Submitted by Scott Steward
A lot of media is saying that people don’t care about each other, that a person from California, does not care about a person in Nevada. I am from Davis, California and I spend a lot of time in Nevada volunteering and reading up on thoughtful writers with whom I don’t always agree. But I do recognize when we do agree.
I would not say that everything Democrats do is great. Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto are not pushing as hard as I would like on getting fair labor laws and business incentives in line. But, they are not going to turn the feds on women.
I see Nevadans wanting the same things as I do. I don’t agree that it’s a priority to watch for signs of Biden’s mental decline. How can he help it? But that does not mean he has not made some good things stick. Sure waggle the finger at the vice president; she is missing in action most of the time. But let’s look at substance – what gets us to a better place?
I don’t think it’s a straight path to better, but I am for Democrats because they are protecting your right to vote, women’s reproductive rights and democracy, and they direct more of America’s resources to working people. They are closer to doing what most of us want done, and limit the money that is behind taking away our rights.
Not all Democrats want to limit the trough. We could do without Sinema and Feinstein, for example.
Let’s look at what happens to the people who step up to be our representatives, those who want to help take care of what we have. They may not be that partisan, but the parties channel them into these money funnels. It’s hard to run on “let’s take care of what we have,” though it should be job #1 for our current representatives.
Unaccountable, unlimited money in politics, the Citizens United 2010 Supreme Court decision, is the single biggest reason our rights are in danger. Since the 2010 ruling, money chooses who you can vote for, what you can vote for, who wins and who is appointed to the courts.
Sixty six percent of people who register Republican and 85% of the people who register Democrat want Citizens United gone. Democrats passed an amendment to end Citizens United in 2021 and the Republican Senate denied it. If the Senate had passed it, the President would have signed it – no more Citizens United.
The numbers would likely trade off if the same bill, to end United, was offered by a Republican House. But either Republican or Democrat, the people want Citizens United dead, and that there is no disputing.
Not everything has been sucked up by money. Against the odds and with a lot of pressure from grassroots activists, Democrats are directing laws and tax money to improve your lives. I don’t know why access to healthcare, reducing drug costs, funds to help small towns, opioid treatment, student loan forgiveness, U.S. energy independence, jobs and better working conditions are partisan accomplishments. Let’s just get more resources for working Americans.
I don’t do Party, but I will vote and vote for whoever gets us closer to ending Citizens United, protecting rights for women and getting more for working Americans.
Scott Steward is a renewable energy and energy efficiency consultant working for America’s energy independence. A long time resident and 4th generation Californian with roots that go back to Nevada silver mines of the 1860s . Election volunteer in Nevada since 2017.
Submitted opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of This Is Reno. Have something to say? Submit an opinion article or letter to the editor here.
