Your Vote Matters

If you are experiencing high anxiety due to this year’s U.S. Presidential election, you are not alone. This tumultuous election cycle presents voters with two very different choices. One choice is Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, a woman who has spent her career working to make the lives of children and families better and whose campaign celebrates our country’s diversity. The second choice is Republican candidate Donald Trump, who presents a dismal picture of America and its people. “Make America Great Again,” is his campaign mantra and the way he wants to do that is by vilifying people of color, blaming them for the country’s economic woes. Trump’s track record shows a pattern of self-interest and a blatant disregard for other people.

Let’s just list some of the things Trump has done during the campaign to alienate a large portion of the American population:

• He calls Mexican immigrants murderers and rapists.
• Proposes to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants and break up families.
• Proposes to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
• He mocks disabled people.
• Proposes a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. from countries where terrorist activity has occurred.
• Says that African Americans live in ghettos and have nothing to lose by voting for him.
• Advocates at his campaign rallies punching people opposed to his views.
• Wants to strengthen the second amendment and weaken the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which includes freedom of the press.
• Brags about his wealth and his generosity to charities, but won’t release his tax returns, leaving the public unaware of his business dealings and potential conflicts of interest.
• Encourages the Russian government to hack opponent Hillary Clinton’s e-mails and praises Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
• Says he loves war.
• Says war heroes are those who don’t get captured.
• Supports nuclear proliferation in North Korea and elsewhere.
• Trump, who received 5 military deferments, disparaged a Muslim Gold Star family and implied that veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are weak.
• He’s supported by White nationalists and other hate groups.
• He insults women.
• He is resistant to learning new things in order to shape his world view and says he knows more about ISIS and how to eliminate terrorism than the U.S. Generals.

Trump’s isolationist policies have the potential to jeopardize our longstanding relationships which have had a longstanding, stabilizing effect. His policies as well as his temperament risk alienating our allies and emboldening our enemies.

America, we need a steady hand in the oval office. We don’t need to be worried about whether our Commander-in-Chief is up at 3 a.m. having a Twitter war with another head of state. America, here’s our chance to elect our first female president of the United States. Hillary Clinton is brilliant, engaging and steadfast, disciplined and an expert in the nuances of policy issues. And unlike her opponent, she believes the American people are stronger when we are together.

Clinton has a strong plan to make college education more affordable. She has a plan to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and generate jobs. She supports clean energy practices and will uphold treaties to promote a healthy environment and curb climate change. She will work to strengthen and reauthorize the Voting Rights Act. And she will strengthen the progress already made by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Clinton also believes in criminal justice reform which will help foster positive police-community relations.

So America, if you have not voted early, there is still time to exercise your right. Take a few friends and colleagues with you to the polls. It is the most important civic duty a citizen can do. It would be a shame not to use what so many gave so much to gain. Your vote matters. It is your responsibility and duty to exercise this right. By choosing not to vote, you abdicate your right to have a voice in what happens to our country.

Hillary Clinton’s steadiness and experience make her the only reasonable choice for the U.S. Presidency. Vote.

For Peacemaker endorsement list, see this page.