“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” ~ Plato

“We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

“Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” ~ Susan B. Anthony

“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.” ~ George Jean Nathan

“Talk is cheap, voting is free; take it to the polls.” ~ Nanette L. Avery

“There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter.” ~ Former President Barack Obama

“Do not let perfection be the enemy of the good” ~ Voltaire

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“The right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties, and we will not see its luster diminished. ~ Ronald Reagan

“Voting is not only our right—it is our power.” ~ Lounge Ung

Those who have followed my blog over the years know how important I believe the right to vote to be. As we now find ourselves in a moment of history in which we’ve never been before because of the actions of the former president running for re-election, we are approaching the most crucial election of our lifetimes and it is imperative that all Americans are paying attention and voting.

As such, I feel compelled, again, to comment. Because in years to come, should the worst occur, when future generations ask, “how did this happen when we had the world’s greatest democracy?” I will not have remained silent. Besides, I really would like to get back to sleeping without one eye open.

For starters, have you read the chilling document,  Project 2025, which will be implemented if the former president is re-elected? If not, pour yourself a stiff drink, or strong cup of tea, or grab a couple of chocolate bars and sit down and read it! If time is an issue, here are some guides that help to explain it: Forbes, ACLU,  ProPublica. (To get an idea of how dystopian this document is, read or watch The Handmaid’s Tale. Seriously.)

The sections I have read clearly tamper with our Constitution and lean toward autocracy. The former president has even called for “the termination of all rules…even those found in the Constitution.”  Normally, that would be a difficult to impossible task. But these are not normal times and haven’t been for nearly a decade. Consequently, the majority in the SCOTUS seems okay with whatever the former president wishes to do. They have insanely granted him presidential immunity for any crimes committed during an “official” act, even though he is already a convicted felon, is accused of inciting an insurrection, and refused to participate in the peaceful transfer of power and seems poised to do so again if he loses this election. These are all terrible “firsts” in American history.

And, recently, there have been reports that respected and trusted individuals who worked closely with the former president have indicated that he favors fascism. We have witnessed in the former president’s first term of office his expressions of admiration for dictators North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un to Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the latter of whom the former president reportedly sent covid tests  during the height of the pandemic when the U.S. was experiencing a severe shortage of tests for Americans. (Ronald Reagan‘s head would be exploding if he were able to witness such obscenities that have been and are going on with his beloved Republican Party.)

Four-star general John Kelly, former Trump chief of staff, stated in a new New York Times article that “in his opinion, the former president met the definition of a fascist, would govern like a dictator if allowed, and had no understanding of the Constitution or the concept of rule of law.” General Kelly has also previously stated that Trump told him that, “Hitler did a lot of good things.”  And this article in The Atlantic again reveals Trump’s lack of historical knowledge and understanding by stating that he wished he had generals like Hitler had, who were loyal to him (they weren’t), and his disdain for people who come from countries south of our Southern Border as well as members of the U.S. Military.

These are not the words, deeds and qualities I want in a president. I was a young woman during the Nixon era, and I thought I would never again encounter such a corrupt and dangerous president; ironically, this U.S. News and World Report article on our worst presidents gives Nixon just an honorable mention, while listing Trump as one of our nation’s worst presidents. And, yet, to a great extent, Trump’s horrendous words and deeds have become normalized and we have become numb to them. It’s time to get our feeling back as we head to the polls.

Our History – The Constitution, Self-Government and Voting

In operation since 1789, our United States Constitution is the world’s longest enduring written government charter; there is none other to rival it in human history. It was inspired by England’s Magna Carta, which was created during the Middle Ages amid the Crusades; ironically, the original existed only a few months before being invalidated by Pope Innocent III, but it later became the basis for English Common Law and later for our 18th century Founders to shape our own Constitution, under which we have lived for 235 years.

The U.S. Constitution’s first three words, “We the People,” clearly explains that the United States will be governed by the People, not the other way around.

The Constitution further states that:

• Article I, Section 2 – “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States…”
• Amendment 17 – “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof…”
• * Article II, Section 1 introduces presidential elections by electors: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress….” The 12th Amendment expands on how the president and vice president are elected: “The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President.…” In practice, then, the People do not directly elect the POTUS, but rather electors vote for the president and vice-president. This involves a two-part process under the Electoral College, which was established in the original U.S. Constitution. Generally, the electors vote for the candidates for president and vice-president that receive the most votes from the People in each state. I say, “generally,” because there are caveats in this process; these are considered to be controversial because in some cases, the winners of presidential elections, while having achieved the sufficient number of Electoral votes, have failed to win the popular vote. Read more here and here. (While the People still have power in presidential elections, to many this is a confusing and controversial process assigned only to presidential elections; we can delve into this more deeply in a future post.)

