When All Is Said And Done

There are many reasons not to vote for for Donald Trump but let's be honest, some of them or perhaps others could also apply to Joe Biden. There are policy differences and liberal, progressive, moderate and conservative goals that millions of Americans can discuss, argue and fight about. There are people on both sides that when you look at them your blood may begin to boil and real hatred starts to rise from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. That's the political reality that all of us are sharing right now.

Here though are some of what I believe are the disruptive, hateful and in a few cases, criminal policies of Donald Trump and his administration that in my mind just can't be tolerated. My own belief is that they violate basic principles and values of the country I live in. It begins with a personal policy that dehumanizes and makes fun of marginalized people. Personally I find this beyond reprehensible. But that's really just the beginning. Our country has moved to a policy of locking up people crossing our boarder. Poor people, women, children and families have been separated and put in cages and detention for seeking asylum. In the most immoral and unethical situations, children have been separated from their parents. In 500 plus cases, our government has been unable to find the parents of the children who have been separated. This isn't about immigration policy. This is about separating families and it will have negative consequences for everyone for many years to come. Remember, this policy was implemented to deter and punish people seeking asylum.

Using language and social media platforms that encourage violence and disruption against those who disagree with you is never helpful. Misleading people and telling outright lies isn't something anyone should strive for. Bullying tactics shouldn't be celebrated. None of this is normal behavior.

Worst of all though are the deaths of close to 230,000 people in the United States due to the Covid-19 virus. Many say that a large portion of these deaths could and should have been prevented. Some would say there has been criminality in these deaths through negligence and intent. Families and healthcare workers have suffered through this process. All of us have had our lives upended with no end in sight.

But here's the bottom line. When all is said and done, whether we agree or disagree on Donald Trump's policies, can any of us honestly say that four more years of living like this is something we should look forward to? When all is said and done, couldn't we all use a break from an environment of arguing and worrying on a daily basis? If we can't agree on policy, let's just agree on the mental health of our country. That to me might be the simplest reason to vote Donald Trump out of office.