Full disclosure, during the Presidential primaries, Senator Kamala Harris was my first choice. Joe Biden was my fourth. Yet when it became evident that VP Biden is our best chance to win in November, I voted for him with a clear head and heart. Over these past months, my choice has been reaffirmed, my enthusiasm bolstered. Let me tell you why:
When I watched VP Biden’s Town Hall on ABC last Thursday, I saw a man who is cogent, compassionate, respectful, focused and detailed. I actually got emotional. After nearly four years of being saddled with the stress (and shame) of someone who conducts himself as a crude, bullying carnival barker, it was refreshing to hear calm, confident leadership.
The biggest knock on Biden from the opposition was that he sounded like Mister Rogers. That’s quite the compliment. I’d happily take that rather than feeling like an abused spouse whenever the Chief Executive opens his mouth. Certainly, I’ve had criticisms of Joe Biden in the past, but they are nothing in comparison to those I can fairly level at his opponent.
Joe Biden carved out a moderate path in the primaries, focusing on outreach. While that irritated the far left to no end, this country has had way too much attention focused on the 10% extremes on the Left and Right, which in no way represents the majority of Americans. A corporate owned news media knows this, yet thrives on stoking division wherever possible, Click bait wins over fact. Hysteria and speculation are valued over reason.
Especially during this devastating pandemic, we need reason, cooperation and adherence to proven science. While VP Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris certainly offer a bold, progressive agenda, anyone with sense knows that our founders crafted our government to move slowly. It will also be refreshing to have a team in office who wish to represent everyone, not only rewarding loyalists or sycophants.
Biden’s invitation to Kamala Harris is also encouraging as it bespeaks a humility on his part, acknowledging his need for a powerful, forthright, accomplished woman of color on the ticket, and that he’s not afraid to work with someone who has criticized him. Senator Harris has been dissed with the far right labeling her “the most liberal Senator,” even as the far left derogatorily called her a “cop,” given that she was CA’s former Attorney General. Well — which is it? Once again, neither extreme represents her contributions and value as someone who has long fought for those less fortunate.
And for those leaning to the Right, who have been terrified with insinuations that the avowed Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez will actually be “running things,” this is false; no more than a corporate media scare tactic. That’s not just coming from FOX News, by the way. The supposedly “liberal media” (CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC) is not really liberal at all and pushes these scare tactics just as much. Here’s how it works:
For years, Sanders was booked on every Sunday morning talk show, had such an out-sized media presence and more air time than actual Democrats, leading anyone to believe he somehow represents a party he does little else but bash. His presence was no accident. Where are other genuine Democratic voices? Where are women? Where are people of color? Where are those elucidating something other than one size fits all solutions to problems requiring more than bluster to be resolved?
The result is that the overblown presence of one person who was roundly rejected by Democrats (twice) seems to have been heralded by all media as their spokesperson. Don’t believe it.
But do believe you will have common sense and decency back in office. Biden/Harris first and foremost will implement policies to get our response to Covid-19 under control and assist families and small businesses most injured by this pandemic.
To have had almost 220,000 dead of Covid-19 while our current president knew the danger from the outset but concealed it from the American people, obfuscating the truth and showing no leadership in this regard is in itself disqualifying—permanently.
For Trump, there is no coming back from the damage his negligence has caused. Those in the Senate and Congress who have rubber stamped his behavior—sitting on their hands while we suffered—don’t deserve another term either. I encourage you to vote accordingly.
Biden/Harris’ focus will also be to grow and improve the Affordable Care Act, and to protect coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. The GOP will shortly go before the Supreme Court in an effort to overturn the ACA and those protections. That’s not hype. It’s fact.
Biden/Harris certainly want to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits, not cut Payroll Taxes that would choke off or drain those benefits.
If you make under $400,000 a year—which is the case for over 99% of Americans—your taxes are not going up. Higher tax rates for the wealthy will not take away their wealth – nor our ability to grow our economy. Check out the motives (and net worth) of anyone who tells you otherwise. I think Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg can afford to pay more, don’t you?
It is a disgrace that in the year 2020, women still have to fight for the right to agency over their own persons. Daily, the GOP looks to whittle away women’s rights even further. Witness Trump’s current Supreme Court Justice nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, (and her previous arcane decisions) as GOP seeks to ram through her confirmation, though near 30 million Americans have already voted in this election. This further rightward lurch on the Supreme Court will be devastating, hurtful to women and families in ways that reach far beyond the issue of a woman’s right to choose. Allies in the Executive Branch are needed more than ever. Senator Harris’ groundbreaking inclusion on this ticket is encouraging and exciting for this and many other reasons.
And no, Biden/Harris do NOT want to de-fund the police, so stop believing nonsensical hyperbole pushed by those with selfish interests. Criminal justice reform is sorely needed but the rule of law remains. There is so much more that can best be expressed by visiting the Biden/Harris official campaign website and I encourage you to do so.
Will they be mistake-free? Of course not. No one is. Yet I look forward to a hard-working Administration that champions equality, normalcy, decency, patriotism, growth, science and yes–outreach. That is why I’m voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Join me.
2 Comments
Hi Anita- thank you, once again, for clearing the table of dirty dishes, wiping down the table so we can remember what it was like to enjoy a meal again with clean silverware and an environment without crumbs, flies… and lies.
Thank you as always for your unique perspective!