Dear Fellow Utahns,
As of this morning (November 4th) the Utah Elections Office reported that 683,346 Utahns have cast their ballots. This represents nearly 46% of the total registered voters in Utah, all of whom have the opportunity to weigh in on what is expected to be one of the closest presidential elections in recent history.
While domestic issues like the economy, jobs, healthcare and education dominate the headlines and minds of my fellow Utahns, let me offer another and equally important lens through which each of us should consider these candidates - American foreign relations.
The next president won’t just shape the future of domestic policy; they’ll steer America’s role in a rapidly changing, and oftentimes volatile, global landscape. From grappling with diplomatic tensions between superpowers like China and Russia to addressing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, our next president’s foreign policy decisions and how they engage with foreign leaders will ripple across the world for generations.
We have two dynamic and divergent mainstream presidential candidates in former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. As the leader of Utah Global Diplomacy, Utah’s nonprofit authority on foreign relations, I am intimately interested in how America is both perceived and acts globally. These are intrinsically tied to our commander in chief and therefore should be a key consideration for every voter.
Every year Utah Global Diplomacy hosts over 400 foreign business, government and community leaders who come to Utah to learn about democracy, human rights, nonprofit impact, issue advocacy, free-market economics, entrepreneurship and much more. These delegations, facilitated through the U.S. State Department, allow Utahns to leverage citizen diplomacy as a tool of peace and mutual understanding between our state and tens of thousands of foreign leaders over the last 57 years. They also offer a glimpse into the perception of America and the results of our foreign policy decisions.
While the President of the United States has a constitutional responsibility to protect our homeland and American interests, we also have a moral obligation to promote world peace and international collaboration, especially given our global influence. In fact, our foreign visitors are direct beneficiaries of carefully crafted foreign policy from generations ago – 84 years ago to be precise. For decades, peace through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and multilateral cooperation, among other tools, have been effective. And while there may be more threats to global stability than ever before, there are also more tools at our disposal than at any point in human history. I personally believe that the majority of humankind still seeks after a peaceful world.
Grounded in an unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights advocacy, and humanitarian values, The United States has positioned itself as a defender of freedom and cultivator of peace. It is imperative that our next president continue playing a leading role in seeking after and securing a more just world.
As you cast your vote for president, and for other federal candidates, I encourage you to ask three simple questions:
1. Who is best fit to navigate complex international challenges while keeping America secure?
2. Who will stand for democratic principles and advocate for human rights?
3. Who will work nonstop to generate international goodwill and respect for America?
America’s domestic success and security is inseparably connected to our success globally.
Felecia Maxfield-Barrett is the president & CEO of Utah Global Diplomacy, Utah’s nonprofit leader in citizen diplomacy and international relations.
