First, I love Joe Biden. I haven’t changed my opinion of him since day 1. Second, I’m a progressive, but I’m a pragmatist. Biden is not a moderate on the full political spectrum, he’s definitely a Dem. Within the Democratic party, he’s right about in the middle. He wants some (maybe all) student debt forgiveness; he wants some no-cost college options; he is definitely pro women’s rights and pro democracy. He knows he can’t get everything he wants, or the rest of us, but he is willing to fight for some.
He is not a neocon. He got our nation out of its longest war. He has supported the people of Ukraine, way before it was popular. He believes in science, and also his faith. Lots of things I love about Joe. Uninformed people too often blame the president for the inactions of certain senators or congress members, or to anti-democratic filibuster rules, which result in the administration’s goals not being accomplished.
But…
Unless the reproductive rights issue is resolved (somehow) this year, either by eliminating the filibuster or by judicial changes of mind/changes of number (on SCOTUS) … the 2024 presidential/senate/congressional elections will be the biggest fight ever for the individual rights of not only women, but also others that the conservatives have long dreamed of marginalizing.
“Oh, the GOP would never get away with rescinding marriage equality,” some might say. “Too many Americans are fine with it and even supportive.”— Well, 60% or more of Americans think that abortion and contraceptive rights should be legal, even though some of that number may not personally like the thought. And according to the CDC (www.cdc.gov/...), about 65% of women aged 15-49 use contraception. (So, 65% of half of females in the USA, who are about 51% of all Americans.
And only 33% of the Supreme Court is female, none of whom are in that age range.) Wanna gamble on the outcome if they were to rule on it?
If we still need to protect and enshrine, personal, biological and reproductive rights in 2024, I think we must have a female candidate for president. Who? I am not sure. I like Kamala a lot, and she is obviously the best-positioned to mount a campaign, but I am not sold on her ability to connect more widely. And many of the most powerful female politicians that have a national audience, are more senior in age and that might hinder them.
Aside from Kamala, Warren, and Clinton, who do you see as the most viable female presidential candidate if it is necessary — and Joe Biden supports it- to change presidential candidates in 2024? (Let me state again that I am not not not anti-Joe Biden).
If we can prevent this republican attack on human rights in some other way, I want Joe to run again. But if we need to make individual rights the cornerstone of the 2024 elections, our candidate MUST be a woman.