □of Asian-owned small businesses□ weren't expected to get any first-round stimulus funds at all. It's wrong. I've □called for ensuring small businesses with less than 50 employees get new relief □funds. And I'll boost their long-term access to credit and capital, and work to □ease the language barriers that can hold back immigrant □entrepreneurs.
Through □it all, my economic recovery plan will reward work, not just wealth, creating □millions of good paying jobs of the future. Independent economists at Moody's □found that my plan creates □7 million more jobs – and $1 trillion more in economic growth – than President □Trump's would. □And I □won't raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000 a year – period. Instead, □I'll make sure the super wealthy and big corporations finally pay their fair □share.
I've □fought my whole career for working and middle class families – so many of them □hard-working immigrants who came to America in search of a better life. I'll □help parents afford a quality education for their kids, boosting teacher pay and □making public college free for most families. I'll make it easier to care for □aging parents, and make health care more affordable. Trump is in court right now □trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, stripping tens of millions of people □of health coverage in the middle of a deadly pandemic. It makes no □sense.
Meanwhile, □COVID-19 is proof that the United States can't isolate itself from the world. We □have to work with other nations to meet global challenges that impact us all, □starting by rebuilding our relationships with our closest partners. We're a □Pacific power, and we'll stand with friends and allies to advance our shared □prosperity, security, and values in the Asia-Pacific region. That includes □deepening our ties with Taiwan, a leading democracy, major economy, technology □powerhouse – and a shining example of how an open society can effectively □contain COVID-19. And our approach to China will focus on boosting American □competitiveness, revitalizing our strengths at home, and renewing our alliances □and leadership abroad. We'll work to collaborate with China when it's in our □interest, including on public health and climate change.□
America □has always led □the world not only with the example of our power, but the power of our example. □To truly do that again, we also have □to fix our broken immigration system, keeping families together and ensuring the □United States continues to draw the world's □best and brightest.
I'm □running to build America back better, as a country of opportunity, unity, and □new beginnings. A place made strong by generations of immigrants. A place where □everyone has a voice and every vote counts. I'll lead on these issues, and more □importantly, I'll listen. So please make sure you get your vote in today. □Together we'll restore the soul of this nation we love.□
by Former Vice President Joseph Biden for World Journal
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