We had the conversation

a letter about VP Harris to my very right-wing brother

I woke up this morning to an email from my brother, who said:

I know we see politics very differently. To that end I just want to understand the other side. I am not looking to argue or convince, just to understand. 

The question is: what do you see in Kamala Harris that makes you believe she is qualified to be President and why you support her?

I will say that this is the first time he’s ever asked, so that feels like progress. I don’t expect he will make any changes, but it felt good to answer, and I thought it might be useful for those of you having similar conversations:

Hiya! Here's my fairly quick and probably incomplete answer, with no citations because I have a sermon to write. Also, while I have many reasons for not voting for Trump, you asked specifically about Harris, so here goes:

Is she qualified? She meets the basic qualifications as set forth by the US Constitution: she is a natural-born citizen aged 35 or older.

But here's why I believe she is the best choice:

She is a life-long public servant (this has been in my craw since Steve Forbes ran in the 1980s - government is fundamentally different from corporations).

She respects the law - as a prosecutor, she spent her career (as best she could) fighting for victims. 

She respects the US Constitution and our form of government - with all its flaws - as the law of the land.

She supports the right to choose - not just reproductive rights, but also religion, where to live, career choices, schools, partners, families, and yes, even voting. She's an American pluralist - much like myself.

She supports responsible gun ownership.

She trusts the science. 

She listens to experts - whether it's climate change, healthcare, diplomacy, poverty and food scarcity, immigration, crime, etc. - she's shown herself to rely on a team to advise her.

She knows that when trouble's afoot (see: Helene and Milton, for example), we are Americans first and foremost and reaches out to offer help.

She believes in a true middle class and raising all boats (I saw a commercial recently for a financial advisor marketing to 'middle class millionaires' - sorry, if you're a millionaire, you're not middle class); I'm especially impressed with her proposal for new business startups.

She is well respected in the international community.

She is articulate, forthright, and confident when she speaks and acts; I could go on a whole rant about how women aren't taught this and it's really menopause that gives us some of that courage and confidence - something I've noticed in myself in the last five or six years, and as she's essentially the same age as me (22 days separate us), I suspect she's had a similar shift.

Her four years as vice president has helped that confidence too - I think it gave her a front seat to the ways a presidency can be used to help people.

She is kind; she isn't always nice - because nice is wimpy and wishy-washy. But she is kind - offering help, offering a word of comfort or encouragement. And she's had the wisdom to choose one of the kindest, funniest, effective governors as her running mate. 

She is looking forward.

That is why Vice President Harris has my vote.