We love our country, and our responsibility to defend democracy comes with the greatest privilege on Earth: The privilege and pride of being an American.

In November, we will make our voices heard at the ballot box. pic.twitter.com/M8jF7nNAdy

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 28, 2024

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What is it about Kamala Harris that has us swooning?

Is it her laugh? Her energy? Is it how she “presents” so polished and capable? Her jeans, her Chucks, her blazer? What is it about her that has celebrities and pundits and musicians lining up in support? The Generals…The Unions…the (gasp!) Republicans..?

I think it’s the fact that she is wholly (but not single-handedly) de-centering “the powerful man” culture we seem carry a torch for here in the United States. She’s not taking power away, mind you; she’s simply stepping up on the platform, shifting the weight, and asking to share some space for a bit. To occupy it equally. To represent all the peeps, not just some.

Without weakening her own voice and vision, without screaming from the hills, “I am a woman, look what I can do!” she’s still doing it— altering the political dynamic via measured commentary, laser-sharp off the cuff quips, and record-breaking rallies. She’s doing it in the name of freedom, and against an overt push for fascism.

Make no mistake: Trump is a Fascist.

VP Harris is focused and driven and has made nary a misstep during her short, exciting presidential campaign. She’s been clear about her policies and messaging. Put in the driver’s seat with “minutes” to go in the game, she’s had her pedal to the metal without looking back. She’s adding her voice for sure, but instead of speaking over her opponent, she’s speaking right through him. Instead of reacting, she’s simply reiterating his own harmful words.

Operation “let him speak” has been working beautifully. Enter the “late, great Hannibal Lector ” and “Hitler did some good things.”

She shifted the power.

She walked right up to him to the center of the debate stage and shook his hand.

She shifted the power.

She pressed him directly and indirectly, via dragging on social media and billboards, and in doing so, exposed his fragile ego.

She shifted the power.

He uses the same old phrase (“she’s a nasty woman”) from the same old playbook (oh hey, dusty Donald, the 70s called) to describe an articulate, well-prepared woman who clearly rejects him and his vague “policies.”

Newsflash: There are lots of nasty women.

Systematically, she’s fighting to remove both his foot and his footprint off necks belonging to “the other half” of America: the women.

Others have tried.

Clinton had a bit too much baggage, unfortunately. We loved her qualifications, but we didn’t love her. We loved her brain, her experience, her drive…but we just didn’t love her. That’s the truth. There were too many people, women especially, shaking their heads no. I liked her. I wanted her in 2016, and I knew she’d make a great U.S. President, but the novelty of Trump and the “rise” of his ridiculousness MAGA cult in America was rolling a bit too forcefully and at full speed. He had his moment, and when he did, he revealed our great divide. He provided the fuel that served to widen it.

He completely botched the COVID-19 response in his effort to keep the money flowing. He called football players who dared to take a knee during the national anthem “sons of bitches,” and in doing so, essentially denounced the American Way. The “American Way” is peaceful protest. He scoffed at Colin Kaepernick but bolstered the violence-loving Proud Boys. What part of that makes sense?

Since 2020, there have been the lawsuits. The criminal indictments. The women coming forward. The civil suits. The Stormy Daniels. The Jeffry Epstein connection. The cabinet members doing jail time. The convictions. The felony conviction counts. January 6th. The eating of the cats and dogs.

We must, as a nation, dump Trump. For good.

It’s time for Kamala Harris. Our country is ready. She is shifting the power because we’ve made room for her.

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