Jim Jordan Should Distance Himself from Trump

Our congressman, Jim Jordan, is our president’s staunchest supporter, besting Senators Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham. As a former wrestler and coach at The Ohio State University, Jordan demonstrates an unparalleled physical defense of Trump’s positions; some of which are particularly problematic.

Trump claimed for more than five years that former President Barack Obama was born in Kenya. Trump has never apologized clearly to him.

About the “Central Park Five” — five black and Latino teenagers now known to be innocent of a most heinous crime of rape and assault of a white woman in New York many years ago — Trump paid, in today’s terms, almost $200,000 for full-page ads in several New York newspapers calling for their executions, even though the victim survived the attack. The lone, true attacker admitted his guilt, his DNA matched that found at the crime scene, and he was punished to the fullest extent of the law. The five accused persons served their time, are now free, and the City of New York paid them a large sum of money. But President Trump has never apologized to them.

Congressman Jordan, as he has done previously, will probably win re-election by a huge percent this November. One city in our congressman’s district, Oberlin, is not likely to give him even 50 percent. But all citizens throughout his entire district would be thankful if he lobbied President Trump to withdraw the lawsuit to destroy the Affordable Care Act, or asked him to show Americans his new health care plan by Tuesday’s debate — one ensuring that all Americans, especially those with pre-existing conditions, will be just as protected as Congressman Jordan and his family are.

Jordan’s ads show his supporters saying, “We stand with Jordan because he stands with us.”

There’s a good argument that Congressman Jordan could win over many in Oberlin if he just stood by all those who chant gleefully. But what does it mean to stand with them if he does not at least provide full health care, jobs paying a living wage, etc.?

Like most of his loyal supporters, Oberlin voters are eager to find uniters — not dividers — in politics. Jordan needs to put a little distance between Trump and himself; his instincts for goodness are far better than Trump’s. He does not have to be worried about being primaried in 2022. He does not have to be a sycophant for the president; he merely needs to stand with his current delirious supporters and he will surely gain new ones.