VOTE - Your Way of Life Depends on It!
Your vote in 2020 led to REAL change. So let us look at some results:
Since President Biden took office in January 2021, our economy has added 10 million jobs, lowering the unemployment rate to 3.5% nationally. The manufacturing sector alone accounts for 700,000 new jobs.
Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure legislation is rebuilding roads, bridges, ports, and airports, and expanding internet access.
All of this has been moving the country in the direction of building an economy “from the bottom up and the middle out” in President Biden’s own words. A significant contrast with the Republican default of trickle down from the top -- that never seems to trickle.
As Biden announced in his speech on Friday, October 21, the Democratic emphasis on investing in our country has not increased the deficit, but has actually driven down the deficit by $1.4 Trillion in 2022 -- the largest one-year drop in American history. (In severe contrast, Trump's administration ran large deficits every year -- including pre-Covid years.)
In President Biden's own words about these mid-terms:
“The election is not a referendum -- it’s a choice.”
It’s a choice to preserve our democracy -- respecting our elections and not spreading pernicious lies about the results. It’s a choice to have a Constitutional smooth transition to a new administration in January 2021, rather than the loser’s violent attempts to overturn a valid election and then calling deadly violence “legitimate political discourse".
It’s a choice to protect our voting rights by the Democratic House passing H.R. 1 - For the People Act to provide protections for voter access, guarantee election integrity and security, reform campaign finance, and establish ethics rules for all 3 branches of our government. But then Republicans blocked all such national efforts through the Senate filibuster, and suppressed voting rights in Republican-controlled states.
It’s a choice for the Democrats to pass the Inflation Reduction Act addressing climate change, energy security, and drought issues; lowering drug, insulin, and healthcare costs; providing that wealthy individuals and corporations pay their fair share of income taxes. And not only did NO Republicans vote for any of these progressive measures, Republicans also made sure insulin costs were NOT lowered for individuals on private insurance (non-Medicare).
It’s a choice for the Democrats to rebuild the U.S. manufacturing base through the CHIPs Act to make sure we produce our own semi-conductors essential for today’s many products. It’s a choice to address the serious supply-chain problems exposed by the pandemic that contributed enormously to inflation. The previous Republican administration allowed our ports to unreasonably restrict movement of goods until the backlog caused major economic problems.
It’s a choice for Democrats to protect women’s CHOICE. President Biden has taken steps to protect women’s reproductive healthcare by signing Presidential Directives to protect access to women's reproductive services and for safe travel for such purposes; plus signing Directives regarding emergency medical services for women and pharmacological products. Other Directives protect and improve the Affordable Care Act for all Americans. These Directives were made necessary because Republicans blocked any such legislation. If Democrats continue to control the House and have a clear majority in the Senate, Biden pledges to push for codification of Roe to re-establish the choices women had for almost 50 years.
It’s a choice for Democrats to pass the largest infrastructure package in the U.S. since the Eisenhower Administration to rebuild roads, bridges, expand broadband, upgrade the electric grid, and provide clean water.
It’s a choice for Democrats to protect Social Security, improve Medicare with the ability to negotiate drug prices, and to provide needed care for Veterans through the PACT Act.
It’s a choice for Democrats to re-establish our leadership in the world through re-joining the Paris Climate Accords, by helping re-unify (and expand) NATO, to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion, so that we can once again be proud of our country’s standing in the world.
In severe contrast, the Republicans want to reverse so much of what we’ve gained, including taking away major programs and rights. The below are Republican positions in their own words. We are not exaggerating.
Republicans plan to make Social Security, Medicare, and Veteran’s benefits discretionary spending -- requiring that such programs be “sunset” every year (that's even more serious than their scary original 5-year sunset threat). Thus, they would no longer honor our commitments to Seniors and Veterans; no longer provide reliable programs that lift many persons out of poverty -- literally saving people’s lives.
Republicans want to reverse Medicare’s new ability to negotiate drug prices. Thus, continuing large profits for the pharmaceutical companies -- at OUR expense.
Republicans intend to pass a nationwide outright abortion ban -- no exceptions for rape, incest, or life of the mother. (With one Republican leader (Greg Abbott) claiming that there would be no more rape. ??)
Republicans still intend to repeal the Affordable Care Act that currently insures 31 million Americans. The ACA (aka Obamacare) and related Medicaid expansion has drastically decreased the number of uninsured Americans. (Note that these Americans do pay premiums for ACA insurance -- it is not just a free giveaway. And it is very similar to the Republican Romney-care plan.)
Republicans’ answer to inflation is to reverse the income tax fairness measures of the Inflation Reduction Act and instead go back to huge tax cuts for the wealthiest in our country. They would make the 2017 deficit-causing Trump tax cuts for the top 1% permanent. This time Republicans would impose “mega MAGA trickle-down” economics which has never worked for anyone but the top 1% in this country.
Republicans have stated they would discontinue America’s help to Ukraine. Yes, it does cost, but it prevents paving the way for Putin to take Ukraine and likely other European sovereign countries -- thus precipitating even worse conflicts. Plus it allows Putin to escape responsibility for murderous and continuing war crimes in Ukraine. As Anthony Blinken, our Secretary of State, recently stated: “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.”
And that may be just the start.
We can’t explain what has happened to our parent’s or grandparent’s Republican Party, but they have told us what they intend to do now. As Maya Angelou said: “When people show you who they are, believe them . . . .”
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