I can’t sit here this morning, quietly, after all!
It isn't a time to sit here quietly.
We in the USA are challenged by a presidential race between two men, one 78 and the other 81.
One who has served his country and been part of the political scene since 1972. During many of those years, he was a senator. He became Obama’s vice president for two terms.
He is campaigning and fighting to be reelected president of the world's most powerful country, militarily and economically.
Thursday night, he had a bad night in a debate. His opponent looked good but lied about his accomplishments and Biden. As Biden said, it is hard to debate a Liar.
But, yes, maybe he is 81 and had a bad night. That doesn’t negate his presidency's accomplishments in helping us recover from the pandemic. He passed bills that will lead to infrastructure improvements that are sorely needed in this country. He has led the effort to cap insulin costs so people don’t have to choose between insulin and food.
He also has a good cabinet of leaders and staff who, from my perspective, have done a very good job of running the country. Yes, inflation may be different from where many of us would like it to be. Compared to other leading economies in the world the US economy is thriving even amidst great change being caused by technology and the environment.
I worry every day about Israel. I have family, including my brother, his wife, kids, and grandchildren as well as cousins and friends. I haven’t been outspoken about Israel because I believe it is challenging to have an opinion without living through what they are experiencing.
Many people like my brother, believe Biden has turned against Israel. I fail to see how that can be true. When Iran attacked Israel with a barrage of drones and rockets, the US stepped in and helped defend Israel as promised. When it came time to pass increased aid to Ukraine included in that passed legislation was increased aid to Israel as well. He has also continued to support Israel’s right to defend itself and prevent future terrorist attacks.
This is all true, but it is not realistic to expect him and the USA not to have an opinion of how aid and support from this country are used by Israel and its armed forces. To complain that he is trying to influence public opinion and elections when Netanyahu is scheduled to speak to Congress in a US election year is a bit off.
I also don’t see how Trump is the better candidate to support Israel unless there is something in it for him. The Trump administration made progress because of his son-in-law, who left office after a hefty investment from the Saudis.
The truth from my perspective is this election comes down to some choices:
Do you believe women should be in control of their own bodies, lives, and future? You can’t be pro-life when the lives you are trying to protect do not include the mother herself. You can be pro-life and help women not to need abortions for unwanted pregnancies by providing sex education and easy access to contraception. Let’s be honest, are all of those middle-aged white men who say they are pro-life really concerned about unborn children or more interested in keeping women under control?
Do you believe that the environment and clean air are important? Have you looked at old pictures of New York City in the 70’s? Compare it to today, and tell me that having regulations and an agency like the EPA to help ensure clean air doesn’t make a difference. Do you appreciate clean drinking water? People must because the amount of bottled water bought at the store is frightening. Wouldn’t we and the environment be better off with cleaner water from the tap? (Frank installed a reverse osmosis filter, and we have very good filtered water from our fridge. Highly recommend both for better water and to help save money and the environment.)
Do you believe I and other gay people have a right to live in peace and safety? Frank and I live in a calm community in Red East, Texas. Our neighbors are friendly, but maybe at home and church not so supportive of gay people. But, we feel safe and comfortable. We have the right to marry, and may someday, but we also have laws against hate crimes and other laws passed and court rulings that protect our rights to be who we were born to be. We aren’t encroaching on anyone’s religious rights or beliefs at home. All we want to do is live safely, work hard, walk the dog three times a day, and not have to worry about future changes in the courts and legislatures that will impact our safety and lives.
Do you believe that technology, such as AI, and the dominance of a few companies influencing our future is something that needs to be addressed? I am a technologist. When I started in the technology universe, computers moved from punch cards to real-time displays and keyboards. Computers and automation have displaced workers time and time again. Imagine the simple change of a computer calculating inventory, financial reports, and other calculations and the impact on people who may have had that responsibility decades ago. We continue in this evolution with robotics and internet-based technologies that have led to changes including how we buy goods for our homes and the people who stock, sell, and ship products to us. Pay attention to the Silicon Valley technology leaders leaning toward Trump because they do not want AI to be regulated or at least have some government oversight. AI has the potential to disrupt people’s lives and jobs beyond anyone’s imagination. Do we as a society not want to influence the choices these leaders are making for us?
