Why I am voting for Biden, and Democrats for the Senate and House.

1) Biden and Harris are the best to defend women's rights and to make progress on key issues including equal pay.  Make no mistake a Trump second term and Republican senate are the greatest threat to women and their rights.  Women are the only arbiter of what is right for their bodies.  We need a continued focus on bringing to light and combatting sexual assault, human trafficking, and the glass ceiling that continues across our country.

2) A Biden and Harris administration will work to address systemic racism and bring back civility to this country.  Systemic racism is real, read my interview with my great friend Cecilia to learn more ( https://absilver18.wixsite.com/blmfriendlychat )Trump entices and sparks the flames of hate between the races.  We as a society must stop denying the impact of systemic racism on Black American lives that originates back to the time of slavery.  We all must collectively work together to end systemic racism.  

3) As a gay man, I am sure the Biden administration will continue the progress of LGBTQ+ rights.  I want to assure my rights to marry, gay parents’ ability to adopt, and we need to continue the fight against discrimination in the workplace and across society.  LGBTQ+ people should not be discriminated against at work, home, place of worship, or anywhere else.  I am sure with a second term, Trump and the Republicans in the Senate will continue their efforts to weaken and in some cases eliminate basic LGBTQ+ rights and protections.  

4) I am certain that a Biden Harris administration will strengthen our relationship with Israel and recapture our ability to pursue peace and justice in the middle east.  As a Jewish male, I am proud of all that Israel has accomplished in 72 years. I do believe in our strategic and special relationship with Israel. I also believe the greatest protection of Israel is a United States of America leading and defending a peaceful and just world prioritizing morality, democracy, and human rights. 

5) I agree with Biden the best approach is to strengthen and update the affordable care act and work on progress for healthcare available to all.  We need a president who will pursue affordable quality health care for everyone, not just lip service from the current president as he guts protections provided by the affordable care act.  It is time to get off the fence on health care.  I recently signed up for a Blue Cross of Texas policy where I received a form I had to sign that assured me there was not much health insurance until I crossed an almost $9000 deductible. I joke, but it is not a joke, I have insurance that assures if I die I won't be broke. Many of those without good healthcare are workers deemed essential during the pandemic so we must realize this is not just a right of the rich and powerful.  

6) Federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, are on the bench for life. This alone is enough of a reason for me, and every woman and LGBTQ+ person to vote for Biden.   The Supreme Court and federal judges are proving to be the last wall against hate and discrimination by the majority.  The risk to the above rights and our future as a democracy is of great risk if Trump is reelected.  Between Trump and McConnell, they have already filled a large number of seats and the importance of the next supreme court justice appointment is too high to not vote for the Biden Harris ticket. 

 

7) As we continue through another season that is the "hottest on record", I am certain that Biden as president will work to address global warming based on proven science, will bring into his administration educated experts, and will not follow the latest theory on social media as fact.  Global warming and addressing it is not a priority it is an urgent necessity for the planet and all lives here.  We can and should build a plan that retrains our fossil fuel industry workers for green technologies but the time to wait on addressing global warming is way past.

8) I do believe in some form of a digital bill of rights, and have written about it.  (My Digital Rights Blog Post ) I believe all governments should be concerned about the ever-rising power and wealth of a few digital companies.  The idea that Facebook is investing heavily in Virtual Reality technologies to learn how to sell us more ads keeps me up more and more each night.  We do need to address their rise in power globally and how their core business model around advertising and their deep knowledge of all of our behavior is a threat to the privacy of all Americans not to mention other digital citizens of our planet.

9) I am certain Biden will work with Congress to pass immigration reform that will legally support entry into this country, support the need for immigration workers, and help those that are suffering persecution in their home country.  I am the proud grandson of immigrants, and our diversity of cultures helps to fuel our country's greatness.  I can’t believe that we still have internment camps with children that were separated from parents at the border and are being cared for like zoo animals at best.  We need a president that will deal with immigration humanely and work to create a fair and legal immigration policy.  

10) I am certain that Biden and Harris will work to return the US as a moral global leader promoting democracy, human rights, and global cooperation.  Under our current president, this country has lost its position as a moral leader globally.  We haven't always been on the right side, such as the Iraq war, but I do believe more often than not presidents have tried to be a beacon of hope and humanity.  We need a president who is moral, who is family-focused, and will work to return the US to a leadership position.  We have certainly seen the potential dangers of a Russia or even China assuming the role of a global leader without the US at the table.

I am sure there are ten more reasons to vote for Biden, but these are those that are top of my mind.  You pick any one of my top ten and that alone, in my opinion, is enough of a reason to vote for Biden.