This race is much too close. Depressingly close, because we have a very accomplished woman running against a hateful, convicted 78-year-old felon who is openly in mental and physical decline and often says incredibly embarrassing and disturbing things. It should not be close, or at least have the perception of being close (I think there’s still a chance Harris wins big).
So, given the tightness of this election and how every vote counts, if there are any undecided voters in your life, whether that’s who to vote for or even to vote at all, you can help Harris and the other Democrats by talking to them.
Let’s start with what Harris offers the voter. One campaign promise that really should get more play is expanding Medicare to include home care for seniors and people with disabilities, which is vital as current Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care. She also supports adding vision and hearing benefits to help seniors live independently.
Other economic proposals include raising the minimum wage and expanding child tax credits, which should be appealing to middle-class families. She has pledged not to raise taxes on people making less than $400,000 and wants to expand tax credits for small businesses. AP reports this would mean expanding the credit from”$5,000 to $50,000 tax incentives for startup expenses, with the goal of eventually spurring 25 million new small business applications over four years.”
And by the way, do you know someone who gets really annoyed at all the hidden fees corporations soak us with? Harris has a plan for that.
Harris is also proposing a plan to curb price gouging, especially in the food industry. This would ease financial burdens for millions of Americans. She also proposes up to $6,000 for low- and middle-income families with new babies and wants to bring back the child tax credit, expanding it to up to $3,600 per child per year.
She is also addressing the housing crisis by proposing to build 3 million new housing units, and a plan to prevent corporate landlords from colluding to raise rents.
On abortion rights, Kamala Harris has been one of the strongest voices defending reproductive freedom, especially in the wake of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. She has advocated for codifying Roe into federal law, which would restore nationwide access to abortion care. Harris has also called for ending the filibuster to pass critical abortion rights legislation, ensuring that women across the country can make their own healthcare decisions without interference. Her commitment to safeguarding reproductive rights is unwavering and urgent in the face of ongoing state-level restrictions.
Oh by the way, the Biden-Harris administration has achieved remarkable economic successes. They led the U.S. to the strongest post-pandemic recovery in the world, achieving historically low unemployment rates and high job growth. Under their leadership, the U.S. economy outpaced other wealthy nations, thanks to investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, and clean tech. They’ve also focused on strengthening the middle class, including raising the minimum wage, expanding the child tax credit, capping prescription drug costs, and fighting inflation through policies like banning hidden bank fees and tackling corporate price gouging. Inflation was a global problem, and the U.S. under Biden has done quite well reducing it.
On foreign policy, I understand why anyone would feel apprehensive about policy toward Gaza. I disagreed with giving Israel as much of a leash as Biden has. Netanyahu is a right-wing authoritarian bent on killing as many Palestinians as possible and seems to be itching for a wider war. Will Harris be different? That remains to be seen, but she does still call for a ceasefire, which she did earlier than Biden. I do know that Trump has clearly stated he wants Israel to “finish the job” which does not sound good for Palestinians, nor does it sound good for limiting the spread of the conflict.
Speaking of Trump, I won’t go too much into his ideas, which are horrifying. Trump’s return to power would roll back much of Biden’s progress. His administration and MAGA allies aim to cut crucial government agencies, eliminate abortion access, and even deport millions of people in ways that evoke dangerous authoritarianism. Trump’s “Project 2025” threatens democracy itself, as it plans to dismantle federal protections and concentrate power directly under the presidency, moving us toward a dangerous path of autocratic governance.
And have you seen the guy lately? FINALLY the national media seems to be picking up on the fact that Trump is deteriorating, and this is not just Trump as usual. Our Adrastos chronicled that bizarre incident last week where he stood on stage and occasionally bopped his head to music for a full 39 minutes. Trump’s declining state means that one of the most disturbing political figures not named Trump, JD Vance, is one sputtering heartbeat from the presidency. And his ideas come from very, very dark places. By the way, if you are talking to a woman about who to vote for and she “might have heard something about Kamala” or “Harris isn’t being clear on what she stands for,” First Draft’s Cassandra has some reasons why that might be. Hint: Hillary dealt with it, too.
The choice shouldn’t be this hard. It is on all of us to make it easier for those still, somehow, undecided.
The last word goes to Black Sheep.