Joe Biden: Worse than even his policies, Donald Trump is destroying America's soul We don’t have to give in to Donald Trump’s petty, angry vision of America. We can choose to be the more perfect union we have always aspired to be.

Joe Biden | Opinion contributor

Every four years, American democracy is rekindled in Iowa, as neighbors come together in libraries, union halls, churches, and cafeterias, and set our nation on a path to picking the next president. That duty has always been sacred to Iowans — but it’s a far graver responsibility this time around than it has ever been before.

It’s no secret just how much damage President Donald Trump has done to our communities. He has repeatedly tried to snatch away our health care — and return us to the days when you could be denied care for having a pre-existing condition. His reckless, unnecessary trade war and Big Oil ethanol waivers have decimated Iowa farmers and producers — evaporating livelihoods and exacerbating a tragic spike in farm bankruptcies. And his chief legislative victory — a tax cut that largely benefited the wealthiest Americans — was little more than a slap in the face to working people.

But worse, somehow, than his policy failures has been the damage he’s done to the soul of our nation. He fans the flames of hate groups at home. He embraces murderous dictators abroad. He rips children from their mothers’ arms at our border. He pressures foreign nations to interfere in our elections. Every day, his endless spigot of unhinged lies, thoughtless cruelties, and petty complaints embarrasses his office and degrades our national character. Is it any wonder that the once-unimaginable sight of allied world leaders mocking and laughing at the American president has now become routine?

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Some of my opponents in the Democratic primary will tell you that Donald Trump isn’t the issue — they’ll say that our focus should be on what the country will look like after he leaves office. With all due respect, they are looking past the crisis staring us in the face: What happens if he wins again?

We can't afford four more years

Our country is strong; we can withstand four years of Trump. But if we give him a second term, there is no telling how much more damage he will do to our core values, our standing in the world, or the character of our nation.

Imagine four more years of unchecked corruption and naked grift. Four more years of broadsides against our democracy, our free press, and the very concept of truth. Four more years of fawning deference to Vladimir Putin abroad — and to the NRA here at home.

That doesn’t have to be our fate. In less than a month, Iowans can say "enough," and take the first step toward beating Donald Trump and restoring the soul of our nation.

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Restoring our soul means creating policies that reflect our shared values. That means ensuring that health care is a right for all — not just the wealthy — by giving every American the choice to either stick with a private plan or choose an affordable, quality Medicare-like public option. It means revitalizing the basic middle class bargain for all Americans, so that no one has to leave their hometown — be it Manhattan or Mason City, L.A. or Elkader — to find opportunity. It means banning assault weapons and limiting magazine clips, so that every parent can look their kids in the eye and tell them, “You will be safe at school.” Most of all, it means treating every person with dignity.

I know how seriously you take your responsibility as caucusgoers, and I believe you’ll choose a candidate who can build a broad, diverse coalition to unify this nation around our common values — someone who understands that our country is made strong by the ideals and dignity of our people.

We don’t have to give in to Donald Trump’s dark, petty, angry vision of America. We can choose to be the more perfect union we have always aspired to be. We can restore the defining American promise — that no matter where you start in life, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. And, in doing so, we can restore the soul of our nation. I hope you’ll join me in that fight today — and that you’ll caucus for me on Feb. 3.

Joe Biden, who was vice president from 2009 to 2017, is a Democratic candidate for president. Follow him on Twitter: @JoeBiden. This column originally appeared in the Des Moines Register.