I was thinking about the debate about Bernie people sitting out the election and not voting for Biden or god forbid Trump. The major premise was “How could they do that” Maybe it is because we look at this election from our perspective and not theirs? We have something to lose, they don’t.
Many of the people that support Bernie are the people saddled with college and medical debt, working more than one job to make ends meet or not even making ends meet. They are a large part of the 40% of people living paycheck to paycheck, most with debt and less than $400 in the bank. Many are not Democrat or Republican they are just looking for political leaders who will make their lives better.
If Joe Biden wants their vote then he must earn it. He must reach out to them and show them that things will change for the better for them. He must show that he stands with them and not the rich and corporate America. To date he has not done this. Post-secondary education for all with no tuition, book or lab fees. His answer, we can’t afford it. Health insurance for all, again his answer we cannot do it, we cannot afford it. Eliminating medical debt, housing for all and universal child care again we cannot afford it. To environmentalists he openly shuns the green new deal. As for a living wage they see that Biden does not have his heart in it and barely pays it lip service. These are the programs that would help many of America’s people improve their lives. These are the programs many of us should realize are needed if our democracy is to survive. These are the programs these people see worth fighting for and are not about to fight for a candidate whose heart is not in it or only pays these issues lip service.
What do these people hear from the establishment and Biden. Crickets. We cannot do it. Cannot afford it. They do not see Biden’s as willing to make these programs a reality. They know that their grasp may exceed their reach, that it probably will, but they are willing to work for people willing to fight for them. Bernie proved that. If they do not believe leaders will fight for these programs, they will not have faith in or work to see that those people win. Biden must instill that faith in them by showing that he is willing to fight for these programs and stand with them. To date he has made only a lukewarm attempt to do this.
Biden is in a much better position than Hillary, to date he has nothing like her “bank transcripts” that she failed to release hanging over his head. Many have seen the lies Trump has propagated and the unkept promises that have not made their lives better. The question is will they vote. Some will vote because of Trump. These will be votes against Trump, not votes for Biden. But the people who Biden needs are the people that he must give a reason for them to vote for him. The question that Biden must answer for them is: How will my life be better if you are elected president? Hillary did not give these people a satisfactory answer to that question. For Biden this is a must.
We worry about the Supreme Court. These people could not give a big whoop about the Supreme Court. They are just worried about paying the rent, how to pay their bills and feeding their families. We have something to lose, they don’t. What does it matter if I live paycheck to paycheck under Biden or Trump? What does it matter who is on the Supreme Court if I cannot put food on the table, pay the rent and other bills? To us it matters to them it doesn’t, because they have bigger more immediate worries and problems.
Some worry about having a black woman as vice president. It doesn’t matter. This is not a black or white election. This is an economic election. Biden must give the voters concrete evidence of how he will make their lives better. Sanders has pointed out the problems and offered programs to solve these problems. Programs that people believe, support and see as making their lives better. To date Biden has not done this. Lip service will not be enough. People of color and white people will not vote if they do not see how a candidate will make their lives better.
Trump has asked the question: “What have you got to lose?”. Biden must show them what they have to lose. He can do this by showing them what they have to gain with him as president. He can show them this by endorsing and fighting for programs that will make their lives better. They did not believe their lives would change that much with Hillary as president. If they do not see their lives changing that much under Biden these people will stay at home and not vote or even worse vote for Trump. The onus is on Biden not them. Biden must show them how their lives will be better with him as president. Show them the programs that will make their lives better and not just pay them lip service. Show them that he stands with them and not the rich and corporate America. At this stage in the election I believe they question Biden’s willingness to fight for them. Ultimately it comes down to: What does it matter if I live paycheck to paycheck under Trump or Biden?