In 2016 I wrote a diary titled “No Hope – No Change” in it I detailed that I voted for Hillary but never truly supported her. It’s been almost three years and I am seeing the exact same things from Joe Biden I saw from Hillary – no reason to actually support or get excited about the candidate (actually I do have to give Hillary some credit here – the first woman to be president would have been exciting). Lots of “we won’t be able to do that”, plenty of “people don’t want to give up their health insurance” (republican talking point), all kinds of “I worked with Obama”, full throated willingness to work with any republican on incremental change.
Some lessons are hard to learn and I’m not sure we’ve learned this one yet. In 2016 I loved Bernie Sanders brash outspokenness about income inequality. I was inspired by his push for a $15 minimum wage. I was100% behind his call for universal health care. But I give Hillary supporters credit here – he never really explained how to get there. It’s 2019 and I am still inspired by Bernie Sanders and love to hear his voice pushing us to make far larger changes than Biden is comfortable with. But I can’t bring myself to support him this time. He may be the voice and the inspiration – but this time there is a choice. Better than that – it’s someone with a plan.
Elizabeth Warren wants much of what Bernie Sanders does but she wants to do more than talk about it she wants to implement it. As such she has developed detailed plans for how things can get done. She also does not have a set group of hard core dissenters that Bernie (rightly or wrongly) will always face. From her hard work in pushing and developing the consumer protection bureau to her simple way of communicating to young women that she is running for president because “that’s what girls do” she continues to inspire me (and I hope many others). I have encouraged my wife and daughters to listen to her speeches (something I never did and would never do with Hillary – or Joe Biden). I encourage my family to talk about the issues and which candidates seem to want the same things, and I continue to be excited by the hope I see in them for true change - in environmental policies, in Healthcare policies, and in democratic principles. Elizabeth Warren has captured my head the same way Bernie Sanders captured my heart. (Almost made that the title but wanted to be clear I would vote for Biden if I had to).
Just to give credit I find Kamala almost as inspiring but too willing to compromise (healthcare is my number one issue as my children are legally blind due to Aniridia and won’t be working for those good companies with excellent insurance).