As a self-governing nation, citizens, citizens are required by law to pay taxes and serve on juries in court cases. The former, along with the American free-market system, keeps our economy strong, and the latter keeps the rule of law fair, equal and just.

However, while we are not required by law to vote, we are invited and expected to do so to fulfill our obligations to self-govern. The vote with which each citizen is endowed is a precious power that ensures our freedom. To fail to use it — and use it wisely — is akin to relinquishing our power and abdicating our responsibility. Remember, the whole point of the sequence of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War and the United States Constitution was to reject a monarchy and choose liberty and justice for all, and that has resulted in the People self-governing through their votes and ongoing elections so that no one remains permanently in a position of power.

And, for those Americans who decide to sit out a vote because there is no candidate that perfectly delivers everything they want, it would be wise to remember what we have learned about the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in which there was division among the members as to what should be in the new United States Constitution. Had division at that Convention been allowed to determine the outcome, and members had sat out their votes in protest, we might not have a free nation today.

Here are the words of Founder Benjamin Franklin: “I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that, the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others. In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults…” 

Despite disagreements, there was a unanimous vote to establish the Constitution of the United States of America, imperfect as some Convention members thought it was. It was certainly a solid enough document to establish the foundation of the new nation. Afterward, in answer to a question posed to him by Elizabeth Willing Powel, a prominent citizen of the era, as to the outcome of whether the new nation was to be a republic or a monarchy, Franklin responded with his famous cautionary words, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.”

And with that, our nation of self-government by the People was founded and we have kept our republic and not slipped backward into monarchy and tyranny for more than two centuries. But, as previously stated, we have arrived at a moment in which we are being asked to decide with our votes whether we want to keep our republic by electing the candidate who has sworn to defend our freedom, or electing the opposing candidate and  essentially relinquish our precious power to a dictator. That appears to be our choice at this crossroads in our history.

Self-Governing Through Our Votes

For those Americans who are about to cast their first votes, it is a stunning reality that their very first vote might either save the country or, in the alternative, wind up being their only vote. For older Americans, their votes will be the legacy that they leave to future generations. For many in between, they will determine whether their children will have the same freedoms and rights that they themselves have enjoyed since birth.

Ironically, and something our Founders would find disappointing, voter turnout historically has been generally low, with numbers spiking during certain elections, particularly presidential or when there is a hot issue on the ballot. And this time around, there is no hotter issue than our very democracy and freedom. Low voter turnout means that some Americans will decide for others what their futures will be. When it comes to voting, it is far better to be proactive than inactive, even when things aren’t perfect. Being in charge of our government not only means we all should vote, but we should also be informed voters. That’s not always easy and it can be time-consuming, but it is our absolute responsibility.

Between elections, we have the opportunity to observe what our elected officials do or don’t do. During our election seasons, which are usually fraught and chaotic, it is especially important that we listen to candidates, do our own research while we deal with our phones and emails and snail-mail boxes being flooded with campaign messages and paraphernalia. This is all part of being a free, self-governed society and being expected to make decisions accordingly.

*** And to that point, part of election season etiquette includes treating with respect and courtesy our fellow Americans who devote their time and energy to campaigning and is another way to participate in self-governing. Greeting kindly those who knock on doors, make phone calls, distribute literature, write letters to the editor, drive candidates to events, host meet & greets, attend meetings and so on is hard work and disruptive to campaign volunteers’ lives.  Disagreeing with or being inconvenienced by them is part of our democratic system. And, they might just have some valuable information that will help people decide on how they will vote. So, I ask everyone to be understanding, empathetic, kind and courteous to such hardworking volunteers, one of whom I (ahem) have been for more than a half-century!). ***

Dig, Deliberate, Decide

Because I want to keep our republic, my choice for the next President of the United States is Kamala Harris. I will be voting, as well, for Democrats across the ballot to ensure that she has the support she needs to enact her policies and ensure the survival of our Republic and our Constitution.

With that in mind, after digging into the research, deliberating over issues and candidate qualifications and arriving at certain decisions — generally sticking to mainstream media and established and respected organizations like the Brookings Institute and avoiding most social media — here is a rundown of the issues that concern me, and why I believe VP Kamala Harris is the most qualified to address them.

Freedom vs Tyranny

For her entire career, VP Harris has defended the Constitution and worked for the People, beginning with her election in 2002 to district attorney of San Francisco (previously she worked, consecutively, as deputy and assistant DA and later in the city attorney’s office). She took the Oath of Office to support and defend the Constitution again in 2010 upon her election to Attorney General of the State of California, in 2017 to the United States Senate and in 2021 to the office of Vice President of the United States. As a former prosecutor and U.S. senator, Kamala Harris is devoted to the Rule of Law that underpins our government.

