Election 2018 — 25 Reasons to Vote & Get Involved – Arthur Blaustein

by Dr. Authur Blausten

If you are thinking of sitting out the upcoming Congressional elections on November 6th, think again; because the results will, directly and indirectly, affect you and your whole family in ways that you never imagined.  So, instead of pushing the snooze button, think about the issues that matter to you and the people you care about. It’s worth the effort as the stakes are high!!! The issues to consider, not necessarily in order of importance, are:

1. Decent Jobs at Livable Wages
2. Voter Suppression
3. Global Warming
4. Public Education and Student Loans
5. Women’s Choice
6. Medicare and Medicaid
7. Affordable Health Care
8. Campaign Finance Reform
9. The Supreme Court and Federal Judges
10. Sexual Abuse and Equal Justice
11. Separation of Church and State
12. Increasing Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness
13. Assault Weapons on the Street
14. Social Security
15. Consumer Protection
16. Immigration Reform
17. Preemptive War and National Security
18. Disaster Preparedness
19. Mal-distribution of Wealth and Economic Justice
20. Fair and Progressive Tax Reform
21. Basic Research in Science, Health and Technology
22. Renewable Energy and a Sustainable Environment
23. NPR, NET (Sesame Street, et. al), the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities
24. Cronyism, Lying, Manipulation, and Incompetence in Government
25. Infrastructure Development (Mass Transit, the Energy Grid, Schools, Bridges, Roads and Airports)

After careful analysis of the issues listed above, one can safely conclude that the positions of the Democrats are mainstream, moderate and reasonable; whereas the positions of the Republicans are ideological, opportunistic and dangerous.  The choices are stark, the stakes are high, and the consequences could be devastating.

Finally, it must be said that it’s far better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.  The most important thing to do, for those who are concerned about the character, integrity and future of our country — about democracy, the rule of law and the common good — is to spend the next few weeks until Election Day putting our energy, money and time into efforts to flip control of Congress — both the House and the Senate — to the Democrats.  Then we will have both Congressional committees and the Special Counsel doing their legitimate jobs of investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, cover-ups, and possible collusion; as well as having the legislative authority to limit the worst excesses of the Trump administration.

Professor Arthur Blaustein (retired) taught Politics and Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and is the author of DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT and THE AMERICAN PROMISE.  He served as Chair of the National Advisory Council of Economic Opportunity under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and on the Board of the National Endowment for the Humanities under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.