I admit to being undecided about which of the twenty one democratic presidential candidates to back. As of today, I haven’t contributed one dime to any one of them. I’ve been watching the coverage of their town halls and interviews, but I’m still undecided. I have a few ideas about how I will make a decision though.
First, I won’t support an elderly candidate unless that person is paired with a competent younger running mate who can take over should the older president’s health fail. Of course, I’m referring to Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. They would need a younger running mate. And in 2020, I would prefer that running mate to be a female. On policy issues, I’m more in line with Joe Biden than Bernie Sanders on many issues. So, I’m actually a little to the right of Bernie Sanders.
Second, I appreciate intelligence. I am impressed by major Pete Buttigieg. He is a Harvard grad, a Rhodes Scholar, a former Naval Intelligence officer, and he speaks eight languages proficiently. He is the opposite of the current president in intelligence, articulation, and good character. The fact that he is gay will matter to Christians in middle America who won’t be able to overlook that when every day they give this lying, adulterous, draft-dodging, thief of a President a pass in the face of what they should understand to be good moral character. At only 37, Buttigieg brings great energy to the table. I’ve liked how he talks about his reasons for running and how he defends his faith against those who would judge him. I haven’t heard enough about his policies though. He’s a wait and see for me.
Quite the opposite of Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren is clear about where she stands on a host of issues and she is ready for a fight. I like her energy. She is passionate, articulate, and bold. She is a tough lady and would make an interesting president. I just don’t know if some of her more radical ideas will be accepted or just lead to greater gridlock. Sure the rich need to pay more. But I don’t necessarily agree with tuition free public colleges. I agree that student loan debt is too high, but I think the government should provide greater financial aid in the form of greatly increased Pell Grants for the poor and middle class to afford to go to college. Rather than simply forgive student loan debt like she suggests, I would like it forgiven in exchange for public service. I’d like to see her embrace government funded merit based grants for STEM areas as well. I’m for regulating the big tech companies like Facebook, but not for her plan to break them up as they are working together to create greater technological advances in competition with China.
Kamala Harris is one of my sorority sisters, a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha woman, so I support her. I’m in the process of reading her book, “The Truths We Hold” and I find her to be likeable, thoughtful, and honest. She, too, is smart and passionate and I love watching her in senate hearings. She’s a stand out. However, I’m having a tough time figuring out where she stands on a few key issues like health care and reparations. She needs to be more concrete on a few key issues. I have been thinking that she and Biden would be a Dream Team with her as Vice President and then as President in 2024.
There is Beto O’Rourke. I love his energy, but I’m not entirely sure of what he stands for on a number of issues. I know he seeks a different policy on ICE immigration enforcement, meaning fewer deportations of undocumented immigrants and no more family separations. He has endorsed a more moderate healthcare plan that I like called Medicare for America https://slate.com/business/2019/03/beto-orourke-health-plan-medicare-for-all-america.html
There isn’t a candidate among the 21 that I’m against. All recognize climate change as a threat. All of them care about a woman’s right to choose. All of them recognize that we have a huge problem with wealth inequality and want to do something about it. All recognize that we need to do something about gun regulations. And every one of them has a better moral character than our current president and want to restore dignity to the White House. I find that I am leaning in the direction of the more moderate candidates with ideas that are both sellable and doable.
For now, all I can do is watch and listen and learn. I’m paying close attention and as soon as I decide who to back, I will back that person with my voice and my pocketbook.
Like you, it is a learn & watch education for me. Overall, I want to see differing global, climate & health care policies come together, including public service & tuition strategies that work. I want to know that detrimental actions (Executive Order “quiet” changes) taken by this administration will be noted, repaired, cleaned up & strengthened. Biden’s reminder was genius. I hope all of them keep his words in mind.