The first time I recall hearing of Kamala Harris was when she became a U.S. Senator and I thought she was outstanding in that role. Take a look at then Senator Harris in Committee hearings: Kavanaugh-1, Kavanaugh-2, Kavanaugh-3, Sessions, Barr. There are many more — do look them up on YouTube.

To prepare for her career, Kamala Harris earned a degree in political science and economics from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a law degree at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.  Her particular education, experience,  integrity, accomplishments, statecraft and policy proposals make Kamala Harris my choice to keep our great and unique nation on track with freedom and democracy, and make it even greater.

Voting Rights

Kamala Harris believes in our precious power of the vote, and supports efforts to protect and expand voting rights to all American citizens. She is aligned with my belief that U.S. elections are safe and accurate, and opposes efforts to suppress the vote and manipulate voting results. I agree, and also oppose schemes involving billionaires that appear to be buying votes.

Women’s Reproductive Rights

The overturning of Roe v. Wade has proved devastating for the women in America. Kamala Harris will work to restore Roe if she is elected President.  I celebrated Roe as a young woman in 1973 as a Constitutional right, But the Dobbs decision took that right away from my daughter, and all daughters. This situation cannot stand and must be corrected.  Although Roe was based on the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, I want to see a separate amendment that would unambiguously codify a woman’s right to an abortion and other reproductive health rights, which would go a long way to bringing an end to the suffering of American women and girls, and help to stem the flow of disinformation being spread. Kamala has pledged that, as President of the United States, she would sign into law a bill codifying Roe that would reach her desk. That is another reason to vote for Democrats for the House and Senate, as well.

LGBTQIA+ Rights

VP Harris gets this issue right, and has a history of supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. Her opponent falls far short.

Healthcare – In addition to supporting women’s reproductive healthcare, Kamala Harris supports extending lower prescription drug costs for senior citizens to all Americans and including home health care under Medicare. She also promises to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, which not only provides affordable healthcare insurance for more than 20 million previously uninsured  Americans, but it protects all Americans from being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, or cancer, or even pregnancy. Nor under the ACA can insurance companies limit benefits for such conditions. Her opponent has repeatedly tried to repeal the ACA.

Gun Safety

Along with her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, Kamala Harris is a gun owner. She also has a history of law enforcement. As such, she supports sensible and effective gun laws. She believes, as I do, that the ongoing gunning down of innocent people as they go about their normal daily lives — especially our schoolchildren — must stop. Neither Harris nor Walz wants to take guns away from responsible gun owners, but rather establish comprehensive laws that keep guns out of the hands of those who wish to do harm. Not so her opponent.

Social Security

Kamala Harris has stated, “”For 89 years, Social Security has made the difference between poverty or peace of mind for millions of seniors, people with disabilities, and other beneficiaries. Trump is a threat to these bedrock programs. As President, I will protect and expand them.”  As for me, I most certainly oppose Trump’s tax proposals and Project 2025, which would hasten the demise of Social Security.

The Economy – Cost of Living, Taxes

Harris’s plan provides tax breaks and other economic opportunities to the Middle Class, and addresses corporate price gouging that will reduce inflation. I like those plans! And so do most economists — as well as 23 Nobel Prize-winning economists, business leaders and Goldman Sachs! And we can take that to the bank!

But I oppose mindless across-the-board high tariffs on imports and continued extreme tax breaks for the wealthy that will cause inflation to rise again and cost the average American thousands of dollars more each year just to purchase ordinary items. No one needs or wants that! (Note: And just as a reminder — that great economy that some people recall during the first two years of Trump’s term? That was actually the inherited Obama economy! Look it up! But that great Obama economy started going downhill under Trump after his mega tax giveaway to the wealthy. While the economy recovered from the pandemic and improved under Biden-Harris, the accompanying anomaly of inflation was sparked by the pandemic’s supply-chain problems, the spike in consumer demand and spending and consequential corporate and retail price gouging.)

The Supreme Court

In the near future, it is quite possible that one or more of the Supreme Court justices will retire, providing an opportunity for the next president to appoint replacements. Right now, there are six conservative justices and three moderate justices. To balance the Court and improve the reputation of this Court, which is viewed by a majority of Americans as corrupt, the country would be better served under a President Harris to appoint replacements and press for reform, which could include term limits and Court expansion. But she will need Congress to concur and act.

Immigration – This is a problem that the U.S. has grappled with since the Civil War! But at long last, a bipartisan border security bill that Kamala Harris supported, although she compromised to get something done, was blocked by her unelected opponent. Moreover, VP Harris supports more humane treatment of undocumented immigrants and creating a pathway to citizenship. Her opponent’s plan to place immigrants in detention centers and begin mass deportation is would create a crisis and cause severe consequences for the U.S. and the American people.

