Like nearly 45 million people, I spent the start of October watching the 2024 vice presidential debate. As a Harris-Walz hopeful, I was prepared to not only support the governor of Minnesota, but vehemently oppose J.D. Vance's stances. But as I watched the debate, I found myself disagreeing with only half of what Vance said. His talking points could be placed into two categories: politically moderate assertions that most Americans would agree with, and repurposed Donald Trump extremisms. But when it came to this latter category, it seemed as though Vance himself didn’t believe what he was saying.
Many Americans hold this same opinion. In a pre-debate poll by the New York Times held in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, more people found the words “trustworthy” and “honest” applicable to Walz than Vance. But why do so many Americans find Vance to be so dishonest? Perhaps it's because this elephant often sounds more like a donkey.
Vance, born in Middletown, Ohio, and bestselling author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” has long been a critic of the GOP— that is, until 2021. As Vance's Senate race gained traction, he quickly turned from Trump opposition to Trump’s running mate. From Appalachia to Yale, from bringing baked goods to a transgender friend to condemning pro-trans policies in the media, from criticizing Trump's ludicrous border wall to becoming one of its biggest supporters, J.D. Vance has undergone radical changes. And it's this unpredictability that makes him so dangerous for our democracy.
To put it plainly, political opportunism is un-American. In a country built upon the foundations of representative democracy, what does it mean to be represented by those who don't honestly believe what they claim to represent? Our elected officials are expected to genuinely reflect the beliefs that we as voters hold, not shift their positions because it's politically advantageous. If we are to let this egregious scheme take place within our nation's highest office, then we open ourselves up to much graver threats beyond this year's election cycle.
Assuming that the above-mentioned Times poll holds true after the election and the Trump-Vance ticket is elected into public office, this distrust carries over, eroding the already waning trust the American people have in our government. In a time when we are so incredibly divided, more is needed to lend itself to unity and prosperity for the next four years. We cannot allow political opportunism to gain such a permanent foothold within American politics. By allowing J.D., Vance, and those like him to succeed in deceiving the American public, we set a dangerous precedent encouraging more politicians to prioritize ascendancy over principles.
As Brown students, we often hear that we are the future leaders of this country and the world. And while that sounds like a cliche used during convocation speeches, I believe it to be true. But if we are to bear that duty as our mentors suggest, we must learn from the story of J.D. Vance and the dangers of political opportunism: We must ground our future leadership in genuine principles and a firm stance on the issues we believe in.
Vance's story serves as a cautionary tale: political opportunism leads to the denigration of public service. Political expediency is simply the beginning. If we indeed are to shape the future, we must learn from his mistakes and remember that leadership isn't about winning at all costs — it's about serving others with honesty and conviction.
Christian Davis ’27 can be reached at christian_davis@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
