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Qualifications aside, her
stance on policy issues such as health care, taxation,
education, racial justice, gun violence, the economy,
immigration reform, voting rights, climate change and
criminal justice reform, to name a few, are much more in
line with what we feel is right for America.
We don’t need to throw
away Obamacare, build a wall around our country, target
those of certain religious beliefs, ignore climate change,
give tax breaks only to the wealthy or ignore the danger of
permitting the mentally unstable from collecting all the
firearms they need. That’s the prescription for success that
her opponent proposes.
Regrettably, we hear all
too often from those in the African-American community that
the Democratic Party has done too little to assist our
community and therefore what possible difference can it make
who we vote for. Yes, Trump is evil they say, but is Hillary
any better? Are the Democrats any better?
Hell, yes, they are
better!
If anyone feels that over
the past eight years, in particular, this Democratic
administration has been less than favorable for black, take
a look first at Obamacare. Because of Obamacare, over the
past two years, six in 10 African Americans qualified for
Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (the plan
Hillary Clinton forged when she was first lady) or lower
costs on monthly premiums through the Health Insurance
Marketplace.
In the African-American
community, as of late 2015, 2.3 million (ages 18-64) have
gained health insurance coverage lowering the uninsured rate
by 6.8 percentage points; 7.8 million African Americans
with private insurance now have access to preventive
services such as mammograms or flu shots with no co-pay or
deductibles; more than a half million now have coverage
under their parents’ plan.
In general, as President
Obama has led the nation back from the brink of economic
collapse, it is equally hard to overestimate what his
leadership has meant for the black community.
For example: the
Democratic effort to bail out the auto industry saved the
jobs of thousands of African Americans who comprise 14
percent of the U.S. automotive workforce; because of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – the stimulus – the
administration increased Pell Grant funding by $15.6 billion
– about one quarter of Pell recipients are African American.
The Obama administration
has moved to directly aid historically black colleges and
universities by additional billions of dollars and has more
than doubled the amount the amount of federal contracts and
capital available to minority-owned businesses.
These are just a few
examples of the impact President Obama and the Democratic
Party has had on the black community – virtually all without
the consent of the members of the GOP.
Hillary Clinton has spent
her adult life working for these same policies and helping
to implement any number of them in her various roles in
service to her country – policies that have a positive
impact on the lives of children and families.
However, the single most
important reason to vote for Clinton in this election is the
United States Supreme Court. Our next president will have
the opportunity to appoint a minimum of three justices to
the Court – replacing Antonin Scalia (who died earlier this
year), Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy. The Court
will be ruling on cases over the next few years affecting
affirmative action, gun control, sentencing guidelines,
climate change, campaign financing, health care – among
other issues. A Court with a majority of progressive
justices can positively impact the lives of all U.S.
citizens for decades to come. A Trump Court will continue to
focus on the well-being of the wealthy.
Admittedly, what Hillary
doesn’t have is the charisma and likeability quotient of the
last few presidents – husband Bill, Barack Obama or even
George W. Bush. But as Oprah recently said: “You don’t like
her? She’s not coming over to your house.”
What would a Trump
presidency mean for the black community? A recent incident
at his rally in North Carolina is instructive. A black man,
C.J. Cary, a long-time Trump supporter, went to the rally.
The crowd booed Cary until Trump noticed him. He called the
man a “thug”, accused him of being a protester and had the
man thrown out. Cary, contacted later by the Washington
Post, said he was still going to vote for Trump. Let’s hope
the rest of us are not the victims of such blind stupidity –
that we have just a little more pride in who we are.
And if you don’t vote,
it’s a vote for Trump.
The Case for Issue 2
The City of Toledo is
asking voters to approve a renewal of a 0.75 “temporary”
income tax. The “temporary” title exists because the
additional tax was approved more than 30 years ago by voters
with the provision that it be placed on the ballot for
approval on a regular basis.
This is really a
no-brainer. It’s a matter of safety.
The 0.75 tax will account
for over $56 million in revenue for the City of Toledo and
will keep about 700 employees on the job including 260
police officers and 211 fire fighters. Without approval of
Issue 2, eight fire stations will be closed around the city.
Don’t think for a minute
that the request reflects a city government gone crazy with
the mismanagement of taxpayers’ funds or that, if the levy
is not approved, cuts can be made without touching safety
forces.
Toledo’s public safety
employees account for 88 percent of the general fund payroll
for all city employees.
In addition, Toledo’s
costs for its safety forces are well in line with the costs
for similar-sized cities.
The only negative aspect
of the .075 temporary tax is that it is temporary, forcing
the city to place it on the ballot every four years and
obliging city to spend precious hours planning campaigns for
its renewal.
The Case for Issue 20
This one’s for the kids –
thousands of them.
Lucas County Children
Services is asking voters to approve the renewal of its
current 1.4 mill levy in addition to a 0.4 mill increase.
The reason for the increase – which will cost the owner of a
$100,000 home a little over $1 per month – is that LCCS has
faced an increased burden in dealing with additional
children and families in the county ravaged by the opiate
and heroin epidemic. Fifty-five percent of the cases opened
by LCCS involve substance abuse.
During the first quarter
of this year, LCCS experienced a 54 percent increase in the
number of children entering agency custody – an
unprecedented occurrence.
If the overall levy does
not pass, LCCS will lose about one-quarter of its operating
budget – about $10 million annually from the funds it
allocates for the care and placement of abused and neglected
children. Layoffs and furloughs will follow along with a
massive reduction of services available to families and
children.
The Truth strongly urges
everyone to get to the polls by the end of the day on
November 8, earlier if you possibly can. The Early Voting
Center is open this last weekend on Saturday from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s located at 1301
Monroe Street.
While you are there, if
you do nothing else, vote for Clinton; vote for Issue 2;
vote for Issue 20. Your life, and the lives of your
neighbors, will be much better for it.
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