We Must Vote? Jack Miller

                     

For underserved communities in the United States, the populations there must exercise their right to vote because it can address quality of life issues of African Americans, Latinx and Indigenous people’s and influence to change the trajectory of the Trump administration’s policies in these communities. This new trajectory can effect constructive change from the local level up through the Federal level for the citizens that live in these communities.  Because quality of life issues like health care, education, immigration, housing, employment, over-policing and women’s issues are on the ballot this election season. The choices between the two major political parties couldn’t be more of a stark contrast to choose from for communities of color this election season. To continue on the path of Trumpism would be a dark and deadly one for marginalized peoples, while the alternative should be an opportunity to make policy change to improve the lives in these communities. Thus, voting is imperative to alter the policy direction that the current administration in the White House has been implementing against the best interest for African American, Latinx and Indigenous communities’ quality of life issues.  

 

Today, at stake in voting is to stall the current administration’s policies and reverse many of Trumps’ failed policies that impede and obstruct quality of life issues for African American, Latinx and Native communities.  In southern states of South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky Medicaid expansion is being denied millions of citizens in these States from receiving any health care under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  In South Carolina, over 315,000 citizens are affected without Medicaid expansion and it is leaving over 14 billion dollars of Federal allocated money on the table. Funds that can be used to improve quality of health concerns for hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians while we are under the COVID-19 pandemic.  This denial of equitable health coverage is wide spread through out the southern region of the country. Twelve states have rejected Medicaid expansion while thirty-eight have accepted it. In the States that have allowed this expansion offers lifesaving health coverage for underserved communities. Not voting is not an option because if the ACA is overturned and repelled more than 32 million additional citizens will lose medical disability expansion for Americans with disabilities.

 

The current data of early voting in twenty-seven States reveals that nearly 7 million voters have casted their ballot so far according to Reuters.  In Dane-Madison county in Wisconsin, early voting has increased by 36% over 2016 tabulations of 146,000 compared to 647,000 today in 2020.  What seems to be trending is the urgency to vote early because of the pandemic and the need to be engaging in the electoral process that can effect the right change in underserved neighborhoods.  The New York Times report that absentee voting in key States are leaning Democrat.  In many urban counties in Georgia the first day of early voting tabulated more than 120,000 thousand ballots.  We must vote in record numbers because voting can influence the trajectory of policies and reverse the inhuman policies of the Trump White House to move towards a more equitable society for African Americans and people of color. 

 

This election season voters have a choice literally between life, breath and death in marginalize communities. When communities of color are engaged to vote, they can change the current policy trajectory to favor the quality of life needs of Black, Brown and communities of color.  It is a choice between law and order versus safety and justice for communities under assault. To change the direction of Trump’s Department of Justice policies that advocate immigration actions of putting kids in cages and family separation at the border. Voting and activism can address to challenge the policy of over-policing in communities of color.  The Latinx community comprise 18% of the Nation’s population with a whooping 34% of essential workers being forced to work during the height of pandemic.  Placing them in a higher health risk of getting COVID-19 contagion. We must vote to deter this onslaught of deadly policies emanating from this administration at the local level up to the federal level. 

 

We must vote across the nation to oust elected officials that represent and support Trumpism and to challenge their white supremacist ideology that has embolden white militia groups throughout the Nation.  White Supremacy terror is on the ballot, justice for Black Lives Matter is on the ballot, expansion of the ACA is on the ballot, to move towards a reimagine equitable society is on the ballot for African American, Latinx and Native underserved communities. And voting can alter the current trend to save black, brown and people of color lives when you vote out politicians that do not serve your best interest. We must vote to address quality of life matters that negatively impacts progress in targeted areas.  Precise and calculated voting can allow African Americans, Latinx and Native communities to regroup and continue to challenge oppression in all forms in the United States.