Hilbert Morales
EL OBSERVADOR
I have several deep seated concerns about this 2016 election which happens on November 8, 2016.
On a national scale, enough Democratic Senators (six more) and Representatives (about 80 more) need to be elected to provide the next U.S. President with a ‘collaborative U.S. Congress’. It seems likely that a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate may be possible if the Democratic voters GOTV (get out to vote). In California, the choice between Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez offers the registered voter the opportunity to elect the first Latina to represent CA in the Senate. I have already presented the case that Loretta Sanchez, who has been a “Member of Congress” for 20 years and is an experienced legislator would be a good choice who would ‘be immediately effective’. Kamala Harris, current CA Attorney General, has no legislative record/experience. However Kamala has been an effective prosecutor who is highly suited for appointment to the Department of Justice or the Federal Attorney General position. If the Latino voter GOTV, and votes for Loretta Sanchez, then, as the first Latina U.S. Senator, she will be in a position to immediately act on complex issues such as ‘Immigration Reform’, the domestic economy, IRS tax code reform, and initiate funding for infrastructural projects, etc. Keep in mind that the U.S. Senate endorses nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court; at least three Supreme Court Justice vacancies may occur during the next four years. One is pending, but existing Republican leadership is refusing to initiate the required ‘up or down vote’.
It is unlikely that the U.S. House of Representatives will end up with a ‘Democratic Majority’ resulting in the ‘House’ having ‘Democratic leadership’. However, voters need to re-elect “House members” who indicate they will do everything possible to encourage and enable needed legislation. A logjam of legislation has accumulated since President Obama’s installation.
This nation’s racism became very obvious when a small group of Republican leaders met on the very same day that Obama was officially installed to plan to limit his administration to one term. “We, the People” who are ‘persons of color’ already exceed the “Whites”. We must elect public officials who will set aside their racism, prejudices, and biases when crafting legislation which will benefit the entire nation’s people, its economy, and its current position as the world’s ‘super-power’.
Regarding the election of the next President: It is up to Hillary Clinton to lose this presidential election. As the first woman in the most powerful public policy seat in the world, I project she will stabilize the use of diplomacy first, and military action only when all else fails. Despite Hillary’s 25 years of public service, Trump supporters have only come up with two issues: 1) Emails and 2) The Benghazi Incident. All investigations by Congress and others did not establish any malfeasance. However, recently Hillary mis-spoke when she used the ‘basket of deplorables’ comment which gave Trump supporters a ‘talking point’. The second ‘talking point’ is her health. The fact that she was diagnosed as having pneumonia on a Friday two days prior to that 9-11 event where she left to go to her daughter’s apartment for relief made her health a second talking point for her adversaries. Hillary needs to be in the best of health when she debates Donald Trump face to face. Hillary Clinton is highly qualified to become the next U.S. President; she has the experience, temperament, and capacity to do as well as has President Obama.
It is not enough to elect Hillary Clinton as the next President: The U.S. Senate needs to be controlled by the Democrats in order to approve the next several appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court which is currently dominated by conservatives who approved that ‘Citizens United’ ruling which gave corporations their ‘Dark Money’ influence and power. The next several U.S.Supreme Court appointees must be liberals and that ‘Citizens United’ ruling must be reversed ASAP. Also, with Democratic Senate majority (which takes the election of six Democratic Senators), there is a good possibility that some very important federal legislation can be crafted so as to break up the current logjam created since 2008 by ultra-conservative Republican Tea Party obstructionists. In this regard, it is important that the California Latino voter seriously consider voting for Loretta Sanchez,who has 20 years of legislative experience, so she becomes the first Latina Senator.
For the best election outcomes, the Latino voter has the opportunity this 2016 Election to become a ‘stakeholder’ who can hold any and all elected officials accountable and responsible. So plan to vote on Tuesday, November 8th.