Do you believe the world is a bit unsettled at the moment, as I do? If China is a threat to global peace and balance as they are today, what happens when its economy and growth continue to struggle? Europe continues to fight the balance between nationalism and a broadly integrated continent. When I was young the issue was overpopulation, now we have low birth rates challenging humans in the future. Yes, the Middle East seems more uneasy and challenging than it has been long ago. The world needs a trusted USA to be a voice of sanity, trust, and moral leadership.
Do you really believe your religion should have the last say to society and government? This is a difficult one. Many people have strong faith, which I admire, where the commandments and rules of their Torah, Bible, Quran, and others guide their lives and choices. They believe that following those rules and commandments is how we should all live our lives. But, the world has a great history of that dominance of one faith having a negative, if not fatal, impact on others. The USA was founded based on the need for freedom of religion, allowing those who have faith to worship as they choose without the government's or others' interference. It wasn’t always easy to follow. I remember 8th grade, public school, and a teacher that led a prayer every morning. I held my head up high and refused to pretend, meaning each morning everyone knew I was different. No child should be made to go through that, even over something as simple as posting the Ten Commandments in each classroom.
Do you believe the Supreme Court and Judges need to be balanced and fair to support the Constitution and hold the Congress and Executive branch intact? It astounds me that this is not the leading issue in campaigns. Look at the Supreme Court today and how it is easily turning back precedences to impact rights, such as women’s rights to manage their own health, to issue after issue. What is next? This is why, as a gay man in the USA, I am not as comfortable as I was ten years ago.
Do you believe Global Warming is Real? Do you see the hottest summer on record as just the inevitable future of our planet and not a warming that at least has been hastened by mankind? You may not have lived in Florida watching water come up through the drains in the streets at high tide. Have you missed the increasingly severe weather events that have impacted most of the world and the USA? Maybe you don’t like cold winters and think warming is good. But isn’t it odd that so many scientists state there is proof of global warming, our impact, and the negative effects it will have on our lives and the planet? We addressed issues that impacted the ozone layer years ago. Why is it so hard to not respond again?
There are many other points to discuss, but if you share my concerns and beliefs, then why is there a choice in this election?
Would you not want a neighbor convinced of 34 felonies by a jury living next door?
Would you want a man living next to your daughter who has bragged about how he can get away with assaulting women because he is a celebrity?
Do you want a president, again, who, in his final term as president, promises to take revenge on those that he feels have wronged him across the country?
If you answer no, then is there really a choice for president?
Are you as concerned as I am about the people who would choose to want to be a part of his cabinet as you are about him becoming president?
Are you concerned about the number of these people, including elected officials, who have changed their policies and opinions to his whim to stay in office?
Are you concerned about a man who repeats lies until they appear to be true?
Then, I ask if there is a real choice for the election ahead.
Yes, the country needs younger politicians to rise up for the future. Yes, Biden is older. He has proven so far that he is a very good president.
Should a bad debate change my support of him? I think not.
Should any of these challenges about Biden change the fact that he is a moral, faithful president with a loving and supportive family? As compared to Trump on his fourth marriage, who was convicted of 34 felonies in an attempt to cover up an affair with a porn star before the 2016 election.
I don’t understand that there is a choice.
We have a moral president who has admirably led this country for the last four years. Or, we have a man who is not moral, does not go to church, sells Bibles he has not read and will be a lame-duck president at 76 with nothing to lose, leading the most powerful country on the planet.
Again, is there really a choice?
I will proudly vote for Biden in November, and I hope others will do the same when considering the real impact of this election.
Comments