Primary 2020

I voted by mail last week, but decided I wanted to flesh out my feelings about this year's election. It's no secret I was hugely disappointed with our choices last time around and made a heart-wrenching decision when November came in 2016. For the record, I'm still in the #anyonebutTrump camp, but I am a little more invested in the primary this year because we have some interesting moderates in contention.

So, I have always been a fan of Bernie Sanders. While I don't agree with the "free everything" mindset (because nothing is free), I AM a fan of health care being a right to all people, no-interest student loans, making college more affordable (and, yes, community college should be tuition-free, as it was until the 1980s), raising the minimum wage, addressing the issue of climate change and raising the taxes of the ultra wealthy (and getting rid of most of their write-off loopholes). Bernie has some great ideas, though I am skeptical as to how he can pull them off. And, frankly, I am over old, rich white guys in power. But, he may be our best shot at defeating Trump, so I could stand behind him. Though, he isn't my choice on the primary ballot this time around.

Not sure how I feel about Elizabeth Warren. Not that she doesn't have some great ideas, and not that she couldn't do an amazing job as President, but because she won't beat Trump. And, I want someone on the ticket who can beat Trump.

Bloomberg is just a Trump with more left-leaning policies. No thanks.

I could be on board with Biden, but he's not my #1 choice (again, old white guy).

Andrew Yang was my number one choice and when he dropped out, I was devastated. A younger, more moderate leaning, Asian-American would have been such a delightful change for our nation. He is practical and level-headed. His policies and ideas were realistic and reachable. He had innovative ideas about tax reform and combatting climate change. He wasn't divisive. It was a real let down when he withdrew. I was also disappointed that Beto O'Rourke didn't make it further along. I also could have whole-heartedly voted for him.

So, in the end, I found myself choosing between Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar. I like them both. They are moderates who have sensible ideas about how to fix the mess that Trump has made of the current administration. While I have concerns about the electability of a 30-something gay guy and a Jewish woman, I would love to see either of them as the Democrat candidate. In the end, Mayor Pete got my vote. He's just so darn sensible. He's likable. He's married to a teacher and is in tune with middle America and the hardships the "real" people face every day. I think he'd be a nice transition to rebuild America and put out the fires Trump has started everywhere.

In the end, my vote will go to whoever faces Trump. Again. We need to get this "man" out of office. I've seen the deterioration of what was once a great nation over the past 4 years. It's heartbreaking. He's gotten worse, something I didn't think was possible. And, he's made the American people worse, because he's made it "ok" to be a racist, mysogynistic, bigoted a-hole.

So, once again, ANYONE BUT TRUMP 2020!