There is an old adage that says that people get the government they deserve. I’ve never liked that take on electoral politics. There is a punitive quality to it that has always bothered me and never more so than over the last two years. After watching President Trump and his enablers relentlessly attack immigrants, separate children from their parents at the border, roll-back critical environmental protections, gut our national budget, and undermine more than a half-century of American global leadership, I’m pretty sure that the majority of Americans don’t want or deserve any of this.
On November 6th, we have the power to make that clearer than ever. On that day (or before if your state has early voting), you can head to the polls in races across the country that will determine control of Congress, Governorships, and Statehouses. Together, we can fundamentally change the direction of the nation and affirm the values we believe in.
We can say unequivocally that we believe that families belong together, and that a parent's bond with their children is sacred and should never be broken.
We can affirm that we believe in clean air and clean water, and that climate change is not a partisan issue but a human one essential to protecting everyone’s way of life.
We can proclaim loudly that people’s right to get health care is part of our belief system, and that no one should ever be denied insurance because they have a pre-existing condition.
We can attest our belief that our federal government has a moral and legal responsibility to adequately help and care for all Americans who are victims of natural disasters, regardless of where they reside, or their primary language, or the color of their skin.
We can proudly declare that America is stronger when it embraces its diversity, and is hopeful, empathetic and a beacon of democracy for the rest of the world.
I encourage you to talk to friends, family members, and neighbors about Election Day. Let them know how important these elections are to protecting the values we share. Let them know about your vision of America. Let them know that we need them. Our families and communities need them. And, now more than ever, America needs them.
