Please think positively about this election despite the threats, vilification and bad behavior of Donald Trump and his followers. On the Democratic side we have a diverse group of highly committed, honorable people who want to serve not to enrich themselves but to better our situation.
If you believe in democracy, the Constitution, balance of power between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, and freedom of the press, religion and assembly, we are with you. If you are committed to saving the planet and the environment, we welcome you.
We are female, African American, Hispanic, gay, Native American, immigrant, disabled, elderly workers, many having suffered discrimination, and we should have rights enforced by a government that fulfills our aspirations and needs.
In September in the East Wing of the White House, I observed bright, enthusiastic, kind young people of many ethnic and racial origins, all serving our president, which gives hope for the future and is a dream worth pursuing. But this won’t happen with Republican politics as usual. Our Republican-dominated Congress never cooperated with President Obama on anything and dissed him regularly, encouraging a record number of death threats and weakening our nation.
Locally, Bloomington could be a better place for everyone. Many Democrats want to implement Bernie Sanders’ progressive agenda. To do so we need your vote up and down the ballot, lest we have again a Republican-dominated Indiana state legislature whose policies are often embarrassing, such as the hunting issue on the ballot, another example like RFRA.
It would allow, for instance, canned hunting — shooting penned deer — and hunting in municipalities, it seems.
Wouldn’t we rather see an Indiana legislature that focuses on gun safety, stopping gerrymandering, voting rights instead of suppressing students’ and others’ votes, more programs for needy Hoosiers and jobs, cleanup of coal-fired plants that generate more pollution than most states, affordable higher education and healthcare — especially for women — and better infrastructure? Candidates’ policy goals show that Democrats share more of our ideals. Vote love, not hate!
Claire Robertson
Bloomington
