A Letter to Howard Schultz, Don’t Run

Dear Howard,

I’m a dual citizen of the US and Israel. Things are plenty bad in both countries.  I’m really motivated to see Trump and Pence unceremoniously evicted from their DC homes and offices.  Neither one of those two incompetents should be making policy for either of my countries.

Things have been looking brighter for the 2020 election.  We really have a good chance to take back our America. And to show genuine love and support for Israel.   Certainly, no Democratic candidate in the upcoming election will be perfect.  No candidate ever has been perfect so I doubt things will change now.  But, let’s be honest here, no candidate and no president, or vice president, was ever as imperfect as Trump or Pence. Trump is a mindless, souless grifter.  Pence is a right wing puppet.  He always reminds me of those dolls in the rear windows of some cars, the kinds who keep nodding their heads, in perpetuity.   Pence thinks he has values but they are the values of a reactionary. Intolerable.  Trump just doesn’t have any values at all. We Americans need to take back our country before we are entirely destroyed.

So, enter you my friend Howard, a Jewish boy from Brooklyn who has become a coffee-shop tycoon.  You run a mighty successful business.  Good for you.   And you’re a Democrat.  Good for you.  I’ve never been into party politics.  I’m independent.  At least I have been until now.  Seeing the Republicans spinelessly backing Trump’s evil policies has probably made me into a passionate Democrat.  But I don’t rule out voting for an idealistic Republican if such a person actually exists.  Doubtful.

So, I’m going to support a Democrat.  No Democrat, no matter how flawed, will be anywhere close to Trump in any measurable way.  No Democrat, no matter how flawed, can bring more disgrace and dishonor to our country.  So I say, Go Democrats!

But, dear Howard, you are a spoiler.  I don’t know anything at all about your political opinions.  They may be exactly the opinions I share and long for.  You may be Israel’s biggest fan and you may bring brilliant planning and amazing values into this race.  You may be the greatest thing since sliced challah.  But, unless you run as a Democrat, you just cannot win.  You can only make it easier for Trump to win.  I will never forgive you if that happens.  Neither will millions of other seriously disgruntled voters.  I will never step into a Starbucks again.

If you’re good enough and you’ve got the money, try to run as a Democrat.  If I agree with your platform and if your background is honorable, I might vote for you.  But, to run as an independent strikes me as an infamous move.  It makes me think that you are afraid of running in your own longtime party of choice.  Why is that? If you’re good enough to think yourself worthy of becoming president, surely you’re good enough to convince the Democrats that you’re their guy.

And so I beseech you Howard, for the sake of my children and grandchildren and great grandchild, don’t do this unworthy deed.  Do not run a third party campaign.  History shows  that you will be unsuccessful.  And that you will divide our country into three sections. That will elect Trump. We can’t afford to take that kind of a gamble now.  Our very nationhood depends on it.  If you really care for this country first do no harm!