Thoughts tagged "US politics"

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Storm preparedness

My whole life, I've lived in New England: the land of blizzards and ice storms. When there's a storm on the forecast, we prepare. Stock up on bottled water and nonperishables, refill prescriptions that are running low, charge the flashlights and electronic devices, have a stack of blankets on hand, make sure there's fuel in the car and (if you're lucky) generator, restack the indoor wood pile.

Sometimes the forecasted storms uneventfully pass by, in which case you're left with a little extra food on hand, some jugs of water for the next storm, and some cozy blankets to snuggle up in.

Anyway, this has been a message to those choosing to mock people who are taking steps to prepare for a Trump presidency.

If the worst does not actually come to pass, I don't think I'm going to be sitting here going "oh noooo I can't believe I strengthened my communities, made sure I'm up to date on my healthcare needs, and volunteered for causes I believe in".

A commenter at Citation Needed suggested I have not adequately explained why I support Kamala Harris, and why I believe it is absolutely critical that everyone who can vote comes out to vote for her. In case I have indeed not been clear, here is my response.

Please vote.

Although America is facing a choice between two imperfect candidates, the choice between imperfection and fascism is clear. Harris believes in democracy. Her policy positions on topics including strong protections around reproductive rights, increased accessibility to healthcare, and how taxes should be distributed across income classes more closely align with my own. We do not agree on everything — her support for Israel, her relatively weak statements on supporting the transgender community, some of her history when it comes to police and prison reform are just a few examples of where we diverge. However, I am a pragmatist, and Harris’s shortcomings pale in comparison to Trump’s. Once Harris is elected, I believe she is far more likely to listen to the people she serves than her opponent, and I think our chances of influencing her actions on the topics where we diverge are far higher than with Trump. The starting point is also vastly different — for example, where Harris has been weakly supportive of the trans community and needs to do more, Trump is actively dangerous towards and likely to continue pursuing policies that threaten the lives and wellbeing of trans people. Trump is a fascist who refused to accept the outcome of the previous democratic election and seems poised to do the same this time around. He has openly praised Adolf Hitler. He has threatened violence against his political opponents. His position on the genocide in Gaza is to have Israel “finish the job”. He has demonized those who pursue the truth, instead offering his own “alternative facts”. He supports a campaign of barbaric mass deportation based on racism and xenophobia. He has personally been violent and demeaning to women, and has even more blood on his hands when it comes to all of the people who have died and are dying thanks to the loss of rights and access to healthcare under his watch. For all the talk of individual liberties and personal freedom among Trump supporters, evidently women are not included in the list of people who should be allowed to make decisions for themselves. Even more blood is on his hands because of the crisis of mass shootings, which neither party has adequately addressed but which his running mate has limply accepted as “a fact of life”. His handling of a public health crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic was shameful, and more lives yet were lost thanks to his anti-vaccine rhetoric and the distrust he sowed in medical professionals. He’s cares more about the billionaires who lick his boots than the everyday people who need housing, food, healthcare, and basic necessities. The list truly goes on, but hopefully I have made my point.