Biden/Harris Win

I want to thank everyone who went out on Tuesday and voted. Our democracy only works when we exercise our duty to cast a vote in the election of members to represent us in government.

My family has patiently but anxiously awaited the tallies and projected results of this election. Like many Americans this week, we watched as the vote totals in key states switched back and forth. We weighed the statistical analysis of blue counties and red counties, mail-in vs in-person votes and estimate reported. It has been a great lesson in mathematics for all of us. I think for our children, they watched us as we worried on Election Day that early votes were not favoring our desired outcome. I went to bed Tuesday night feeling a panic that was reminiscent of 2016, but not nearly as evident. On Wednesday morning, I felt sick as I reached for my phone to check what had been reported overnight. I was encouraged, but skeptical. By Thursday evening I was annoyed, but the feeling of victory felt imminent. On Friday we woke to the news that both Georgia and Pennsylvania were now light blue as Biden’s number overtook Trump’s numbers. I was sure that by Friday evening, we would be celebrating a victory.

We watched Biden’s humble speech when there were few new results by Friday night, and we too began talking about the way forward. Saturday, finally, brought the projections that we had been waiting for, and we celebrated, hard. Not to gloat, but out of relief. The outpouring of relief I could feel across the world. This isn’t about Republican vs Democrat for me. This is about humanity and humility. It is about morals and democracy. It’s about right and wrong. Everything that Donald Trump stands for is what I have worked to teach my children not to be, not to accept, not to allow in their character. I have a lot of trouble believing that more than 70 million American adults went out on Tuesday and cast a their vote of approval for such a man. They looked around this world and said, “Yes, I want four more years of this.”

I don’t think Joe Biden is the be all end all person of the year, but his moral character is a whole lot closer to mine than Donald Trump. I believe that Joe Biden will work across the isle to find compromises that benefit both sides. I believe that he and Kamala Harris will work to make policy that is good for our earth, our children, and our country. I believe they too will make mistakes, but not egregious attacks on our own democracy, citizens, and allies. I am damn proud that if one good thing comes out of 2020, it will be President elect Joe Biden and Vice President elect Kamala Harris. I am ready to have a president that will represent me on the world stage and my interests in government. Diversity, inclusion, civil rights, health care, public health, gun control, climate control, national pandemic response... Things that we should have had ALL THIS TIME.