Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
I've written a lot and shared many memes making it clear that Donald Trump is mentally ill. A vote for Trump is a vote for the destruction of democracy.
But I haven't written enough about reasons to vote for Kamala Harris, other than the simple fact that she isn't Donald Trump.
So here we are, the day before the election and I must take advantage of the opportunity to share some information about Vice President Harris. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but what if someone stops by my blog, looking for a reason to vote for her? As a voter, a citizen, and a blogger, it's my responsibility to write about Ms. Harris.
Kamala Harris celebrated her 60th birthday recently. She is the daughter of a biologist from India, the late Shyamala Gopalan, and a Black Jamaican economist, Donald Harris. Kamala has a younger sister named Maya. Their parents divorced when Kamala was seven years old.
Kamala graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a degree in political science and economics. She graduated from Hastings College of the Law in 1989.
Harris' work as a lawyer quickly focused on fighting for the rights of victims, including abused and neglected children. In 2002 she was elected district attorney of San Francisco. She initiated a Hate Crimes Unit; one of its priorities was protecting LGBTQ children and teens in school. Harris also fought truancy. She pledged never to seek the death penalty and stood by her pledge.
Kamala Harris was elected attorney general of California in 2010. One of her friends was another attorney general, Beau Biden of Delaware.
Then in 2016, Harris became the junior senator from California. She fought for gun control and healthcare reform, and became known for her adroit questioning of Trump nominees, including Brett Kavanaugh.
Her run for the presidency in 2020 ended pretty quickly, but can't be viewed as a failure. She became Joe Biden's running mate.
Kamala Harris was the first Indian & Black American to run for vice president, the third woman to run, but the first to be elected.
As vice president, Harris cast a record number of tie breaking votes in the senate. No such position as "border czar" exists, but President Biden tasked Harris with cutting back immigration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras––a goal she met with great success.
Vice President Harris always supported President Biden. When other Democrats turned on Biden following his problematic debate performance, his vice president stood with him and did not betray him.
She has praised the president's courage and intelligence.
Now, Kamala Harris is the first woman selected to run for president as the nominee of a major political party.
She chose Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, as her running mate.
Together, they support a woman's right to control her own body, LGBTQ rights, and increases in border security. Harris and Walz are gun owners, but want to increase gun control. They support continued aid to Ukraine and Israel.
She has plans for her administration, not concepts of plans, actual plans. Harris wants to improve the economy by ending price gouging and taxing the uber wealthy, among other items on her agenda.
Kamala Harris married Doug Emhoff, also a lawyer, in 2014. She clearly takes delight in her role as stepmom to Cole and Ella, who call her Mamala. Doug's ex-wife, Kerstin, supports Kamala's candidacy.
Kamala didn't cheat her way through school. She's worked hard, including a summer stint at Mickey D's when she was in college.
She supports faith and hope rather than hatred and failure. She doesn't think America is a garbage can.
America is a great country. It can be better, but it will not be better if Harris' opponent is elected president.
I was worried before her debate with Trump. It's very difficult to hold one's own against someone who's insane, yet admired by people who are caught up in the excitement of the insanity. His ugliness passes as charisma with his fans who love releasing their own bigotry and hatred while laughing and applauding his.
Then the debate turned into pure joy. She laid out the bait and that fat orange rat gobbled up every bit of it.
While campaigning, Harris still managed to assist in recovery efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Kamala Harris doesn't have a perfect record in her political life (no one does), but she hasn't been involved in any scandals. She doesn't call people pigs and dogs. She doesn't threaten people she doesn't like. She remains calm when she's heckled.
Thank you! :-) May good prevail tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteYes! Please!
DeleteI am 100% in Kamala’s corner. As a Canadian I cannot vote, of course, but she has my good wishes and my support. Having said that, I would vote for a turnip were it in opposition to Trump. We should also not lose sight of the simple fact that Kamala is a politician and not some minor deity. She has already disappointed me greatly by changing her position on fracking, and she has become strangely silent on her vociferous opposition to the death penalty. And she and Walz seemed mildly obsessed telling people that they are gun owners. He prattles on about pheasant shooting (a cowardly pastime) and she brags about shooting someone who might break into her home. Having said this, I wish her well tomorrow, and hope very soon to be referring to her as President-elect Harris.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your support and understand your concerns. It's very important for Harris/Walz to state they are gun owners because of the huge pressure in this country from the NRA and the people who wail and scream that Democrats will take their guns away from them. It's pathetic.
DeleteI'm scared, but hopeful. Madam President really sounds great, doesn't it? Here's hoping we're all celebrating later this week, and the Orange Felon's political career will be OVER.
ReplyDeleteI'm frightened and nearly sick from the stress. I wonder what tricks he will pull if he doesn't win, and can't help pondering the ugliness if he does win.
DeleteOh I pray she is the next President! Thanks for her story. While anyone would be better than 'him' she is obviously an excellent choice for the job.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. While somewhat inexperienced on the national stage, Kamala Harris has caught up quickly. I'm confident she can stand up to Putin.
DeleteLove the final meme, LOL!
ReplyDeleteDid you see the SNL opening this weekend? It was great!
DeleteBrava!
ReplyDeleteVote for the woman running for office and you're voting for women everywhere.
VOTE BLUE!!
It's time for a woman president because we want excellence. No more waiting.
DeleteThank you for this excellent post. Kamala has been my choice from day one.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm very happy with Kamala's performance as vice president and as a candidate for president.
DeleteI am hoping. Really, really hoping. For you, for your country, for the world.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason this post didn't show up in my reader. I am grateful that Lorraine alerted me to it.
Thanks, EC. I appreciate so much all the support and compassion we receive from our friends in other countries.
DeleteYes, I want so badly to hear her called Madam President! I wish we had some magic for what’s about to happen in the States, win or lose.
ReplyDeleteIf we had some magic, then we could make trump vanish. It would be the same as when he said COVID would one day just disappear. He'd be gone, as if he had never existed.
DeleteJanie, this was a wonderful post on the eve of the election. Let's hope that we'll be saying "Madame President" soon. I truly don't understand why this election is so close when you really compare the two candidates.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Michael. You're so kind. I've never understood how anyone could support him, but here we are eight years after he first ran and so many people still worship him.
DeleteShe has to win! The energy and support has been amazing. You know what I will be watching tomorrow night. I am hoping for a blue wave. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll watch some tomorrow night but I don't expect to find out who the winner is for a few days.
DeleteAn excellent post. Thank you. Vote blue, up and down. I believe we will win.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne. I voted all blue. I can't find a Republican worthy of my vote.
DeleteI have everything crossed that I possibly can.......
ReplyDeleteIf I could cross my vagina I would.
DeleteThanks for all the background info, Janie! I hope all of your fellow citizens will do the right thing. We are rooting for Kamala up here. She even has a connection to Canada, having attended high school in Montreal.
ReplyDeleteYes! I was surprised when I found out she had lived in Canada for a time.
DeleteI'm praying she gets in snd the orange a- hole crawls away under a rock. He will fight it because he will be facing more courts and, hopefully, jail time. He has manipulation and criminality behind him including little Puddin who hope that dumbest will get in. Some blogs I follow, love Trump and even believe he follows the Bible! Lol. I don't get it...I really don't. He should have been told to step down after he said to point guns at Cheney! I was gobsmacked that he gets away with this vile hate mongering. I will keep my fingers crossed that she wins and he can stomp his little feet but to no avail. I'm the same age as her...I suddenly feel a bit of an underachieving.
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