But while we are experiencing a dramatic increase in migrants seeking asylum due to dangerous conditions in countries south of the U.S., there is a plethora of misinformation and outright lies that they are criminals, eating our pets or threatening our lives. Most immigrants from south of our Border contribute in many ways to the U.S.; they harvest food for us; take care of our children, homes and properties; and work as teachers and healthcare workers, and help to grow the economy. The U.S. has depended on immigrants for generations to make our lives better and add to our economy.

Workplace / College DEI, Affirmative Action, Book Banning and Course Cancellations

 Kamala Harris supports public education, teachers and students, and not book banning. And, as president, she will give DEI in schools and the workplace a needed boost. I invite you to refer to my previous posts on these subjects: Thankful for Diversity, Black History…In The Making,  Books, Guns and Choice – Part One

Foreign Policy

As Vice President, Kamala Harris has been in the catbird seat to observe and learn from some of the best experts in foreign policy, including President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Harris has played key roles in meeting with foreign leaders and dignitaries and I trust her to keep NATO strong and deal with complex situations.

In Bob Woodward’s new book, War, he describes a scene involving Vice President Harris: “…as best I can tell, she’s at almost all of the meetings, she gets involved. And at one point they’re trying to actually respond — and within the National Security Council [NSC] they’re discussing — what to do when Israel has really kind of pushed back Iran. I mean, not kind of, but really eliminated the strike of massive numbers of ballistic missiles. And they’re in the NSC and Biden — I think [Harris] is remote on a screen — says, you know, “What should we do?” And she’s the one who says, “Take the win.” And Biden goes through his response and literally says “take the win” to Netanyahu, that’s his theme. Stop the momentum of this catastrophe.” 

VP Harris was also an effective and valuable partner to President Biden in meeting with President Zelensky and NATO leaders shortly before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in order to prepare and organize them for a response. As for VP Harris’s approach with Prime Minister Netanyahu, take a look at what Woodward has to say here.

But the situations with Israel and Ukraine are not the only delicate and dangerous issues that the next president will have to deal with. Russia’s threat of using nuclear weapons and the threats of China and North Korea to the Indo-Pacific, North Korea sending soldiers to Russia to help in its war on Ukraine, and Iran are all on the docket to be dealt with. I believe Kamala Harris will be a strong leader and outstanding representative of the United States on the world stage.  She has the temperament, strength, toughness, experience, patience and intelligence to deal with these tense situations.

Plan Your Vote (How You Will Wield Your Precious Power)

So, all of this once again comes down to our votes. Hence, I am a big fan of early voting, which has begun in some states and will be starting soon in some others.  This, as well as mail-in voting, makes voting much easier for so many people and allows more people to vote. But there are rules and deadlines to deal with, which if violated could invalidate one’s vote. So, please consider the following:

• Know your Early and Election Day polling places and ballot drop-off locations and plan how and when you will get there. Get to the right polling place on the right day, on time and before closing.
• If you are mailing in your ballot, be sure to fill it out carefully and correctly, use a blue or black pen, sign your name the same way you signed it when you registered to vote. Check to see if you have to sign in more than one place, including on the envelope. Mail it in plenty of time for it to arrive on time to be counted.
• If you are still holding on to your mail-in (or absentee) ballot, the U.S. Postal Service does not guarantee that a ballot will reach its designated address in time to count, depending in which state you reside. It might be safer to drop off your ballot so you don’t miss a deadline; to find out where to drop off your ballot, contact your local election office:  Find My State or Local Election Office.
•  If voting in person, depending on where you are lines might be long. Check the weather and go prepared; bring a snack, a book, a bottle of water, extra facial tissues…and five additional voters – 🙂!

Following are additional resources to help you find out if you are registered; how to register; various deadlines; voting by mail; polling place locations, days/dates and times; etc. All  the websites are pretty comprehensive; some have duplicative information. Check them out and select the one that you find most helpful. Don’t delay! Don’t let anything or anyone delay or stop you from voting.

• I Will Vote  – Select your state and then click on the topic.
• vote.gov
• NASS – Can I Vote – Select your state for mail-in ballot instructions.
• USA.gov  – Find your local election office for information.
• To report incidents of voter intimidation, which is against the law, call the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)

Thank you for reading. I appreciate your taking the time.  From my standpoint, I’m just so tired of the division, darkness and dystopia of MAGA; I am looking forward to returning to the light and optimism of America and its promise of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness!

I don’t expect everyone to agree with my candidates or positions. If you are still undecided, I hope you have found this post informative and helpful, and that you will soon decide. Just remember that no candidate, elected official or policy is perfect; keep in mind Voltaire’s caution: “Do not let perfection be the enemy of the good.”

Whatever your positions and whichever candidates you support, please — without delay — make a plan to exercise your precious power and VOTE!

Until next time,

Jeanne

*Added after original publication.