I made a correction after realizing I misheard part of last night’s speech. President Biden had spoke about keeping an auto production plant open, not an oil refinery. However, he has recently been embraced by the fossil fuel industry for ramping up domestic oil production.
After last year’s State of The Union, I created a crude sketch of who wore it better comparing MTG to the Samoyed she apparently skinned. I sent the comic to a few friends. I don’t have it in me to do a sketch of who wore it better comparing Katie Britt (who is refusing to call herself a Senator, WTF?) to Yvonne Strahovski to see who is more convincing as Serena Joy, because with all due respect to Ms. Strahovski, Britt wears it better. The dress that is nearly identical to a shirt dress worn by Strahovski in her role in Handmaid’s Tale was subtly a shade between that worn by the Wives and Marthas. She was in a kitchen after all. While President Biden’s SOTU speech was great, Britt’s rebuttal may have actually done more to motivate Democratic voters. A creepy realization of the roles that could be forced on women in this country became clear. The winningest issue for Democrats since Dodd has been the barriers to reproductive healthcare. I wonder if t.Rump voters will ever get sick of losing.
I will fully admit that I don’t agree with all of President Biden’s policy decisions. I am not in support of increases in drilling for oil. He has coupled this with an investment in renewables. I suppose this is about energy independence, but all I can think about is Jason Hickel’s book Less is More, where the author talks about how all the investment in renewable energy, which he says is significant, is not replacing any fossil fuels because of our insane penchant for growth for growth’s sake. President Biden fits the neoliberal mold in this way, but maybe he has to just for the U.S. to stand a chance at retaining our democracy.
I actually think Biden is the best president of my lifetime. I say this, but he isn’t perfect. No one is. No one can be. Have you ever let yourself down? I know I have. But on so many issues, but especially when it comes to the lived reality of people with disabilities, he has been our best president.
My favorite thing about last night’s speech is when he addressed the caregiver economy. When it comes to a lot of production of goods, we require fewer people on the job, but when it comes to caring for one another, we need more. It is a shift in manpower needs that is important to take note of and it is vital to ensure that social workers, teachers, medical staff, chore providers and all caregivers get paid a living wage. This election is about freedom, and for people living with a disability or chronic health condition, it is about our right to live. I fear losing my Social Security benefits, scaling back of Medicare and Medicaid. I am not sure what t.Rump would do. He has become even more unreasonable. I have paid attention to what he has been saying. If you are not a loyalist, he threatens to sic his thugs on you. I am seriously worried about losing not only my way of life, but life itself if he gets elected.
I think the biggest valid criticism of President Biden is regarding Gaza, but for all Muslim Americans who would consider voting for t.Rump, I have this: Get real! Do you forget how t.Rump was on a mission to deport Muslims? He is talking about immigrants poisoning the blood of the nation, rooting out vermin, and a whole lot of Third Reich rhetoric. If he gets in office, you can expect a one-way ticket to Gaza.
While President Biden and Vice President Harris have both called out the violence against Palestinians, their critics fault them for not calling out Benjamin Netanyahu by name. It reminds me of how certain people would cry foul over people in the Obama administration not calling certain terror organizations Islamic terrorists. I am not saying that words aren’t important, but actions mean so much more.
I ask that people understand the tightrope walk that this foreign policy requires. Hamas is wrong. Netanyahu is wrong. But to get help to innocent civilians, you have to work around the systems in place. Working with other countries to build a port to get aid to the people in Gaza is brilliant.
This election is being treated as one big game of chicken. I do believe that when we’re heading towards going over that cliff, that the majority of the electorate will put on the brakes and cast their ballots for Biden. I totally get the whole protest vote of uncommitted during a primary. We all should put pressure on our elected officials to work for us. But when the rubber hits the road, every reasonable person comes to appreciate safety and freedom. No one who wants to live free chooses to drive a vehicle that could explode at any minute. That is the choice we have to make.