With the passing of Labor Day, the U.S. presidential campaign is in its final stages. Things are heating up, and the polls currently show a close race between the two major party candidates. Please allow us to clarify some matters before we proceed any further. 1. Contrary to popular opinion, Ukrainians do not lean toward one major party (though that may have been the case in decades past). This election year especially that is not the case, judging by the letters to the editor we’ve received and the comments we’ve seen on social media. 2. We want to remind our readers that this newspaper and its publisher, the Ukrainian National Association, a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society, do not endorse political candidates. So, don’t look for an endorsement in this space. 3. Contrary to what many believe, Ukrainian Americans are not one-issue voters. What can be said about Ukrainian American voters is that most of them do care deeply about their ancestral homeland. And that is where we come in. Our role here is to offer information about the candidates’ positions in that regard. (You can read about their positions on health care, the economy, gun control, immigration, etc. in a variety of other sources.)
We’ve all heard Donald J. Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s statements on Russia, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, NATO, the Baltic states and related topics of concern to us. And we’ve written before in this space about the party platforms of both the Republicans and the Democrats on such issues, cautioning readers that though the party platforms are important, the words of the candidates running in this all-important presidential election must be scrutinized This week, we decided to check out the official websites of the candidates to see what we could find.
Donald J. Trump’s campaign website (www.donaldjtrump.com) does not even tackle such issues. The topic simply does not appear under the menu items “Issues” and “Positions.”
On Hillary Clinton’s official site (www.hillaryclinton.com) there is a reference under the topic of “National Security” that reads: “As president, Hillary will: …Stand up to Vladimir Putin. Hillary has gone toe-to-toe with Putin before, and she’ll do it again. She’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with our European allies and push back on and deter Russian aggression in Europe and beyond, and increase the costs to Putin for his actions.”
The Libertarian ticket – Gary Johnson and William Weld – has a section on its website (www.johnsonweld.com) labeled “Foreign Policy and National Defense,” but there’s no mention of Russia or Ukraine (the focus is on ISIS and other “violent extremists”). There is this statement in bold letters: “No Nation Building. No Policing the World. More Security Here at Home.”
Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who is running with Ajamu Baraka, lists the following as part of her “Power to the People Plan”: “Peace and Human Rights: Establish a foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law and human rights. End the wars and drone attacks, cut military spending by at least 50 percent and close the 700+ foreign military bases that are turning our republic into a bankrupt empire. …” Don’t bother to look for any mention of Ukraine or Russia, though she’s made some pretty astounding pro-Russian statements.
Mr. Trump is on the record as saying that he admires Mr. Putin as a strong leader and would be able to work with him; he suggested that he might recognize Crimea as part of Russia. Meanwhile, Mrs. Clinton and her spokespersons underscore that she has dealt with Mr. Putin before and would be a strong supporter of Ukraine. It’s worth adding that Ukraine Today reported on September 15 that Ukrainian officials said both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump had been invited to meet President Petro Poroshenko on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meetings next week, but so far only the Democratic candidate has confirmed she will do so.
Having read the candidates’ websites and heard some of their statements, here’s a taste of what we’d still like to know. What would your administration do to get Russia out of Ukraine – both its eastern regions and Crimea? What is your opinion of the Minsk agreements? Should the United States, as a declared strategic partner of Ukraine since 1996, step in as a participant in the talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine? And, should Ukraine and its territorial integrity be sacrificed for the sake of better U.S.-Russia relations?
Three televised presidential debates are scheduled before Election Day. We urge readers to listen, and listen carefully; to read up on the positions of the presidential candidates; and to ask questions of the candidates and their surrogates. And then, on November 8, go out and vote your conscience.