Biden beats Trump

"A return to civility," said an NPR reported today in response to what foreign leaders are saying about the announcement that Joe Biden beat Trump. "Trump was thorn in their side," he added. After spending over a year abroad in Peru and traveling in Australia and Europe, I opened my eyes to the impact that America has overseas. While living in our bubbles it can be easy to forget about the immense impact that our foreign policies and leadership have on the health and well-being of millions of people living outside our borders. The biggest election of a century (well at least in my lifetime) happened this week. 

On Tuesday Nov. 3rd, 2020, the current 45th President, Donald Trump, amidst a global pandemic of coronavirus, was running against former Vice President under Barak Obama, Joe Biden. Sadly, election night was anticlimatic. Due to the pandemic, many people, including myself, chose to vote by mail. There were so many absentee votes that it took days and days to verify and count each and every one. With outstanding votes to count in swing states of Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina, it was too close to call. 

Today, November 7th, was a historic day as we finally had reached a majority in the electoral college. Joe Biden would become the 46th President of the United States. Biden said tonight in his acceptance speech, "We will lead not by our power but the power of our example." It was incredibly refreshing to hear articulate leaders on stage representing not just me and my family, but all Americans. A leader my children could actually listen to and look up to. A leader that could articulate that he has a plan to combat the pandemic. 

Cases are currently surging in the Midwest and hospitals across the states are over capacity with very few ICU beds. In Minnesota we had over 5,000 cases today, an all time high. With Thanksgiving approaching, I fear this pandemic will get much worse before it gets better and I'm scared. As some of you know, my uncle Tom has been in the hospital for over 6 weeks with coronavirus! While younger people get it and often don't die from it, they are probably part of a path of infections that do kill someone. Please, wear a mask. 

 Kamala Harris quoted John Lewis today, "Democracy is not a state. It is an act." We have the ability to act, to vote and to change the future. We voted for our children. We voted for science. We voted for truth. We voted for hope. We voted for women. We voted and a majority of voters, over 74 million, voted for Joe Biden. Of these, half were women. We are reminded that it was only 100 years ago that the 19th amendment was passed that allowed women the fundamental right to vote. At the time the constitution was written, black men were slaves, Native Americans defined as aliens and women were seen as the property of their husbands. "It was we the people," women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony declared in 1872, "not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union." It wasn't until 1920 that women had that right and while the glass ceiling still exists, I am proud to live in a country where at least women have the ability to have their voices heard and exercise their right at the ballot box. 

 Tonight, Theo was watching the acceptance speeches by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris very intently. When asked about the election, he said, "The people decide who they want to win and they put in these things in a ballot box." He explains, "Then they count all the votes and whomever has the most votes wins." I wish buddy, I wish it was that simple. Anyone want to try to explain the electoral college to an 8 year old? Good luck! He did say, "We vote every 4 years for President, Vice President, and Congress," but couldn't think of anything else we'd need to vote for. We talked about city council, judges, police, laws, etc. After watching the acceptance speeches, Theo said, "[Biden's] really old and I don't think he'll make it all 4 years." I hope he's wrong but it is sad that both candidates were in their 70s. 

Biden was born in 1942. Roosevelt was still President and the US was still at war. While black and white TV was just coming out, most families listed to the radio. Gas was only $0.18 a gallon and the slinky wasn't even invented yet. Nonetheless, we were both encouraged to hear Biden had a plan to unite the country and plan to control coronavirus. Theo was glad to hear him say that "we weren't all going to die." 

 Marit was also watching. She says, "We get to vote for President every 40 years. If they are voted one time, they get to be in for 4 years; if they get voted two times, they get to stay 14 years." Yikes! When asked how we choose the President, Marit said, "We vote on the computer, tablet, or go to churches. They look through all the votes and check if it is for Donald or Trump." Not quite but close. She did say she wanted Joe Biden and "a girl named Harris" to win. Marit watched closely as Kamala Harris walked out on the stage tonight beaming and wearing white clothes. Marit said she would marry her. I said, "In America, you can marry whomever you love, a boy or a girl." She asked me if I wanted to marry a boy or girl. I love how open and accepting children are. We could learn a thing or two from them. At the end Theo said, "She will be a good Vice President." I agreed. I added, "Maybe someday, we'll have a woman President, too, because women can do anything men can do." 

It felt so refreshing, so rejuvenating, to have articulate leaders with a plan and hope for our country. If only we didn't have to wait until January 20, 2021 to make it happen!