Vote Biden and Harris

 Biden and Harris Deserve Your Vote

 

The Democratic National Convention this past week focused on all of the correct issues and highlighted the stark differences between our current president and the man who would replace him. 

 

The Democrats’ candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden and current U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, helped frame the new democratic coalition’s positions on the issues important to most Americans while showing their humanity, compassion and empathy. 

 

Over the past week, Democrats showed they value inclusiveness and diversity, opening their hearts to all Americans regardless of station, economic status, race or sexual orientation. Everyday working people were given a voice alongside of the wealthy and politically powerful. People of various hues and those across the gender spectrum highlighted America’s strengths and opportunities. No one was left behind or out.

 

To be sure, Democratic knives came out for the failings of the current administration to effectively address the current pandemic, to help shape an economy that works for everyone, to protect us from foreign intervention in our democracy, and to obey the rule of law. The attacks were grounded in policy failings, incompetence and corruption that are the hallmarks of Trump and his enablers. 

 

The Democratic vision for our future addresses these failings with bold proposals to contain and defeat Covid-19, to restore the economy by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and to create new opportunities and jobs while combatting climate change by investing in renewable energy and drastically cutting back on the use of carbon-based fuels. Voter suppression and interference in our elections will be eliminated. America’s standing as a world leader will be re-established as we stand with our allies and against our adversaries again.

 

These initiatives will be coupled with a renewed emphasis on leveling our playing fields through recognizing and ending systemic racism and income inequality. Expanding access to affordable health care for every American will increase opportunities for more to be productive members of society. These efforts will be paid for by making the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share in taxes and raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

 

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris also introduced themselves to the American people by sharing the high and low lights of their stories. They opened themselves so that we can rest assured that they are folks that care about all of us and are willing and able to do the hard work necessary to move us forward. 

 

Biden’s history of familial loss and grief and what he did to move past them shows his resilience and purpose. The loss of his first wife and children stays with him and helps him relate to and help others experiencing similar loss. His decades of public service give him a breadth of understanding of the issues American face and how to navigate the governmental system to address them effectively. His acceptance speech on Thursday night laid to rest any claims about his ability to command and deliver what he believes in and how he plans to move us all forward. Even Fox News pundits thought his speech was very effective, “a home run.” 

 

Kamala Harris made history as the first woman of color and east Asian ancestry to be nominated for vice-president by a major political party. Her background and life experiences make her uniquely qualified to address racial inequality and systemic racism, especially in the criminal justice system. She is strong and tenacious and provides a progressive slant to Biden’s more centrist positions. She will help make him a better president.

 

The most telling part of Biden’s acceptance speech came as he sought to reassure Americans that he would be the president for everyone, not just those who vote for him. That being said, he reminded us of the choices we will have to make moving forward.

 

“America is at an inflection point,” he said. “A time of real peril, but of extraordinary possibilities. We can choose the path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, and more divided. A path of shadow and suspicion. Or we can choose a different path, and together, take this chance to heal, to be reborn, to unite. A path of hope and light. This is a life-changing election that will determine America’s future for a very long time. Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy. They are all on the ballot. Who we are as a nation. What we stand for. And most importantly, who we want to be. That’s all on the ballot. And the choice could not be clearer.”

 

This is a ticket and a vision we can all support.