Change is in the Air, Folks
What is this feeling I’m, er, feeling?
I think after so many years of explosive dumpster fires, I couldn’t identify that fluttering in my chest while watching the video where Kamala picked her Vice Presidential running mate, Tim Walz.
Is that…?
No.
No way.
Is that…
Hope?
I rolled the word around in my mouth, the taste familiar but almost stale?
Now, don’t get me wrong. If you follow me on socials, then you know that it’s one of my favorite four-letter words after fuck. I’m a huge advocate for protecting and feeding hope as a community practice. Even in the face of all the national and global anti-community bullshit.
Or rather in spite of it.
Why? Because we so badly need that lifeline, that promise of things getting better in the future, even if that possibility was vague at best.
So, yeah, what I felt as I listened to Walz talk about who he was — veteran, teacher, ally — was definitely hope, but it was also different, right?
No Longer Settling
Cliche as hell, but before Biden stepped down, in the middle of all that conversation, I was convinced that this was a bad idea.
Not because I am a Biden stan (though he has surprised me with all he’s done given, well, all of the layers of dumpster fire), but because it was July, and the election is in November. Logistically, that just wasn’t enough time to stand up someone new and get everyone on board, right?
Wrong.
It’s not like I forgot about our VP. I just have really vivid memories about how people talked about the last woman who ran for President. And Hillary had white privilege.
Kamala isn’t just a woman. She’s a woman of color and, contrary to Trump’s idiocy, a biracial black woman. And for all of our leftist inclusion, I remember a lot of left-leaning white folk — especially men — who told me that they wouldn’t trust a woman or a black man to be President.
Oh, the hypocritical bullshittery.
But as the campaign unfolded — it hasn’t even been two weeks! — I wasn’t alone in thinking we finally had a candidate that wasn’t a choice between two evils or more of the same. We no longer have to settle.
When’s the last time that happened?
Pros and Cons
Pros
Sure, the Harris/Walz ticket isn’t the youngest — that distinction goes to JFK — but they are younger than Trump, which takes away that GOP talking point.
Here’s a lovely list of things I love about this duo
Pro-choice/Women’s rights/Bodily autonomy
LGBTQIA+ allies
Pro-legalization of marijuana
Champions of trans gender affirming care (Minnesota is a trans refuge state)
Believe in serving all Americans and not just their base (which is growing ever larger every day!)
Actually respect veterans (Walz served in the National Guard for 24 years to the rank of Sergeant Major)
Respect education and teachers
And that’s just my top seven without looking anything else up.
Cons?
No one’s perfect, and while they aren’t in the same boat as their opponent, there are several things from their past that will continue to be brought up during the next 90ish days, like:
Walz’ DUI in 1995 going 96 mph in a 55 mph zone. Unlike Trump, he admitted in court that he was guilty and apologized for his bad judgement call, which lead to his continued sobriety since then. He even attempted to resign from his coaching and teaching positions at the high school.
Taking responsibility for crime? Who is this man? Oh, wait, the next Vice President.
If you remember all the points from any time in Harris’ public officer career, be prepared for a rehash: Harris’ complicated history as a prosecutor from her fractured relationship with police unions after she wouldn’t seek the death penalty for the murderer who shot and killed police officer Isaac Espinoza to her anti-truancy law that many called too harsh and issues in her office with an employee skimming cocaine from the analysis lab.
Not to trivialize these things, but that was a long time ago, and she has actively learned from those issues.
And again, not Trump, but not in a long, slow sigh ‘not Trump’ kind of way, if that makes sense.
So, Yeah, Hopeful
That word again. But I don’t think we will be let down when we get them in the White House.
That’s it, folks.
Thanks for reading.
I feel guardedly optimistic. I can't stop thinking about 2016 and all those voters who thought Hilary was a lock and didn't bother to vote.
I am worried the current level of enthusiasm we are seeing may lead to similiar behavior in November. I hope my fears are unfounded. There are many brain weasels having a field day in my mind at the moment.