Reasons why liberals, moderates and conservatives should all vote for Biden. I'm writing this especially for those who may identify as more progressive/liberal. And I do recognize that some conservatives will hold some policy positions that are vital to them that are never going to be embraced by Democrats and thus, they may not be able to vote for a Democrat. But at the least, I'd hope that those conservatives would recognize that they also can't vote for a corrupt, immoral, chaotic and irrational president. The vote for Biden is not in isolation apart from the horrible choice on the other side and that must be acknowledged.
Before beginning my list, I'd like to say that these last four years and especially these last eight months have pointed out important and serious problems with our system of doing things, including problems found with our two party system as it exists...
A. Given the racial strife that has been a problem for the entirety of our nation's history,
B. Given the very real disadvantages that the poor and marginalized have that makes it very difficult to "rise above" problems/circumstances
C. Given the health and housing inequities that we are faced with
AND
D. Given that neither party has effected changes/fixes sufficient to even begin addressing these problems...
Given ALL that, when these troubled years are over, we can't be satisfied to just "get back to normal." Normal was that immigrant families seeking safety were separated and not helped and seeking refuge was criminalized, Normal was that adults with disabilities too often were left behind and outside the opportunities for a good life, Normal was a systemic racism that has not been eradicated lo, these 50 years after black people got the right to vote... given the very real problems that exist under Democrat and Republican administrations, we can't go back to normal.
We need to be better than the normal that we were willing to live with for the lifetime of our nation.
While I think there may have been better choices to get us back to a path to something better than normal than Biden, Biden IS our chance to begin to recover from the chaos of these last four years and beyond.
Reasons I think this is true (my Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Biden):
1. Biden is sane, reasonable and doesn't regularly engage in childish name calling ("sleepy Joe," "Pocahantas," "mad woman"). That last is such a low bar that shouldn't have to be pointed out but we DO have to point it out. But beyond not engaging in grade school bullying, Biden is rational and can be reasoned with. He gives every indication of recognizing that now is a season where we have a chance for change.
We will need to push him, I'm sure, to get the change we need, but we CAN push him to see reason and make at least some of these changes.
1a. Kamala Harris, like her or not, has established that she is tough, smart and reasonable. IF Biden should start to indicate that he's not performing well or living up to his promises or, God forbid, start to decline mentally, it appears that Biden will have Harris and other people who will not just let things slide. Biden is reasonable enough to surround himself with reasonable, independent people he will have to listen to.
2. Biden is a decent human being who recognizes some basic level of morality.
He has engaged in bad behavior in the past, no doubt, but he has the basic moral reasoning to recognize his error and change.
Again, this is a very low bar, and yet, it needs to be pointed out, given our current reality.
I am not one who believes our politicians need to be saints, Godly people or even believers in a particular faith or any faith. However, if these last four years of moral chaos have taught us nothing, it's that having an amoral leader who gives no indication of having a moral compass is just not tenable.
3. Biden recognizes the threat of climate change and is willing to listen to experts. I've recently heard an ultra-conservative complain about the current president's narcissistic wish to change environmental regulations to let shower heads use more water. This particular conservative lives in the arid west and while he's no tree hugger, he recognizes that we need to conserve water, at least in arid places, just as a matter of reason. This is just obvious based upon the data and the advice of experts.
Biden will listen to scientific experts when it comes to climate change.
4. On that same page, Biden will listen to medical experts when it comes to dealing with Covid. Again, this is a very low bar and yet, it's where we are. We NEED our leaders to listen to experts in each field when making policy. Biden will do this.
5. In our lifetime, the data shows that the policies of Democrat presidents have improved the economy and tended to decrease the debt. Looking at the data, Reagan, Bush, Bush, Trump... all have left us in deeper debt and tended to not improve the economy to the degree of the Democrat presidents. While it is true that the ultra-wealthy have done better under GOP presidencies, it doesn't tend to be true for the rest of the population. Biden is likely to continue that trend. WITH THE CAVEAT: We need policies that improve the economic status of those with disabilities, immigrants, women, black people... all the US, not just the better off. We'll need to push Biden, I think, to do this and keep an eye on the betterment of all of us.
6. On that line of thinking, Biden IS appealing to a very Big Tent. His campaign is including all of us and looks like all of America. It's nice to see women, minorities, gay folk, trans folk, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, liberal and moderate... all being part of the party. This one is easily one of the more solid reasons to vote for Biden.
7. Draining the swamp. This is a mixed bag. Biden has heavy connections to the DEMOCRAT machine. This runs the risk of him relying upon people who make up the Swamp. But Biden's campaign is already looking less swampy than past Democrats and certainly more so than the current GOP administration.
As is true for all the GOP presidents in the last 60 years, this current administration is littered with criminals and corrupt actors. The data shows that there are just vastly more criminals and indicted types in GOP presidential administrations (something like 50:1, GOP criminality vs Democrat). The Obama/Biden administration was relatively squeaky clean on this front. There's no indication that Biden will foster a criminal/corrupt administration and hopefully, he'll truly drain the swamp and rely upon seasoned, reasonable experts and public servants, not those with agendas contrary to their public service duties (ie, not hiring a coal business millionaire to run the EPA, not hiring an anti-public school millionaire to head up the Education cabinet, etc)
8. The man is Amtrak Joe. He believes in public transport, in public schools, in public life. He believes in government for the good of the people. He doesn't believe in conspiracy theories about Deep State Baddies.
He's Amtrak Joe. For 36 years, he rode public transport. He's walked that walk, at the least.
9. More than two dozen former GOP congresspeople have endorsed Joe Biden. Not to mention the many conservatives who were not in Congress. If even conservative leaders recognize that Biden is the better choice, that says something.
I know that may cause my more liberal friends be suspicious, but the thing is, we are not a majority liberal nation. We are a nation of conservatives, moderates, liberals and all of us are all over the map. We need a leader who can unite this nation and take us in a forward direction. If liberals, moderates and conservatives can all agree on Biden/Harris, I see that as a good thing.
10. Biden trusts the media and won't wage attacks on them.
As with many of these, this is such a low bar that it shouldn't be necessary to point out. And yet, it is. We will not see Biden calling Fox News - who are very problematic from a professional journalism point of view - "an enemy of the people." He won't call the media fake and dodge reasonable questions and generally attack and undermine the free press.
This is vital and we need a change in our nation on this front. The media is composed of humans and, that being the case, will always be flawed and have biases, but professional journalism - and especially the higher ideals of it as found at NPR and BBC and similar classy groups dedicated to high standards of journalism - is vital to our nation and reporters should be recognized as heroes to human rights and liberty, not venomously and endlessly attacked.
Biden will not do this. He just won't. And that's vital.
10. Biden trusts the media and won't wage attacks on them.
As with many of these, this is such a low bar that it shouldn't be necessary to point out. And yet, it is. We will not see Biden calling Fox News - who are very problematic from a professional journalism point of view - "an enemy of the people." He won't call the media fake and dodge reasonable questions and generally attack and undermine the free press.
This is vital and we need a change in our nation on this front. The media is composed of humans and, that being the case, will always be flawed and have biases, but professional journalism - and especially the higher ideals of it as found at NPR and BBC and similar classy groups dedicated to high standards of journalism - is vital to our nation and reporters should be recognized as heroes to human rights and liberty, not venomously and endlessly attacked.
Biden will not do this. He just won't. And that's vital.
+++++++++++
For starters.
I'm not the biggest fan of Biden, but like Obama before him, he has demonstrated himself to be a reasonable public servant who does recognize that now is a time for change.
If anyone has other reasons to vote FOR Biden (as opposed to voting against Trump) please add them in the comments.
